When looking around the comfortably full Electric Ballroom for tonight’s show, it slowly becomes clear that Lonely the Brave aren’t a band who merely cater to one specific age range. Down the front, teens and young adults are on the barrier, desperately excited to see one of their favourite bands and, as the crowd moves further back, the age range slowly gets higher. Couples, friends, and groups that are in their late twenties to early thirties are all here, ready to experience the wealth of talent that makes up Lonely the Brave.
And they’re not disappointed. From start to finish, Lonely the Brave don’t openly brag or use any stage props or lighting to boast about the stunning work that they’ve created, from their ‘Backroads’ EP to their debut album ‘The Day’s War’ to latest release ‘Things Will Matter.’ Instead, they let each and every track they play do the talking – ‘Wait In the Car’ spills over with simmering power; ‘The Victory Line’ and ‘Diamond Days’ are visceral, with simply huge riffs and haunting melodies. And the vocals during ‘Backroads’… they’re simply on another level and, as cliché as it sounds, David Jake’s vocals really do soar. They’re massive and push the room to breaking point – it’s incredibly poignant, and is a truly touching moment.
‘Trick Of the Light’ is a massive, emotionally-charged track. The raw and personable lyrics resonate within the room, yet it’s still a hugely enjoyable track that goes down an absolute storm. And ‘The Blue The Green’ unites the room; it swells and expands as everyone presses closer together, singing along to the refrain in perfect harmony; it’s emotional, as people sing it far louder than David himself – the room is singing from somewhere deep within their soul, giving life to the heart-pulling lyrics of “I wanna know what it’s like / so I can feel it inside.” It’s a huge moment and wouldn’t have looked out of place on a stage such as Wembley Arena. It’s moments like this, when they show how absolutely stunning they are, that makes fans and industry professionals alike cross their fingers and genuinely hope that Lonely the Brave do get the chance to grace some of the most renowned arenas both within the UK and outside of it.
Tonight, Lonely the Brave have shown London what they knew already; that they’re a simply phenomenal and utterly superb band.
JESS TAGLIANI