English rockers Nothing But Thieves stole the show at the Metro with the help of a sold out crowd on September 13th. The tour, in support of their sophomore album “Broken Machine,” featured Demob Happy and Grandson as openers. Both acts matched the style of music for the evening. Demob Happy began the show with guitar solos and their psychedelic rock sound. Grandson followed with his unique mix of alt rock and electronic that shouldn’t work, but it does. His sound, lyrics and stage presence demanded attention as the intense bass echoed his call to political and societal change.

Nothing But Thieves showed the depth of their discography throughout their set opening with the guitar heavy rock track “I Was Just A Kid” and including the slow, emotional, acoustic song “If I Get High.” The array of songs created a greater rhythm to the show as no song was the same as the one before. As the pace of each song fluctuated, the crowd was more engaged in the show leading to a greater connection between band and audience.

Lead singer Conor Mason apologized to the crowd as he was sick and his vocals weren’t as strong as usual. He asked for the crowd’s help throughout the set and they were happy to oblige. Despite his illness, Mason was still able to hit impressive high notes shocking listeners with what a powerful voice can come out of a human. Mason’s vocals were able to shine in a special version of the band’s song “Particles” where it began with just Mason and the piano. The stripped back version of the song added to the intimacy and sincerity of the lyrics “if I need to rearrange my particles, I will for you.” The full band came back in halfway through building up to a jam session after the song had ended, giving Mason’s vocals a break and the crowd a memorable experience.

The audience’s dedication was noted not only with their singing on Mason’s behalf, but also as they danced and jumped their way through the show. The band took notice of the intensity of the crowd and thanked them for making this the most energetic show on their tour thus far. The energy all culminated to the last chorus of the song of the set, “Amsterdam,” where the crowd screamed the lyrics and made the floor shake when the drums came back in. This last effort from the crowd was evidence of what makes shows truly special. As the fans sang out in unison with all they had, there was a moment of community with each person losing themselves in the song.

Nothing But Thieves was able to create an environment to jam out for and with the fans. The band’s skills showed it was clear they knew how to command a stage, but with one member not in full health, they needed the fans to step up. The crowd filled the gap fueling the band making the show one to remember.

Photos taken by Mary Grace Ritter