Live Review: Awolnation @ Shepherds Bush Empire

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.

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