Daily J - OMEARA Review: Bringing joy to the capital from the shores of New Zealand

25 Aug

Travelling from the other side of the world, indie-pop outfit Daily J made their debut in the UK.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

As wind lashes out at Leeds Festival and rain washes away the Bank Holiday weekend, things look bleak in the UK. While chaos ensues, in an underground venue in the heart of London, everything feels a lot brighter. Travelling from the other side of the world, indie-pop outfit Daily J made their debut on our shores. Bringing with them sunshine and summer anthems, to a rapturous sold-out OMEARA.

Originating from New Zealand, the band comprises three brothers Jayden, Jonny, and Jessie - along with friends Rick and Cody.

Fiercely independent, conquering London will be no walk in the park. Many musicians arrive in the capital only to be beaten down by the harsh nature of the industry. For Daily J, none of this phases them.

“I still can’t believe it mate, to be honest. We’ve never been to England before.” they laugh, from bop to bop, captivating the crowd more with each passing song.

On stage, the colourful concoction of genres feels more evident than ever, jumping from reggae to rock without a moment to spare.

The standout moments came from Left Me Like Summer and Honey, which saw an eruption from the entire room. Both tracks were soaked in beach weather, and rays of sunshine. With a catchy whistle segment, like One Republic’s I Ain’t Worried, you’ll struggle to stop humming these for hours after.

Daily J also teased a brand new single, bursting with groove, jazz and bass. On first listen, the single felt like an adventurous step in levelling up their sound.

Elsewhere, there was a distinctive interval midway through the set which saw the band offer out fruit to members of the audience. This New Zealand tradition was a stark contrast to the gothic architecture that is the OMEARA. Then again, we wouldn’t be opposed to free fruit at other shows. Bands take note.

:: Round-Up ::

From start to finish, the audience participation was astounding. Everybody was full of enthusiasm, and the number of smiles dotted around was special. Daily J have, finally, arrived in the UK. If this show was anything to go by, they may have to stick around a little longer.

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