Live Review: Awolnation @ Shepherds Bush Empire

by | Jun 2, 2014

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

With an arm embracing a tattoo with the word Grace on  Aaron Bruno the man behind the concept of Awolnation enters the stage with a theatrical silhouette posed against the AN backdrop. Grace is the album by Jeff Buckley that was such an influence on him his songwriting and lifestyle.

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

Three years after its release, the sun has still to set on Awolnation’s Megalithic Symphony debut. The album and song Sail have spent over 80 weeks in the Billboard chart in the USA and there is still not sign of a follow-up. Here Sail was performed in a stripped down way and kept toward the end. His boyish demeanor and athleticism abound as the centre of the stage is kept for him alone and his band moved to either side and the back.

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

The pop driven Guilty Filthy Souls opened the set with the very young mainly female fronts rows joining in and chanting the chorus which in a way is also a strange juxtapose as the 35 year old singer laps up the adulation. Its Not Your Fault and unleashed in the middle of the set Kill Your Heroes were given  a heavy rock treatment by  Aaron Bruno and his live group, a style which has seen him grow his fan base through the Vans Warped Tours in the USA and UK.

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

The set list seems relatively sparse and his time on stage is quite short at only an hour and 20 minutes but the encore of Knights of Shame delves into all his song styles and makes you think you have had your moneys worth at least.

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

Awolnation live in London. (Simon Jay Price)

Photography and Review by Simon Jay Price. 30th May 2014 @ Shepherds Bush Empire, London.

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000txgev43sL30″ g_name=”Awolnation-2014″ f_show_caption=”t” f_show_slidenum=”t” img_title=”casc” pho_credit=”iptc” f_link=”t” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”t” f_fullscreen=”t” f_show_watermark=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_mtrx=”t” fsvis=”f” width=”600″ height=”450″ f_constrain=”t” bgcolor=”#ffffff” bgtrans=”t” btype=”new” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” crop=”f” twoup=”t” trans=”flip” tbs=”4000″ f_ap=”t” linkdest=”c” f_topbar=”f” f_bbar=”f” f_bbarbig=”” f_smooth=”f” f_up=”f” target=”_self” ]

The Cab (Juan Flores Mena)

The Cab Return With Long-Awaited Third Album ‘Chasing Crowns’

After more than a decade away from full-length releases, Las Vegas pop-rock outfit The Cab have officially returned with their third studio album, Chasing Crowns, out now. The 18-track record marks the band’s first album in 15 years and signals a powerful new chapter for a group whose absence has only heightened anticipation for their comeback.

Luvcat (Barnaby Fairley)

Luvcat Unveils ‘Vampire At The Beach’ And Announces Dark New EP ‘Lovebites’

Liverpool’s rising cult star Luvcat returns with her latest single Vampire At The Beach, a brooding and cinematic offering that sets the tone for her forthcoming EP Lovebites, due for release on 22nd May.

James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers @ Wembley Arena (Kalpesh Patel)

Manic Street Preachers And Suede Announce Massive Co-Headline UK Arena Tour For Autumn 2026

Two of Britain’s most enduring and influential bands, Manic Street Preachers and Suede, have joined forces to announce a major co-headline UK arena tour set to take place in autumn 2026.

Basht. (Polocho)

Basht. Announce Debut Album ‘Poor Advice’ And Unveil Brooding New Single ‘Perfume’

Dublin four-piece Basht. have unveiled details of their debut album Poor Advice, set for release on 9th October, alongside the release of its gripping lead single Perfume.

The Temperance Movement (Rob Blackham / Blackham Images)

The Temperance Movement Announce ‘Let It All Out’ UK & European Tour

British rock outfit The Temperance Movement have announced a major return to the road this autumn, unveiling their 2026 Let It All Out tour—a 21-date run spanning Europe and the UK.

The War and Treaty (Luke Rogers)

The War And Treaty Announce UK & European Summer Tour For 2026

Acclaimed duo The War And Treaty have unveiled plans for an extensive UK and European summer tour in 2026, bringing their celebrated live show across the continent this July.

Tiffany Stringer (Ragan Henderson)

Tiffany Stringer Unveils Cinematic New EP ‘The Lone Starlet’

Rising pop artist Tiffany Stringer is stepping into a bold new era with the announcement of her upcoming EP The Lone Starlet, set for release on 8th May. Blending big-screen storytelling with glossy pop production, the project marks a striking evolution for the Texas-born singer-songwriter.

Boards Of Canada (Peter Iain Campbell)

Boards Of Canada Announce Long-Awaited New Album ‘Inferno’

After more than a decade of silence, enigmatic electronic duo Boards Of Canada have officially announced their long-awaited fifth studio album, Inferno, set for release on 29th May.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing