Having loved seeing Daydream Frenzy at Aberdeen’s Tunnels a while ago, I had snapped up their first EP, Calling Stars, before I left the gig. When the chance came up to review them as they played the venue again as part of a mini Scottish tour, how could I refuse? I went there eager to hear more and expecting it to be a good dose of fun. Upon leaving the gig, my ears were roaring… But it was definitely worth it! My expectations were met and I, along with everyone else in the crowd, had a brilliant time.
Opening for
Daydream Frenzy in his debut was Christy, an acoustic solo act who definitely
made a great start to the gig by giving everyone something to tap their feet to
and get enthusiastic about. The Bowling For Soup covers at the end of his set –
particularly 1985 – got a really good response from the crowd and I thoroughly
enjoyed listening to him.
The second
support act of the night was an Inverness band performing in Aberdeen for the
first time. Last Summer Effect kept the very vibrant mood going, and there were
many people clearly loving every minute. A Bruno Mars cover – Just the Way You
Are – brought a few extra people forward and, at the risk of Bruno fans hating
me for life, was actually a better version than the original. Again, a
thoroughly enjoyable act that kept things loud and lively in preparation for
the main band of the night.
What can I
say about Daydream Frenzy? They smashed it. Despite a stressful and unavoidable
late arrival in Aberdeen, they put on an amazing show. They played songs I love
from the first EP, Pretty Girl and Behind Circles, as well as some newer
material that the crowd loved. In the midst of the loud, energetic music that
filled The Tunnels, Daydream Frenzy played some acoustic gems that really mixed
it up: Passion Sparks and Rearrange Tomorrow. The former was a
solo from lead singer and guitarist Donald Barclay, and it was great to see
such diversity in the set.
Proving that
at a Daydream Frenzy gig there can be all kinds of enthusiasm, somewhere along
the way a mosh pit began, following clapping and lighter waving from the more
mellow among us. I found that this obvious excitement from the crowd was really
infectious, and the overall atmosphere of the gig from start to finish was
electric. It was great to see so much support for a band that was so genuine and so
positive.
Overall, I
had a fantastic time and simply loved the gig. I leave readers with a quote
from a loyal friend of Daydream Frenzy, who just managed to sum up in three
words what I think many people now feel about the band:
“they’re totally awesome.”
EW
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