To finish off the sold-out UK leg of their ‘from the studio to the stage’ tour, New Jersey band Bleachers performed two intimate shows at PRZYM, Kingston-Upon-Thames, and they did not disappoint. From musicality to showmanship, this band really knows how to put on a show…

In celebration of the release of their new, critically acclaimed self-titled album ‘Bleachers’, the band held a range of shows across the UK, US and Europe. Marking the end of their run of sold-out UK shows, they wrapped this leg of the tour up with a double instalment of shows at PRZYM, Kingston-Upon-Thames. This intimate venue is mainly used as a nightclub, yet also hosts a regular line-up of music events in collaboration with Banquet Records, holding a rough capacity of up to 1,000.

The show kicked off with the band entering through a cloud of smoke, as the iconic Bleachers banner illuminated the top of the stage. Then the show began. Starting off the set with the song ‘All My Heroes’ from their 2017 album ‘Gone Now’, frontman Jack Antanoff instantly enthralled the audience with his undeniable stage presence and vocals. The intimacy of the venue helped to amplify the experience for concert goers as Megan Kilgour (attendee of the first show of the night) told me; ‘’No matter where you were stood in the crowd, you could clearly see the band and hear every note they played, making the whole thing so immersive and captivating.’’

Next up on the setlist, the band took the opportunity to celebrate their new album by playing ‘Modern Girl’. The catchy melody and upbeat instrumentals got the whole crowd dancing, jumping and singing along, creating what Megan described as ‘’An atmosphere of collective happiness which is only felt in these moments of live music.’’ This energetic buzz was maintained when the band played fan-favourite ‘Rollercoaster’ and Jack Antanoff called for people to get on each other’s shoulders- quite a mean feat in such a small venue, yet that didn’t stop anyone!

Jack Antanoff may be the front man of Bleachers, yet the rest of the band sure didn’t let him outshine them! From behind the head guitar solos to crazy saxophone riffs, the band was constantly mesmerising and awe inducing, and hearing them play together painted an image reminiscent of that of Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band (one of Jack Antanoffs self-proclaimed musical influences).

The show ended on a high with the band playing another one of their hits ‘I Wanna Get Better’ as Jack Antanoff climbed atop the speakers and overlooked the crowd exuberantly. The show then ended with guitar picks being thrown into the crowd, well deserved rounds of applause being given, and the crowd leaving with this memorable show engrained in their minds.