Bronnie with support from Mason Levi, Danny Wright & Tristan Maxted
at O2 Academy Islington in London, UK
photos & words by Rachel Wonders

On a bleak and dreary Sunday afternoon, pop-punk princess Bronnie, accompanied by support acts Mason Levi, Danny Wright and Tristan Maxted, brightened the lives of all present at her headline show at O2 Academy Islington with her lively and joyous energy.

As the venue began to fill with adoring fans, pride flags and inflatable green aliens held tightly in their grasp, the first of three warm-up acts took to the stage with his acoustic guitar to perform a mishmash of original songs and covers. Illuminated by the warm yellow glow of the spotlights, Tristan Maxted opened his calming set with a rendition of ‘Someone Like You’ by Adele. The well-known and treasured track grabbed the crowd’s attention instantaneously and they began to gently sing along. The song that followed was an original titled Girls.’ The upbeat melody and catchy romantic lyricism came together to craft a classic pop tune, similar in style to bands such as The Vamps and New Hope Club, which the crowd went wild for. To close the set, Tristan performed a cover of Ed Sheeran’s ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You,’ highlighting his notable musical talent.

The next support act, Danny Wright, was greeted by shrieks and lovestruck eyes as he bounded onto the stage. His abundant liveliness was infectious and his 2000s pop-punk/emo sound transported the audience back in time. The black and white checkerboard print signs and matching guitar enhanced the feeling of nostalgia. The second track in his boisterous set was ‘American Dream’. Every element of the track was infused with pop/punk influences, and the strong and powerful instrumentation and vocals complement the interrogating and tormenting lyrics that question his life decisions. Despite the darker lyrical content, the upbeat and noisy melody disguised the agony with amusement. Danny’s set also featured a fiery cover of ‘emo girl’ by Machine Gun Kelly featuring WILLOW. It was evident from the terms of endearment being yelled out by the crowd how much they were enjoying the set. For the closing track, an angst-ridden song targeted at people who disapprove of your life choices titled ‘I Didn’t Like You (and I really mean it)’, Danny paraded into the crowd to sing and dance with the fans.

Shortly after Danny’s exit, Mason Levi took to the stage, joined by his band. Immediately, the crowd were hit by a wave of energy as Mason jumped around from one end of the stage to the other. The opening song and debut single ‘Cabin Fever’ was laced with energy, noisy guitars, and the softness and loudness associated with punk rock music. His sound and stage presence were reminiscent of iconic emo bands such as All Time Low and Fall Out Boy, which tremendously appealed to the audience demographic. During an unreleased track named ‘Cosmic Irony’, Mason invited the audience to light up the venue with their phone torches, creating a cosmic looking visual. Two vastly different covers were played to close the set, the first being an acoustic cover of Green Days ‘Good Riddance’, which was far calmer compared to the rest of the set. The atmosphere transformed from that of a noisy punk rock concert into a group singsong around a campfire. The concluding cover was a rendition of ‘about you now’ by the Sugababes, which along with Mason’s punk rock musical style, was a peculiar yet spectacular combination.

As Bronnie bounced onto the stage, the elated crowd screamed and cried in excitement. From the smiles and sparkling eyes, it was evident that both Bronnie and her audience were just as happy to see one another. She flew, spun, and danced across the stage with a tight grip on the microphone she sang into and the crowd were equally as energetic. After a couple of lively and playful original songs, which feature powerful vocals that blend with upbeat pop punk-infused melodies, Bronnie performed a cover of ‘Driver’s License’ by Olivia Rodrigo. Joined on stage by close friend Molly, the pair put a uniquely punky spin on the song, making a widely known and loved track their own.

During the set, Bronnie performed songs from her 2021 EP, titled Love Letters and Hate Mail, such as ‘Scream.’ ‘Scream’ is a poppier sounding song that centres around betrayal in platonic relationships. The vocals carried angst and passion, which matched the abrasive and heated lyricism. Despite the anger laced within the song, it remained upbeat and bouncy and the audience danced the entire way through.

Following ‘Scream’ was ‘Friend Zone’, a brand-new song due to be released on March 31st. As the name suggests, the track is about being friend-zoned and is profusely expressive. Although unreleased, meaning the song was completely unknown to the audience, the energy did not dip and the crowd remained as enthusiastic as ever, which shows the might of Bronnie’s loyal fanbase. Another welcomed cover featured in the set was ‘I Kissed a Girl’ by Katie Perry. An audience member outreached their hand towards the stage and handed Bronnie a pride flag which she draped around her shoulders as she sang, ensuring that everyone knew the show was a safe space.

The song that closed the show was the sonically old-school title track from the EP, ‘Love Letters and Hate Mail.’ It tells the story of a relationship turning sour through the premise of love letters becoming hate mail. It is revengeful in a therapeutic fashion and in keeps with Bronnie’s signature sharp vocals paired with a fast tempo and heavy instrumentation, making it both a classic pop-punk and Bronnie track. It was the perfect ending to a sonically and energetically cohesive set that was adored by everyone there to witness it.

BRONNIE: LONDON, UK - 13.03.22

Tristan Maxted

DANNY WRIGHT

MASON LEVI

BRONNIE