Jamie T at Brixton Academy

Jamie T gave his fans at the Brixton Academy a bit of himself last night to make up for a cancelled show on the 2^nd November. Soon after an extensive UK tour in October, the London-born indie punk rocker was back with more hits – a wide selection of both new and old material.

Slightly behind schedule, the five-piece band dove without further ado into Power Over Men and Tescoland from his September 2016 release, Trick. The first couple of tracks on their setlist did not quite open the show with a bang, but after about three songs, the musicians picked the energy up a notch and maintained it until the very end.

The elegant melodies of Dragon Bones featured the quality of Treay’s tone when he’s not delivering his distinctively messy, sarcastic howls. The instrumentalists’ backing vocals were an integral part of a well-rehearsed gig with a solid rhythmic base provided by the drummer.

Happy, sweaty youngsters, of whom a substantial number were teenagers, heartily bellowed their way through most choruses, giving the frontman a well-deserved rest at times. The artist’s voice stayed strong throughout the performance – an impressive feat, for such a long and rapid succession of demanding songs.

While a few tunes lagged along a little – notably the singer’s solo rendition of Sign of the Times – the rest of the concert more than compensated for these hiccups. The anthemic Crossfire Love inflamed the room with its killer chorus and the versatile vocalist’s effortless rap flow, bringing pop-rock to hip-hop with a bit of retro flair. Sticks ‘n’ Stones was such a rousing punk track that fans were still singing it on their way out of the venue.

All in all, far from being self-absorbed, the British artist’s show authentically demonstrated a passion for writing songs and commitment to his own material. The few words he did address to the audience were awkwardly delivered but no eloquent speeches were necessary: Jamie T’s essence shone brightly through his honest and whimsical brand of indie rock.

Jennifer Sanin
Photos: Guifre de Peray

For further information about Jamie T and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Power Over Men here: