Live Review: Viva Brother

by | Aug 1, 2011 | Concerts & Festivals, Reviews

Where: Brighton Music Hall – Allston, MA

When: July 28, 2011

I had the pleasure of interviewing these British boys right before they came to Boston, and they couldn’t be more excited about impressing American audiences. Guitarist Sam Jackson was glib during our talk, but his anxiousness regarding Viva Brother’s US tour was more than palpable—it was adorable. A few hours before taking the stage at Brighton Music Hall, they played an acoustic show with another wildly successful British band—The Kooks. This only added to audience anticipation to see how VB translated live, sans acoustics. And needless to say, they did not disappoint.

Despite what press photos and music videos led me to believe, they are not as baby-faced as they seem. They are young, but said youth doesn’t prevent their good looks to shine through. Their thin frames were donning skinny jeans and plaid button downs as they gleefully glided through their catalogue of catchy tunes. As they played selections from their debut album, Famous First Words, they were joined by a backup female vocalist who fearlessly sported an afro and a pair of leather shorts, which just happens to be two of my favorite, favorite things. By the time they got around to “Darling Buds of May,” the crowd seemed to fill out and let loose—or at least I did since I was several drinks in. This turned out to be an all ages show, so it seemed to end right when I thought it was beginning. It didn’t seem to matter if Viva Brother was playing for a few people or a few thousand: they gave it all they had and put on a wonderful show. While they are eager to be well received in America, we should be the eager ones—we have no idea what we are in for.