05 October 2024 (gig)
3 d
The O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire was packed on Saturday night for an epic night of psychedelic rock, headlined The Dandy Warhols, with Texas’ finest, The Black Angels, providing the support.
The Black Angels opened the evening, immediately pulling the crowd into a hypnotic trance with their brooding, reverberating soundscapes. Their brand of psych rock, heavy with drone and fuzzed-out guitars, perfectly set the mood for what was to come. Their tracks resonated through the historic venue, with their pulsing rhythms and dark, ominous tones washing over the audience. Billed as co-headline despite going on first, the band received an even amount of time as the Dandys and managed to transport the crowd into a kaleidoscopic world of sound, leaving an undeniable mark on the night.
However, the energy in the room truly hit its peak when Warhols took to the stage. Opening with the slow, dreamy ‘Good Morning,’ the band eased the crowd into a mesmerising, atmospheric groove. Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s vocals drifted effortlessly over Peter Holmström's swirling guitars and Zia McCabe’s synth flourishes. The mood was set, and from that point on, the Dandys held the audience in the palm of their hands.
As the set progressed, the band played a wide range of tracks spanning their career, from fan favourites to deeper cuts such as ‘Holding Me Up.’ Taylor-Taylor's relaxed, almost aloof stage presence suited the band’s laid-back, psychedelic vibe, while his witty banter between songs kept the crowd engaged. Holmström’s guitar work was a standout, his shimmering, reverb-laden chords adding a textured, ethereal quality to the band’s signature sound.
It was in the final stretch of the set where the energy exploded. The Dandys turned up the heat with three back-to-back classics from their seminal album Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia. Starting with the instantly recognisable ‘Bohemian Like You,’ the crowd erupted, singing along with every word as the infectious chorus filled the venue. The groove continued with ‘Get Off,’ a high-energy anthem that had the floor shaking with dancing and headbanging. Finally, the epic ‘Godless’ brought the night to a climactic close, its grand, expansive sound wrapping around the audience like a sonic wave, complete with horns and a lush instrumental build-up that left everyone spellbound.
By the end of the night, The Dandy Warhols had proven once again why they’ve endured as one of the most beloved and enduring bands of the 90s and 2000s. Between the intensity of The Black Angels and the nostalgic, euphoric set from the Dandys, it was a night of sonic exploration and rock 'n' roll excess.
