American quartet DNCE have made a name for themselves as a bit of a dark horse. Yet to release an album, they have already racked up airplay all over the world. Fresh from supporting Selena Gomez on her Australian/New Zealand tour and ahead of two weekend slots at V Festival, they paid a visit to London’s O2 Academy Islington.
Front-man Joe Jonas knows how to work a crowd. Decked out in a sequined Playboy jacket, his consistent vocals radiate through the venue; no doubt from his experience as a part of global phenomenon, the Jonas Brothers. Don’t for a second underestimate his band mates though. Eccentric and colourful, they bound around the stage, keeping the energy high.
At one point, Jonas stops the show to enquire about a fight that took place outside the venue earlier in the day. It is just one of many moments that the band get intimate with the crowd, as they continuously dip off the stage to mingle with the front row. Later, a gift from an audience member sparks an impromptu Happy Birthday sing-a-long. “What Joe wants for his birthday is for everyone to get fucking naked!” band mate Cole Whittle declares, leading into falsetto heavy tune ‘Naked’. Towards the end of the song, the quirky bassist appears on top of one of the academy’s bars.
DNCE are about making you feel something. The majority of those feelings? Fit perfectly into a Friday night in London. Upbeat and energetic, it is all about having fun. With just an EP to their name, the set falls on the shorter side, closing in at an hour and forgoing an encore. A series of covers fill in time between songs, including “90s babies” classic ‘No Scrubs’ and a sultry cover of Selena Gomez’s ‘Hands To Myself’.
It is their singles ‘Toothbrush’ and ‘Cake By The Ocean’ though, which get the warmest receptions of the night. Understandably so. DNCE have mastered the art of catchy and dance-able tracks. The energy of the crowd rises to its peak as ‘Cake By The Ocean’ closes the set.
Right when you think its all over, Queen classic ‘We Are The Champions’ rings out from the speakers. The band stick around for some bows and thank yous and with one last sing-a-long, the show ends on a high. It has been a victorious evening.
Backstage Goss 