Webster Hall (New York, NY)
10/18/23
Bunched into the main room of Webster Hall, the crowd for Don Broco was buzzing with energy, and the band wasn’t even out yet. They brought a killer supporting lineup including The Color 8 and The Home Team to warm up the audience. Before 2022, I had never heard of Don Broco. Somehow, their infectious energy slipped by me in my concert circuits. I’d been missing out. I was lucky enough to see them 5 times in a year, opening for other bands or on festival bills. From the first show to the last, my excitement to see them swelled. Something so special about Don Broco is their innate ability to get a crowd moving. I’ve never seen a pit so alive, yet so respectful. Don Broco fans are truly just there to have a good time, screaming along to party anthems and emotional ballads, feeling the catharsis of music.
This is the first time that I had seen Don Broco headline a show and it was absolutely electric. They commanded the room, starting out with hard hitters like “Gumshield” and “Uber.” The crowd immediately caught the energy, opening up the mosh pit and letting loose. As a photographer, I’m always captivated by the band’s motion on stage. Every member is constantly on the move, bouncing around the stage, spinning and dancing. Even the drummer keeps that energy, all while singing backing vocals. It’s contagious. This energy kept up throughout the show, only breaking up in moments when lead singer Rob Damiani addressed the crowd. These moments were plentiful. There was even a moment where Rob recognized someone from his hometown shows in England who came all the way out to New York City to see them.
If you haven’t listened to Don Broco yet, you have to catch them at their next show near you. I’ve been to a lot of concerts, and I can’t say I’ve seen a band curate such an incredible crowd in the way that Don Broco has. Even if you don’t know any of their music (which I didn’t at my first show), you’ll leave singing along. You may even leave having taken a spin in the circle pit, a staple at their shows.
