We’ve all seen DMA’s at a festival, but a DMA’s headline show is a whole new level. The iconic Sydney band has steadily built a discography made for a live environment. Fuelled by the energy of a devoted crowd that sings every word back to the band, DMA’s continue solidifying their status as one of Australia’s greatest bands.
It felt fitting that DMA’s would bring Royel Otis along for support. The indie-pop duo have had a busy couple of years, and look to be on the same trajectory DMA’s found themselves on five years ago. It’s (unfortunately) rare to see a venue packed out to catch the support act, but Royel Otis almost had the Tivoli at capacity when they showed up three minutes earlier than expected. Tearing through a tidy 30-minute set that featured their latest single “Fried Rice”, Royel Otis is on top and here to stay.
Photo by Jack Gobbe
DMA’s recent album, “How Many Dreams”, built upon their signature anthemic sound with their growing electronic influence. The title track off the record is also the introduction to the album, and it made perfect sense for the band to also use it as the opening track for this tour. The band then leaned into their pop-DNA with the one-two punch of “The Glow” and “Silver”.
Whether it was the soaring chorus of “Tape Deck Sick” or the iconic cover of Cher’s “Believe”, DMA’s shredded through their setlist with an aura that comes with being one of Australia’s greatest live bands. It became evident that this band is always keen to switch things up, and this tour seems to be no exception.
You only had to look to them slotting in some of their biggest hits halfway through the set as a nod to their confidence in their project. Ending the night with their recent single “Everybody’s Saying Thursday Is The Weekend” also felt like a statement. We may have seen DMA’s at many festivals, but they’re guaranteed to bring something new to the table with every show.
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