Normandie takes on O2 Ritz Manchester
Wednesday is always a tough one. It’s the middle of the week, you’re as close to the weekend as you are the start of the week and it can be a real drag trying to push on through. Tonight, Normandie are in Manchester bringing with them a healthy boost of serotonin as part of their ‘Dopamine’ tour.
As the lights dim and the crowd starts to filter, in an AI voice announces to the expanding crowd that our first band of the night, Self Deception, are heading to the stage. Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, it’s only right that they kick things off with ‘The Scandinavian Dream,’ playing the bouncing anthem with intent and passion. As the set progresses, the crowd grows bigger and the room becomes livelier. None more lively than during ‘PSYCHO,’ when vocalist Andreas Clark disappeared from the stage only to reappear amongst the crowd. As the final song ends, the crowd applauds and fans eagerly head to the merch stand hoping to meet the band.
Next up we have As December Falls, a four piece pop punk band from Nottingham. From the get go, vocalist Bethany Curtis is here to kick things up a gear and keep the movement going. Powering through first song ‘Go Away,’ the band appears to be in their element as they move around the stage, never staying in one place for too long. By mid-set, Curtis has shown the crowd what she’s made of, boasting a strong vocal range and a high-energy performance, they blast on through the set. Rounding off with ‘Ride,’ As December Falls have the crowd hyped up and ready for tonight’s headliner.
With a pop of confetti cannons, our headliner for the night, Normandie, takes to the stage, bathed in yellow glow. The opening song ‘Serotonin’ is an instant crowd pleaser, gaining a big sing-along from the opening line, but it’s their second song ‘Jericho’ which whips the room into a frenzy. The floor shakes and brightly coloured strobe lights flash as the crowd jump up and down, whilst the chorus brings loud chants. Vocalist, Philip Strand, takes a moment to bring up a poll they had posted on their Instagram earlier that day asking fans to choose between ‘Colourblind’ and ‘Glue.’ To much joy from fans, ‘Colourblind’ came out on top and the band gets stuck in playing what may be considered the highlight of their set. It’s a fantastic selection of songs; the new tracks sounding fresh and exciting and the old sounding better than ever. Another set highlight is 2016 song ‘Collide.’ Strand’s vocals are impressive, sounding even better live than on record, and the rest of the band keeps things tight whilst adding creative flair to their performance. Normandie keeps the energy high from start to finish, leaving the crowd in huge rounds of applause, chanting and begging for more.
Normandie’s latest album, ‘Dopamine’, is available on Spotify and all streaming platforms or catch the band live in Europe throughout March, or supporting Our Last Night on their American tour throughout April and May.
