Don Broco sure does make it impossible for my love of them to flag. Not that I’m complaining!
Back before I became obsessed with this band in late 2022, they were chosen to play at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the Teenage Cancer Trust earlier in the year. Since then, they’ve released a handful of the songs they performed on Youtube. Though the fans kept crying out for a DVD, they said they weren’t legally allowed to do that, but they were legally allowed to release the audio. Cue almost a year later and that promise has been fulfilled! You know I pre-ordered that the second they announced it. That may also be because I wanted to get my hands on a signed copy. And I did, and it finally came in the mail last week!
So I popped the disc into my CD player (from the 1900s as those freaking Gen-Zers would say) and let it roll through all twelve tracks uninterrupted. That’s kind of a short live set if you think about it, but I don’t really know how many other bands were taking part in the performance since it was a fundraiser type event. Either way, the band gave us the hits that I’ve had the pleasure to come to know and love in a live setting, but we were also treated to a few gems from Amazing Things.
“Swimwear Season” is by no means my favorite song off that record, but man did it sound really cool with a full orchestra! “Easter Sunday” always gives me chills when I listen to it, and I can tell you that with the aid of the orchestra and the choir, it was absolutely no different. Incredible! I’ve heard more stripped back versions of “Nerve” and “One True Prince” before, so the orchestral versions didn’t sound drastically different, but still just as lovely. “Uber” was not a song I was expecting to work with all those brass and wood sounds, but it was also so freaking cool! What am I even saying, all of the songs sounded so cool. I love everything they’ve ever released, so I’m probably not the best judge.
I was pleasantly surprised by how many of the songs they chose where Matt’s vocal parts were pretty significant. I know he helps sing on almost all of Don Broco’s songs, but these were more Matt-heavy choices. That man had to work! Even the choir took over some major parts on “Further!” It’s a good thing Rob is a confident and effective front-man. Like me, I sure he was also having a fan-boy moment over the whole thing. And I don’t know how long the orchestra had to learn all of those songs, but major props to them. I didn’t hear one note out of place. As with the rest of Don Broco’s discography, I can’t wait to listen to this over and over and over again.