Pitching themselves somewhere between 70s prog rock and 90s grunge, The BJM have a unique sound, which won't suit everyone. Their music is an emotional rollercoaster which has the power to move from languid self-deprecation to soaring, joyous grandeur in an instant. There is no doubting the quality of the songwriting on show, but sadly it does not translate well to the live arena, and the band seem unable to hold a crowd for any length of time.

The problems seem apparent immediately. A vocalist who stands towards the back of the stage with his back to a large proportion of the crowd is going to have a hard time endearing himself to the crowd. Any attempt to alter the usual band dynamic should be welcomed, but when your de facto frontman is an apparently mute behemoth whose sole job is to shake a tambourine and affect a bored 'indier than thou' snarl, you should really have a think about crowd interaction.
Musically, The Brian Jonestown Massacre are superb. There is no denying that - it is exemplary, and this is shown to its fullest in crowd favourites 'Nevertheless' and 'Not If You Were The Last Dandy On Earth', which both stand out a country mile in this set. Sadly though, it is impossible for the material to come across well when the band don't make any effort to look like they even want to be there.

I wish I could say more good things about The Brian Jonestown Massacre, because as a concept, they are fantastic. They are clearly intent on breaking down barriers and challenging the de-rigeur dynamic which comes as standard in a band situation. It's just a shame their apparent disregard for the fans' live experience gets in the way of what could be a great show. Overall this was a disappointing experience, which could have been phenomenal, with just a little thought on the part of the band.
FUTURE GIGS
- date performer venue price
-
Fri 14 Feb 2025
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Manchester
Albert Hall
[M2 5QR] £32.50
BUY TICKETS > -
Sat 15 Feb 2025
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Southampton
O2 Guildhall Southampton
[SO14 7LP] £32.50
BUY TICKETS > -
Sun 16 Feb 2025
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Brixton
O2 Academy
[SW9 9SL] £35.00
BUY TICKETS > -
Tue 18 Feb 2025
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Birmingham
O2 Institute
[B5 6DY] £32.50
BUY TICKETS > -
Wed 19 Feb 2025
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Brighton
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
[BN1 1UD] £32.50
BUY TICKETS > -
Thu 20 Feb 2025
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Cardiff
Cardiff University
[CF10 3QN] £32.50
BUY TICKETS >