DMA’s, an Australian three-piece indie-rock band are back on tour with their biggest UK tour yet. The band had originally planned to play the shows in 2020, however, the dates were moved to this autumn due to the effects of the pandemic. All I can say is that this concert was worth the wait, and I would strongly encourage fans of the band or even those who are not and are looking for a good time and great music, to go and see them for yourselves. The setlist was evidently full of fan favourites, a mix of both intimate and energetic moments.

As the lights dimmed and the DMA’s took the stage, the roar of the crowd chanting ‘D-D-D-M-A’S’ was infectious and everyone in the audience knew that this was the place to be in Birmingham that night. The excitement of the fans was mirrored equally by the band as they opened the concert with ‘Never Before,’ the scene was alive and the music was vibrant, yet this was just the beginning. Moving onto songs from their latest album The Glow, the title track was a clear example of how songs thrive in live environments, invigorating them with energy. The band have a clear and strong presence that cannot be translated through recording.

The setlist was evidently full of fan favourites, a mix of both intimate and energetic moments

Towards the middle of the set, the songs ‘Silver’ and ‘Emily Whyte’ introduced a slower and more intimate atmosphere. Out of the two, my personal favourite was ‘Silver,’ which includes the lyrics: ‘How do I redefine / All my love for you? / I guess I look to the sun with you / Look to the sun with you.’ O’Dell’s emotive vocals look back on a failed relationship and how these memories still consume our minds years later. The song gave the perfect love ballad mixed with enough energy to keep the pace of the concert going. The flawless vocals seemed only to get stronger as the performance went on, evident when ‘We are Midnight,’ one of their latest singles, began. The song showcases how versatile and the band’s song writing has become since their earlier work, both within the set and their discography.

During ‘Play it Out,’ O’Dell left the stage for a few minutes to allow the musicians their time in the spotlight. This song was by far one of the crowd’s favourites as the lyrics were roaring from the wave of fans immersing themselves in the music. There is something special when the band can allow each member to show off their skills whilst also including their fans in the magic of the performance.

Both the music itself and the vigour of the band matched the atmosphere of the venue perfectly

As one would expect, the band returned for an encore, finishing off the night with ‘Appointment,’ ‘Lay Down,’ and ‘Feels like 37.’ The band closed the night just as strongly as they began. ‘Lay Down’ was hands down one of my favourite tracks played, as it introduced the boisterous energy through the beat of the drum and guitars. Both fans and the band knew that the night was coming to an end, however, this only heightened the energy as people immersed themselves into the music. Both the music itself and the vigour of the band matched the atmosphere of the venue perfectly.

Marking my first live music event since the beginning of the pandemic, I could not fault the DMA’s. Their chemistry as a band was undeniable and worked in their favour for the entirety of the performance. The atmosphere of a concert is always ten times better when you can truly tell that the artists love their craft, and this was very much the case. They had the audience entranced the entire night, and despite being an international band, the sense of community was beyond question and they made Birmingham their own. Following this performance, I most definitely will continue to listen to DMA’s, as their music is infectious and just what you want from modern indie-rock music. After over a year of missing live music, I couldn’t have asked for more and I cannot wait for my next show.

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