Twenty-one Pilots + Transviolet @ o2 Academy, 23rd February 2016
Twenty One Pilots, one of the most buzzed about bands in the world, embarked their biggest UK headline tour to date in February. So much was the demand they had to add additional dates, including a second night at Brixton’s O2 Academy on as first Brixton date sold out almost immediately!
The ten date tour took them from the opening night in Leeds on 18 February to finish up at Portsmouth Guildhall with a visit to the o2 Academy on 23rd February. This tour followed their November UK run and gave fans another opportunity to see this mind-blowing duo do what they do best. Brumlive’s Chris Bowley went to check out the Ohio-based Duo, along with support Transviolet, and captured the gig for us.
Los Angeles-based band Transviolet are just starting to make waves themselves. With a minimalist web and social media presence they are making their name through touring and releasing their music, like last September’s self-titled four-song EP. Their electronic sounds are reminiscent of Lorde, Halsey and Lana del Rey.
Since their breakthrough in 2014 with their Quiet Is Violent World Tour, Twenty-one Pilots have gone from strength to strength touring the globe with their album, Blurryface topping the billboard 200 chart in the US.
The Duo, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun are difficult to pin down when it comes to genre, with their poetry-based songs delivered to a mixed musical backdrop of a mix of piano (sometimes even an electronic keyboard or a keytar), synthesizer, drums (acoustic and electronic), and an occasionally ukulele. They include elements rock, hip-hop and electronic, with reggae, dub-step and folk-rock added to the mix with their latest album.
Not wanting to rest on their laurels March sees them continue their tour in South America, Canada, Australasia, the Far East and the USA before returning to these shores to appear at the Leeds and Reading Festivals at the end of August this year.
Photographs: Chris Bowley