YUNGBLUD is someone to keep an eye on as fans can’t seem to get enough. 20-year-old Northerner, Dominic Harrison, keeps the alternative rock scene alive with his heavy guitar riffs, mixing his own hip hop twist into his music capturing the younger generations.
After hours of waiting outside fans begin to pile into Newcastle O2 Academy. The show is opened with support act, Charlie Hanson, creating the buzz before YUNGBLUD makes his appearance.
The first wave
Dominic opens with an enormous wave of energy the first track of his album 21st Century Liability released 6th July 2018. He sprints on stage and throws water over the crowd spilling his contagious energy all around the room.
With the following songs, I Love You Will You Marry Me, King Charles, and Psychotic kids. YUNGBLUD portrays apparent themes throughout his songs singing about political issues surfacing at the moment, mental health and Northern England. He shows his empathy for the current generation of teenagers through the devotion he puts into his show, he understands how it’s only getting harder for young people to express themselves in a world full of discrimination and misunderstanding.
The ground shakes as his infectious anthems ring around the room and the crowd jump continuously.
During Anarchist everybody in the room kneels down as low as they can and jump up, in canon, on Dominic’s command. Followed by Polygraph Eyes highlighting the importance of gender equality.
Next YUNGBLUD plays an unreleased song, Ice Cream Man, despite no one in the room knowing any of the lyrics the same phenomenal level of energy is maintained as he continues to leap around the stage.
The next songs played are, Loner, Kill Somebody, California and Tin Pan Boy. Loner, in particular, got the crowd bouncing as Harrison climbs the walls, touching the roof, and interacting with the crowd. Coming to the end of Tin Pan Boy YUNGBLUD chucks his guitar into the crowd causing fans to run into the middle of the floor.
The Encore
Then fans are lead to believe the set is finished until “YUNGBLUD” is chanted at the top of everyone’s lungs, he makes a return with three more songs. Die for the hype, Doctor Doctor and Machine Gun (F*CK THE NRA). The band’s guitarist, Adam Warrington, downs a whole bottle of beer in one, before the final closing song Machine Gun sending the pit towards the back of the venue wild. The fans open up into a circle for the final time as they prepare for a run at each other. The energy at the very end of the show is equal to, if not more powerful than at the start.
Sunday 12th March was the first time YUNGBLUD had been to Newcastle and after his performance, it is obvious that he is here to stay.
