The first thing I immediately noticed about the atmosphere was that Amber Run have some of the most passionate fans that I’ve ever come across. You hear the term ‘fangirl’ thrown around often, but this group of fans certainly made for a gig to remember. The high energy didn’t stop at the fans however; from the moment Amber Run took to the stage it was evident that the band themselves had the ability to illuminate the stage with their big personalities and even bigger anthems.

 

A strong instrumental played as the band geared up to take to the stage, the fans visibly and audibly excited. Fans loudly welcomed Amber Run to the stage as they opened with ‘Pilot’; the distinctive drum beat radiating through the crowd as the simple guitar riff gently cut over the top and Joe’s distinctive voice delivered the hard hitting lyrics as the crowd screamed back the words.

 

Joe smiled out at the crowd, saying “you sound beautiful… wanna sing some more?” with the crowd cheering loudly in response. Jumping straight into ‘Just My Soul Responding’ from their first album, the lyrics ‘beating of your heart is like a drum’ stood out strongly in my mind. Each song the band performs is saturated in a drum beat that is so much more powerful live and can be felt deeply within your chest as it reverberates through the venue in a way that headphones just cannot deliver.

 

Even when Amber Run performed their slower songs, such as ‘I Found’, it didn’t retract from the amount of passion that dripped from every single note. If anything, it was amplified. The band’s isolated harmonies become almost harrowing in a live venue, bouncing off the crowd’s own chorus of singing.

 

In combination with this, the band deliver unforgiving instrumentals that are relentless, encouraging an almost electric reaction in the crowd. Joe asked the crowd “if we give everything to you, will you give something back to us?” and they did not hold back from this promise; at one moment the guitarist, Will, kneeled to the floor as he delivered a heart wrenching performance on the guitar, shedding every ounce of energy into each strum in an almost hysterical manner. Not even half way through the gig Joe broke a guitar string, illustrating the immense amount of power that is in each of their performances and how they do not hesitate or hold back in deliverance.

 

Fans were told by Joe how Brighton is “my new home town” and how he wished to “remember this for a long time” which added a sense of intimacy to the gig. The word ‘family’ pops into mind when thinking about the atmosphere in Concorde 2 that evening, as a strong sense of appreciation was reflected throughout the band and crowd.

 

A pinnacle moment in the gig however was when Joe introduced ‘Haze’ by giving a small yet meaningful speech about how the song is important to them and how it can be for the fans too, describing how some of the band have been through some dark times and that this song was dedicated to the crowd. A strong sense of comfort resonated through each note as the intense vocals matched with the mood; this allowed for the gig to feel truly inclusive and that everyone was safe here in this moment.

 

The band’s gratitude for the atmosphere created was evident, all members beaming widely out at the crowd as the cheers continued on even for a few moments after they’d all exited the stage. I felt exhausted by the end of the concert purely from the amount of energy that was buzzing around the venue, on behalf of both the fans and Amber Run themselves.

 

Amber Run perform as if they’ve been touring for decades, eliciting a wise level of experience that has the crowd feeling safe and satisfied. They dedicate all of their heart and soul into each song, delivering a performance that is unforgiving yet bold. I left the venue that evening with the band having performed above and beyond what I was expecting, my heart feeling a little lighter and with the hopes that Amber Run continue to grow in success.