Album Review: DMA'S - Live at Brixton

Almost a year to the date of the show itself, DMA’S have welcomed us to their London show from last year with Live at Brixton. A burst of atmosphere and excitement, this live album is the perfect treat to mark the anniversary of what proved to be an energetic night. A setlist full of clear fan favourites, but also a delightful mix of deep cuts and more intimate moments, the recording is a really exciting delve into a DMA’S live show. With live music halted for the moment, this album is a really wonderful reminder of just the excitement and energy that comes from being at gigs, even if it is through an album for now.

this album is a really wonderful reminder of just the excitement and energy that comes from being at gigs

The album bursts open with ‘Feels Like 37’ and immediately asserts an undeniable energy. The buzzing sound of the crowd eagerly anticipating their entrance is almost infectious, and then it bursts into a frenzy of excitement as the guitars hit. The crowd shout back almost as loud as the band during the chorus, and that relationship is so powerful to hear and to imagine being a part of. It elevates a lot of the songs that are already charged with energy, which is carried into ‘Dawning’, ‘Too Soon’ and ‘Hello Girlfriend.’ It is a really strong and lively opening to the album in which DMA’S really assert a certain stage presence that holds its own even over the recording.

This energy does seem to hold a more intimate power in certain moments too, however. The lead single from their second album The Glow enters as a delicate acoustic moment. It begins with the band and crowd singing the lead hook ‘And you know it ain’t that way / Feeling all the things I couldn’t say / I’m still coming down / You’re still coming round, yeah’ together. But then after the first chorus, as drums and more guitars enter, it slowly builds into quite a euphoric moment. A similar atmosphere can be felt with the more stripped back moment in ‘Step Up the Morphine’ as the crowd is just as crucial to the song as the band. These are some of the most special moments of this live album, in which you can feel as if you were there in the crowd too.

This live show was held a few months prior to the release of their second album The Glow, and so it is really interesting to hear them debut certain tracks from the album in this live setting. ‘The Glow’ has a really charging beat to it and proves to be a really lively and exciting song that I could imagine would have been a lot of fun live. Yet, the lack of audience interaction almost hinders it slightly in the recording. There are some definite lulls in energy throughout Live at Brixton. ‘The End’ becomes a little bit monotonous, and there are a few back to back tracks that seem to lack in the enthusiasm and agency that the set has the potential for. These moments do seem to isolate you slightly from the atmosphere of the live show.

These moments do seem to isolate you slightly from the atmosphere of the live show

That being said, there are also definite stand-out high points to Live at Brixton. For me, the best moment is ‘Delete.’ I remember this song being so special live from when I saw them live a few years ago myself, and this is carried into Live at Brixton. In this recording the acoustic dynamic involves the crowd along on a really delicate and intimate moment, which once again bursts into a euphoric atmosphere. You can feel a real passion and emotional intensity in the lead vocals, which seems to elevate the song into something really impactful. It is a really special and intimate moment.

The live set in Live at Brixton finishes on a high note, with the burst of ‘Lay Down’ reintroducing the energy of earlier in the set. Between the drive of the beat and the energy of the guitars, the song is an explosion of dynamism in its own right. Clearly a firm fan favourite, both the crowd and the band are giving it everything that they have. The album finishes on ‘Your Low’, and this seems to be a wonderful end to what proved to be an album that shines for its atmosphere. It has an ideal hook to both excite the crowd and ignite a final sense of camaraderie into the atmosphere of the venue.

With live music halted for now, albums such as Live at Brixton are extremely special. As both a celebration for the anniversary of the show, and an invitation into the atmosphere of a DMA’S show, Live at Brixton is a wonderful delve into live music and how it can make you feel. In a mainly shining set of fan favourites and special moments, DMA’S both hold their own in stage presence and allow space for the crowd to enjoy that atmosphere. It is a really special reminder of the power of live music.