London’s famous Scala was the place to be on a brisk Wednesday evening as rising indie rock sensation Briston Maroney took the stage in front of his eager, sold-out crowd. More than a year had passed since his last visit to the UK capital, but Maroney returned with unbridled enthusiasm and a fresh musical offering, the mesmerising ‘Ultrapure,’ poised to astonish his fans. And to nobody’s surprise, as soon as the lights dimmed and the crowd erupted into cheers, it was clear that this was going to be a special night.
Maroney kicked off the show with his latest hit single ‘Body’, which immediately electrified the atmosphere and turned his captivated audience into a massive choir while his raspy yet heartfelt vocals danced around the packed-out room. From start to finish, the setlist was a stunning mix of Maroney’s eclectic discography, featuring popular tracks from his debut album ‘Sunflower’ and the latest and best of his newer record, all of which perfectly encapsulated his signature sound of guitar-driven rock numbers and emotional folk ballads.
While bouncy tracks like ‘Small Talk’, ‘Why’, ‘Breathe’ and ‘Sinkin’ had the excited crowd singing along to every word and jumping in musical ecstasy, quieter numbers such as the loving ‘Sunburn Fades’ and the multi-faceted ‘Chaos Party’ brought another layer of depth to the already emotive show and saw the band perform in a tight and dynamic unison. One of the definite standout moments of the night however was when the Nashville-based 25-year-old singer was left alone on stage to perform the soul-stirring ‘June’ in an intimate acoustic rendition, which stood as a beautiful showcase of Maroney’s intricate songwriting and his ability to connect with the crowd on a deeper level.
“I have never spoken this much during a gig,”, Maroney nervously laughed into the mic, once again underlining the importance the show had taken on for him, which was immediately met by loud cheers from the crowd, all filled with love and appreciation. And as the concert drew to a close, Maroney once more expressed his gratitude to the fans before launching into the ultra-beloved ‘Freakin’ Out On The Interstate’ – an absolute fan-favourite and perfect ending to an enigmatic set that will be etched into everyone’s memories for many years to come.
Written by Laura Weingrill // photography by Muriel Margaret
GEM Magazine 