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There are few venues in London that rival the atmosphere of a sold-out O2 Academy Brixton. So it's no surprise that it’s the venue of choice for DMA’s standalone headline show ahead of the release of their new album The Glow, which drops on April 26. 

As the crowd rolls into the auditorium’s sloping basin, there is a palpable excitement in the air. Support act Everybody You Know erupt onto the stage and dive head-long into their set, a genre fusion brimming with hip-hop, garage and punk – a highlight of which includes a jaw-droppingly good cover of Sam Fender’s ‘Play God’ working surprisingly well with additional verses of sparking bars. The days of Everybody You Know being a support act on the bill are numbered. 

The lights dim as DMA’s take to the stage amidst the raucous chants of ‘D-D-D-M-A’S’. The opening song is a throwback to their first self-titled EP with a thunderous performance of ‘Feels Like 37’. The crowd can take it no longer and begins to chaotically swirl, with drinks flying left, right and centre, and friends on shoulders aplenty. 

There’s an irresistible appeal to the humble appearance and demeanour of the Sydney-based trio, as frontman Tommy O’Dell’s strides across the stage in loose fitting attire with a cheeky grin brimming across his face. Despite their catalogue of hits often striking a melancholic vibe, their expansion into a six-piece for their live performance is emphatic and triumphant. 

There’s hardly a moment to pause for breath as they race through ‘Dawning’, ‘Too Soon’ and ‘Hello Girlfriend’, the crowd dancing and singing as they go. The first hair-raising moment of the performance comes as they play ‘Silver’, the first single from their upcoming third album. It’s a beautiful moment as Tommy steps back from the mic and lets the crowd do the work for the final chorus, walking up to his bandmates with a euphoric disbelief painted on his face. If this is a sign of things to come, The Glow is going to further cement the bands reputation as cult-heroes of Britpop revival.  

The set continues with an eclectic mix of hits from their first two albums. Tommy possesses a one-of-a-kind voice which is perfectly complemented by lead guitarist Matt Mason’s crackling electric guitar and Johnny Took’s ever-present acoustic strumming. It’s a stunning thing to witness as they belt out the ‘The End’, ‘Step Up the Morphine’ and ‘Delete’, each met with the chorus of five thousand besotted fans. 

The final act of the performance includes a massive dance-along for second single from the upcoming album, ‘Life Is A Game Of Changing’ - a synth-heavy electronica anthem. They sign things off with the three-piece encore which includes ‘Your Low’ (their first performance since 2016). As the final chorus of ‘Lay Down’ rings out around the auditorium, the cherry has been well and truly placed upon the proverbial cake.  

More about: DMAs