Dylan John Thomas live at NX review: indie hero packs a punch

Dylan John Thomas' recent visit to Newcastle had the crowd happily bouncing along all night long.

Ruby Tiplady
3rd February 2025
Image credit: Ruby Tiplady
After almost five years of singles, Dylan John Thomas’ eponymous debut album was praised for its vivid lyricism and evocation of indie rock culture. His headline tour announcement was instantaneously met with comments of “add a date in X” and “is anyone selling their ticket to Y?”. To say the least, this Glaswegian powerhouse might have a smaller fanbase, but it is steadfast in its love for the singer.

Thomas experienced foster care as a child, and his deeply personal yet witty lyrics clearly resonate with his listeners. His talent was clear to bigger artists, too, like Gerry Cinnamon, who had Thomas support him on tour at just 17, followed by gigs with Liam Gallagher, the Courteeners, and Stereophonics. Since then, he has performed at Glasgow's OVO, Reading & Leeds, and headlined hometown festival TRNSMT.

It is fitting, then, that at NX DJT was supported by fellow Glaswegians the Rooks, who entertained the already-packed venue, priming the crowd for Thomas with their closing cover of 'She’s Electric'. The crowd shouted his name to the football chant tune of 'Seven Nation Army'; though we ranged from uni students to indie veterans, we were equally infected by the palpable anticipation and Thomas' lively spirit.

He opened with 'Jenna', the crowd bouncing on each other’s shoulders. His seamless transition between high energy tracks and more sombre tunes like 'Wake Up Ma' embodies his versatility as an artist. Jumping from innuendo to social critique, from indie to ska, DJT packs a punch.

His ABBA cover was a crowd pleasing midpoint, though I was surprised it was his only rendition. When I saw Thomas at Stockton’s Gathering Sounds festival in 2019, his set was interspersed with covers including Johnny Cash’s 'Ring of Fire', the first song he ever learned on guitar. While his recent set comprised of originals was incredible, it was short and sweet. More of the covers he owned five years ago would have been a great addition.

The latter half of the set had its highlight when Thomas moved to a piano on the left; his instrumental expertise absolutely made the gig. From his clear, melodic finger picking to his brief stint on keys, the set was underpinned by flawless instrumentation, especially during his encore of 'Nobody Else'. And his voice! Thomas' thick Scottish accent cut through and emphasised his raw performance. It is easy to see how he has amassed such a dedicated fanbase of music lovers and performers. His debut album was a long time coming - but I hope it won’t be such a wait for his next, and that he’ll come back to the Toon soon.

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