Boyce Avenue at Scala: A Brilliant Performance Overshadowed by a Difficult Venue Experience

REVIEW AND PHOTOS BY DAMIEN HARVEY

There are some concerts where the music is everything you hoped it would be. Then there are concerts where the performance is exceptional, but the experience surrounding it leaves you wishing things had been very different.

Boyce Avenue’s appearance at London’s Scala was, musically at least, firmly in the exceptional category

For a band whose story is so closely intertwined with the internet, it is remarkable to see just how far Boyce Avenue have travelled. The three brothers,  Alejandro, Fabian and Daniel began performing together in Florida, before turning to YouTube in 2007. Their acoustic covers rapidly attracted an international audience helping transform a family band recording music online into one of the world’s best known independent touring acts.

Their first headline tour followed in 2009, and their touring history quickly expanded. By 2012, they had already undertaken six tours of Great Britain and Ireland, six continental European tours, four US tours, three Canadian tours and an Australian tour. Since then, their international touring career has continued to take them to audiences across the globe.

Watching them perform live, it is easy to understand that appeal.

What I was able to see of the Scala performance was fantastic. The musicianship was tight, the vocals were superb and there was an intimacy to the acoustic driven performance that suited the band’s material perfectly. Songs that have become familiar through years of listening and countless online performances took on a different view in the room. There was a genuine connection between the band and the audience, and for those moments when I had a clear view of the stage, it was exactly the kind of live experience I had hoped for.

Unfortunately, that view became increasingly difficult to find.

The problem was not Boyce Avenue. It was the venue, Scala

As the venue filled, the space became extremely cramped. Doorways and steps appeared to become obstructed by the sheer volume of people, while finding somewhere with a clear view of the stage became increasingly difficult. Standing venues inevitably involve crowds, but on this occasion the density of people significantly affected my ability to experience the concert.

In fact, I missed approximately half of the show simply because I could not properly see what was happening on stage.

That was particularly frustrating because the performance itself was so good.

I was not alone in struggling with the conditions. During the evening, I noticed people leaving before the end, and the difficulty of getting a clear view appeared to be one reason for some of them doing so. A concert should create an atmosphere where an audience can become absorbed in the performance; instead, much of my attention was spent trying to work out how to see the stage and feeling increasingly conscious of how difficult it was to move through the crowd.

Scala is an established London music venue, with a standing capacity of around 800 and a distinctive multi-level layout. That atmosphere can work extremely well for an intimate gig. But there is a fine line between a packed concert creating energy and a venue becoming so congested that audience visibility, movement and perceived safety become concerns. On this night, I felt that line had been crossed and health and safety could have become an issue.

It is important to separate the two experiences. Boyce Avenue delivered a fantastic performance. The disappointment came from the fact that I was unable to properly experience a substantial part of it.

There is something especially frustrating about leaving a concert knowing that the artist gave you exactly what you came for, but the venue environment prevented you from fully enjoying it. Boyce Avenue have spent years building an audience through the intimacy and accessibility of their music, and their live performance reflected that beautifully. Unfortunately, the conditions inside Scala meant that not everyone in that audience could experience it in the same way.

I would absolutely see Boyce Avenue live again. Their performance left me wanting more, although, next time, I would hope to see the entire show in a much better accessible venue.