Dinosaur Pile-Up Return to Europe
Dinosaur Pile-Up finally returned to Europe this autumn for a short but long-awaited tour through Germany and the Netherlands. Their last show on the continent may have been back in 2019, and a lot has changed since then. Frontman Matt Bigland faced serious health challenges that put the future of the band at risk, leaving many fans unsure if they would ever see them live again. For everyone’s relief though, in August, the band released their newest album, ‘I’ve Felt Better’ — a record that many, including us, consider their best so far. If you haven’t checked out our review on it yet, you definitely should.
Nijmegen’s Doornroosje was the only Dutch stop on the tour, and the bands made an incredible effort to be there. They had apparently driven eight hours from their previous show in Berlin and faced another six-hour trip to Hamburg the next day. If that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is.
Opening the night were Snake Eyes, the energetic duo from Brighton. Even with only two members, they filled the room with a lively and powerful sound. Early in their set, singer Jim Heffy slipped on stage and fell, which was a bit shocking, but he embraced it as part of his act quickly and continued performing with the same enthusiasm. Their songs often deal with subjects like environmental issues and equality, giving their music both energy and meaning. Their closing track, ‘Skeletons’ stood out in particular; its lyric “Beneath it all, we’re all just skeletons” resonated through the room, a reminder that we’re all the same beneath the surface.
Dinosaur Pile-Up opened their set with ‘Bout To Lose It’, one of their newest singles released in March, and the crowd reacted immediately. The band mixed older favourites like ‘Celebrity Mansions’ and ‘Round the Bend’ with a heavy focus on their new album. New songs such as ‘Loves the Worst’ and the title track ‘I’ve Felt Better’ sounded incredible live — loud, emotional and full of energy.
The encore was the same as the one they played in London earlier this year, consisting of ‘Trash Metal Cassette’, ‘Big Dogs’, and ‘Back Foot’. Interestingly, while the London crowd truly lost their minds for ‘Big Dogs’, the audience in Nijmegen seemed more excited about the other two tracks. I’m personally obsessed with ‘Big Dogs’. It’s the song from the new album I play the most and I honestly think it is made for big arenas.
Despite it being a Wednesday night, a solid crowd came out for both bands. And you could tell how much it meant to them, especially since Dinosaur Pile-Up had been gone for so long. They made sure to give back to the fans too, selling their own merch and sticking around afterward for autographs and photos. The whole night felt like a warm, much-needed reunion between the band and their audience and we can’t wait to see what’s next for these guys.
