THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE – ALBERT HALL MANCHESTER – LIVE REVIEW

Walking into the Albert Hall on Valentine’s Day, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first Brian Jonestown Massacre gig. I’d heard the stories of chaos and unpredictability. But nothing could have prepared me for the experience of seeing them live.

From the moment they took the stage, the sheer number of members up there was almost overwhelming. Guitars, tambourines and keyboards it looked like it should have been a mess. But instead, what unfolded was one of the tightest, most hypnotic performances I’ve ever witnessed. Every member of the band was locked in, creating that signature BJM sound with a togetherness that felt effortless. This wasn’t just a band playing music, it was a collective force.

And then there was the crowd. If there’s a fan base that embodies the spirit of a band, Brian Jonestown Massacre’s is it. Sunglasses and scarves were everywhere—indoors, at night, in the middle of February. It was as if the entire audience had stepped out of a BJM music video, a living testament to the band’s cult-like appeal.

As the night progressed, the setlist drifted seamlessly from hypnotic jams to driving, fuzz-drenched anthems. But the best moment, hands down, came at the very end. “Supersonic” closed the night with an energy that sent shivers through the room. The swirling guitars, the deep, pulsing rhythm—it was the perfect climax to a performance that had already exceeded every expectation.