Featured image and gallery: Ben Redshaw

DMA’S returned to Manchester in style on Thursday night, selling out the O2 Apollo and bringing a phenomenal amount of energy. And what a night it was for the Australian trio as well as their loyal fans in attendance.

Newcastle’s Demob Happy opened the evening, bringing with them their mid 90s rock sound transporting the crowd back in time. They truly know how to rock a crowd with their power guitar riffs, as they launch their performance with ‘Voodoo Science.’

During their performance, the alt rockers announced their new album Divine Machines would be released next month. The band concluded their performance with their latest single ‘Run Baby Run,’ from their upcoming album, as a way to tease what is to come.

Next month, Demob Happy will be the headlining their Divine Machines tour, so don’t pass up the opportunity to catch them live.

The audience was treated to a second support act for the evening with the long-awaited return of Camden indie rock group Tribes, bringing along with them some new music for the first time in over a decade. They have recently been dominating the charts with full-bodied ‘Hard Pill.’ It was clear the Manchester crowd were ecstatic about Tribes return when they opened with fan-favourite ‘Whenever’.

Their setlist consisted of a range of songs from their catalogue such as ‘We Were Children,’ ‘Dancehall,’ and ‘Come Vibe With Me’, before finishing up with their powerful return song, ‘Hard Pill’. Tribes third album Rabbit Head will be released on August 18th via Downtown Music.

It wasn’t long before DMA’S took to the stage, opening with ‘How Many Dreams’, kicking off the sold-out Manchester O2 Apollo show. The crowd entered into a frenzy and joined the band by singing along. Manchester cheered, sang, and chanted for the Australian trio as soon as they took the stage, demonstrating their enthusiasm.

The UK is renowned for having the best concert crowds, and Manchester validated that reputation. As frontman Tommy O’Dell smiled briefly during the song ‘Timeless,’ it was obvious that the Australian trio felt their return to Manchester was a welcomed one. The band continued playing non-stop throughout the night, soon bringing the energy of the concert to a sense of calm with performances of classic songs like ‘Tape Deck Sick,’ ‘Fading Like A Picture,’ and ‘Forever.’

DMA’S had an outstanding performance at Manchester Academy when they were last in Manchester as part of a smaller tour in November. These boys have continue to progress massively since their debut album Hills End in 2016. It’s clear that Manchester has become a second-home to the band as they play in Manchester often and still always manage to pull in a huge crowd, especially tonight selling-out Manchester’s O2 Apollo to its full capacity.

Manchester were demanding an encore as soon as the band left the stage and cheering for more. To the sounds of the crowd, the band returned to the stage. ‘Laced’, ‘Feels Like 37’, and ‘Everybody’s Saying Thursday’s The Weekend’, three of their best singles, serving as the night’s capstone.

DMA’S continue their European tour with performances in London, Amsterdam, and Paris. Later this year, they will make two trips back to Manchester to perform at Parklife Festival and Gorilla.

Demob Happy supporting DMA’S at Manchester O2 Apollo

Tribes supporting DMA’S at Manchester O2 Apollo

DMA’S performance at Sold Out Manchester O2 Apollo