Despite hailing from over 10,000 miles away in Sydney, Manchester has taken DMAs under its wing. The city has welcomed the indie rock outfit with open arms, and adopted them proudly as one of its own.
The Aussie trio have been playing sold-out shows across the UK for years, including support slots with Liam Gallagher, since their first album ‘Hill’s End’, which spawned knock-out singles ‘Delete’ and ‘Lay Down’.
Johnny, Matt and Tommy are heading to Manchester in April to play at the iconic O2 Apollo for the very first time - a step up from previous packed shows at Manchester Academy and Victoria Warehouse.
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Fans have been waiting with baited-breath for the release of their fourth studio album How Many Dreams?, which has already spawned singles ‘Something We Are Overcoming’ and ‘Olympia’. I jumped on a video call with guitarist Johnny Took from the band, who was preparing for the tour in Sydney, to chat about the new record and all things Manchester.
When I mentioned how excited I was to see them play a historic venue like the O2 Apollo, Johnny admitted he’d never been, so naturally I gave him a quick history lesson on those that have played there, and how it once featured in a film starring a certain four piece from Liverpool. “Oh Awesome, I’m so excited to play some of the new songs off the album there," he said.
Johnny went on to say how “f****ng lucky” DMA’s feel to be able to get such a huge reception so far from home. He mentioned how welcoming the whole of the UK are, but that the band have a particular affinity to Manchester.
He said: “Manchester have taken us under their wing. We don't take that for granted. It drives us to try and write new music and to push our boundaries and you know, to keep doing just keep writing the best songs we can. It has become our second home… there's no other place in the world like it.”
Naturally, I wanted to know his favourite spots to visit in town as a visitor, and he told me the band have a particular affinity to the takeaways around their rehearsal space The Yard in Cheetham Hill.
He shouts out an “unreal” Indian restaurant around the corner and a burger joint called Street Guys. Johnny also added that he enjoys a drink in The Smithfield Social in the Northern Quarter - the bar owned by fellow musician Liam Fray of Courteeners.
The Yard is a space for creatives to hone their craft - one of a few still surviving around Manchester city centre. We chatted about the importance of these types of rehearsal spaces, and the changes Manchester is undergoing at the moment in terms of creative infrastructure.
Johnny said: “It does worry me a little bit, but at the same time, you know, people adapt. If something goes, other places will pop up in retaliation to that. And sometimes it can be a silver lining.
“Another thing is, everyone’s got a laptop these days. I know it’s not the same as jamming with people, but it’s just amazing how easy it is to start writing music. Of course, it’s important for bands to get in a room and do it together, but if those people really love it, they’ll find a way around it.”
It’s easy to forget how much of an influence music from our city has across the world. Growing up in Australia, Johnny recalled the first time he heard The Stone Roses, which would go on to be a huge influence on his music.
He said: “I just remember driving to the country to go and rehearse, going out to the bush to rehearse, smoking a lot of cigarettes, drinking and putting on ‘Love Spreads’ really loud!”
Alongside The Stone Roses, DMA’s have regularly attributed their musical influence to bands like Oasis, New Order and Chemical Brothers, the latter particularly serving as inspiration on their new album. Like many bands do, after a string of successful albums and singles, DMA’s sound has naturally shifted. Their last offering ‘The Glow’ introduced the world to this new fusion of rock and dance sound, and ‘How Many Dreams?’ is much the same.
Whilst new tunes like ‘Something We Are Overcoming’, ‘Get Ravey’ and ‘De Carle’ on the new record may surprise fans at first, Johnny insisted that the heart of the DMA’s is still in the rock format, but adding electronic and dance influences was a natural progression.
“It’s rock music, the drums are still rocky, but there are elements of dance in it, with sequences and synths, and stuff like that. It almost feels like a dance song, with arrangements of rock," he notes.
As fans, it’s always exciting to hear a band’s new tunes when they’re out on the road - and I was keen to see which of the new tracks Johnny was most excited to play. “I like all of the tracks on the record but I’m looking forward to playing ‘Olympia’ and ‘Fading Like A Picture’ as well. There’s something so enjoyable about playing those songs live.”
These anthemic tracks will be very much at home in Manchester’s O2 Apollo on April 20, and we can’t wait to welcome them back to their second home.
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