Wow, what a night! Don Broco, the Godfathers of Party Rock, took to the stage for their first ever arena tour and it was pure magic. And as if that wasn’t enough excitement for one evening, we were also treated to American nu metal legends Papa Roach. It may have seemed odd at first that they were supporting Don Broco instead of headlining themselves, but nobody was complaining – we love our friends from across the pond! It had been almost five years since Papa Roach last toured in the UK so needless to say, everyone was beyond thrilled and they certainly did not disappoint.
Treating us to a generous selection of hits, the concert almost had the feel of a co-headlining tour, with plenty of juicy moments throughout. Papa Roach kicked off the show with ‘Kill the Noise’, a track from their latest album Ego Trip released in April, before taking it back with an old favorite, ‘Getting Away With Murder’. Throughout the night, there were more impressive bangers like ‘Firestarter’, and just before launching into it, Jacoby demanded an old-school circle pit. He even made his way to the barrier during one song and wanted to be ‘Loved By All’ * ba dum tsh* – Jacoby jumped to the barrier much to the delight of both new and hardcore fans alike!
I was pleasantly surprised to hear these guys perform an instrumental rendition of ‘Lullaby’ by The Cure tonight. Jacoby expressed his gratitude and asked the audience if they were enjoying the show, which we all were, much to the band’s delight. He also shared that guitarist Jerry Horton has been his brother since 1993, leading me to realize that Papa Roach has now been active for three decades.
As Jacoby addressed those who may be struggling in the darkness or know someone who is, he dedicated the next song to our fallen brothers (and sisters) and urged everyone to light up the venue. The emotional atmosphere was palpable as the entire arena illuminated with a special energy during ‘Scars’.
Bringing the energy back up, we were treated to another unexpected moment with the instrumental version of Dr Dre’s ‘Still D.R.E’. The piano introduction was particularly impressive. The piano intro does wonders and just when I thought it might be time for a My Chemical Romance song, Papa Roach took over! This combination of their hit album ‘Infest’ and this particular performance was truly unique and caught me off guard in the best way possible.
We were transported back to our youth trip, rocked by the banging music of Papa Roach’s new era with ‘Born for Greatness’ and ‘Between Angels and Insects’. However, we couldn’t help but wonder where their iconic hit ‘Last Resort’ was. As the stage went dark without an encore, we feared it wouldn’t be played. But Jacoby was just teasing us – saving the best for last with a giant performance of ‘Last Resort’.
The night when Don Broco began can be described with one word: insane. The instrumental introduction was suspenseful and Rob Damiani (Vocalist) opened the show with a flare, and a sound clip of Bruce Willis in Die Hard was played, saying “yippee ki yay motherf*cker.” Chaos ensued from the start, with massive mosh pits dominating the first half of the performance. It felt like a fever dream filled with absolute gems, including my personal favorites ‘Gumshield & Technology Are Next’ followed by ‘Uber & Coming To LA’. I’m still amazed that they were able to create such an infectious song which involves a bloody taxi!
One of my current favorite track intros is the guitar riff in ‘One True Prince’. It has been since its release in 2021 on the Amazing Things album, which makes up most of tonight’s setlist along with several songs from the Technology album. According to Rob, the crowd they’re playing for in Leeds is their largest yet and they’re requesting the biggest broco pit of the tour. However, I personally don’t believe it can compare to the massive audience they had at Slam Dunk Festival in Leeds back in 2021 – that was truly extraordinary.
Leeds was a hot spot for bookings as people from Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham all came out. Even when the performer inquired if there were any Scots present, they were met with boos. This is noteworthy because this tour did not include any Scottish dates, which caused some backlash on social media platforms. While it’s understandable for Scots to feel upset about this omission, the band is thrilled that some have come out to support them tonight.
Don Broco isn’t a local band in Leeds, but the audience passionately shouts out “Bedford” when Rob asks where they’re from. The next song, ‘Manchester Super Reds’, is quite amusing – just before the chorus, the band abruptly stops and Rob jokes about how he thought everyone hated Manchester so they wouldn’t play it. But then something unexpected happens: Jacoby from Papa Roach joins them on stage and together they continue singing the song. If someone had told me five years ago that Don Broco would be touring with Papa Roach and that Jacoby would sing one of their songs, I probably wouldn’t have believed it. Yet tonight there’s an undeniable brotherly bond between Rob and Jacoby – true bromance indeed!
THERES MORE!
Hold on tight, because there’s even more excitement coming your way! The two bromance brothers continued their performance by belting out a few lines from ‘Thug Workout’, a song that often gets overlooked but happens to have an incredibly cheesy music video that I can’t help but adore for its quintessentially British early 2000s vibe.
According to Rob, this is a dance show and he wants us all to automatically start dancing. During the performance, Rob instructs us to crouch down and jump up during the chorus for maximum dance effect! Although there were no special guest on this track we still got plenty of excitement with some ‘Action’ moments. Rob absolutely nailed his scream during the set – this show just keeps getting more bananas!
It’s crazy to think that it’s been over 10 years since the release of Priorities, the album that marked a turning point for this band. Back in 2012, they were just starting out and playing small venues, but now they’re headlining arenas and drawing crowds of over 10,000 people. As someone who has photographed them six times since 2015, I’ve been lucky enough to witness their incredible journey firsthand. The growth in production value alone is staggering – from simple backdrops to massive arena screens. It truly feels like magic! And while we eagerly anticipate their next project, we can’t help but miss the iconic pumpkin babe from Priorities.
Don Broco concluded their main show with a bang, performing crowd favorites ‘Superlove’ and ‘Nerve’. As expected, they returned for an encore featuring their latest single ‘Fingernails’, before ending on the emotional note of ‘T-Shirt Song’. The audience was undoubtedly moved, although some may have lost their t-shirts in the process.
If you haven’t had the chance to witness Don Broco’s live performance yet, it’s an experience that will change your life. I’ve been recommending them for years due to not only their incredible music but also the transformative power of seeing them perform live.
