The weather outside may have been dull and dreary, but the atmosphere inside the Boston Music Rooms was the complete opposite as rock lovers flooded into the venue to see Dinosaur Pile Up play a special intimate set. The only band on the line up, the evening acted as a celebration for the Leeds trio as their brand new album ‘Celebrity Mansions’ hits shelves. This was the first opportunity to hear the new tracks in the flesh – an opportunity that London fans leapt at.
The doors opened relatively early, giving attendees plenty of time to flock to the venue and get a couple of pre show drinks down their throats. A handful of gig goers quickly turned into a mob of tipsy rock n roll fans, and they all turned their attention to the stage as soon as Dinosaur Pile Up stepped onto it.Â
Wasting no time getting into the swing of things, they launched straight into the enormous ‘Arizona Waiting’, instantly forcing the room to open up in approval. Energy and volume levels hit a new high, setting a bar for the rest of their set that would be difficult to raise. The set was full of classics from across their career, such as the anthemic ‘11:11’, the sleazy ‘My Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and the thunderous ‘Traynor’. The biggest crowd reactions came from a lot of the new material, though, which just goes to show how well loved it already is at this early stage in the album’s life.
The unrelenting pace of ‘Pouring Gasoline’ quickly rapped the crowd into a frenzy as the punk driven riffs rippled through the room. ‘Thrash Metal Cassette’ had a similar impact, birthing what would be the most active pits of the evening. The set closer ‘Back Foot’ stood as the defining moment of the evening, with every head in the building banging in pure appreciation of the quality of THAT riff.Â
Their set proved exactly why they have so much hype around them at the minute. Their punchy riffs and unapologetically catchy choruses hit like haymakers, leaving a lasting mark. A short set on a one band gig meant the evening was over before it really felt like it began, but the tiny taste was more than enough to coarse adrenaline through everyone in earshot.Â
The rest of 2019 is going to be huge for Dinosaur Pile Up, and these shows marked the start of their rise to bigger things. You’re going to want to come along for the ride.Â
DAVE STEWART