Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union
Sat 10 Feb
Don Broco will be bringing their funk-infused rock to Cardiff Students Union this month, promoting their ambitious new album Technology. “We were one of the first bands ever to play in the Tramshed. Before that, I remember selling out Clwb Ifor Bach a couple of times,” frontman Rob Damiani tells me over the phone. There’s an eagerness apparent when he adds, “This will be our biggest gig in Cardiff yet, so we are really looking forward to it.”
Who could blame him? The SU is just small enough to capture a sense of intimacy while providing enough of a spectacular quality to give a setting to the bands powerful style of performance. After releasing their debut album, Priorities, in 2012, Don Broco went on to prove their staying power in the British rock scene. Their second LP Automatic reached number six in the UK album charts, and since then they’ve headlined the Kerrang! Tour and toured with acts from You Me At Six to Bring Me The Horizon. This month’s tour will prove the next important step in their journey, as they play to ever bigger audiences.
Technology combines huge and punishing guitars with 80s-style synth parts. “We are keeping it really fun and really live sounding, as meaty and heavy as possible,” says Rob when asked about this new musical direction. From the energised T-Shirt Song and the hilariously enjoyable Come Out To LA, to the scathingly political Stay Ignorant, you can expect Don Broco to blast through a decent amount of new material at this show. As the frontman explains: “The new songs have been our best received work ever. You can only really know what people make of your new song by performing them live.”
Moreover, early-era singles Actors and Hold On tend to prove a lynchpin in Don Broco set lists, and will almost definitely receive an equally warm reception tonight. Catch them in Cardiff Student Union, before they’re stadium-sized.
Tickets: £20. Info: 029 2078 1458
words ALEX SWIFT