Don Broco returned to headline the historic Alexandra Palace last weekend for the first time since 2017, joined by special guests Dance Gavin Dance and Papa Roach. 

The two supporting bands did an excellent job warming up the crowd, with particular kudos going to Papa Roach for ending their set with the sing-a-long classic, ‘Last Resort,’ and newer favorite ‘Born For Greatness,’ from their 2017 album Crooked Teeth. 

The room was abuzz ahead of Don Broco’s set, packed from wall to wall with eager fans stretching to see what was happening on the stage. Then, finally, the band appeared with great fanfare, kicking off with ‘Bruce Willis,’ a track that begins with drummer Matt Donnelly on soft vocals before vocalist Rob Damiani brings a much harsher element. The audience was frenzied at the very get-go, signaling that it would be a show.

The setlist had been relatively consistent throughout the tour, the majority promoting 2021’s Amazing Things, but there were some more senior favorites in there, too—’What You Do to Me’ and ‘Priorities,’ to name a few. The combination of past and present is a tried and tested success for many bands, and Don Broco’s set on Saturday night proved no exception. 

Midway through the 18-song main part of the set, Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix joined the band on stage—cue the screams of excitement—to provide guest vocals for ‘Manchester Super Reds No. 1 Fan,’ and the first part of ‘Thug Workout,’ which is one of the band’s oldest gems. 

Song after song and Don Broco never seemed to falter, exuding a wild energy that the crowd seemed to feed off. Damiani bounced around the stage, making sure to interact with both sides of the room, which is not exactly an easy feat when up to 10,000 people are in front of you. 

Finishing up with ‘Superlove’ and ‘Nerve’ from 2015’s Automatic was a testament that Don Broco may have changed considerably since their inception, but they remain the same in the ways that matter. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by some of their most diehard fans, and the band were therefore met with deafening cheers as they returned to the stage shortly after exiting for their encore. 

‘Fingernails,’ followed by ‘T-Shirt Song,’ comprised the finale, the latter of which saw the tradition held up (literally) of fans swinging their t-shirts above their heads as detailed in the lyrics. It was an excellent note to end on, getting the crowd worked up one last time and cementing the show as one they would never forget. Don Broco are on the very top of their game, but it’s clear that they are determined to rise even higher.