The Vamps (w/ HRVY & New Hope Club) @ Playstation Theater (New York, NY) on October 4, 2018 [Photos & Show Review]

As The Vamps closed out their successful fall tour at Playstation Theater on Oct 4th, they proved one thing: boybands are still alive, and thriving. Their fans were more intense and dedicated than any others I’ve ever seen. From top to bottom, the fans knew every word to every band that played, and displayed a sense of affection for the experience of seeing live music that is hard to come by these days. The pure screams of joy have lasted with me in a positive way, and affected my live music experience for the future.

New Hope Club started off the cool night in Manhattan, with their suave contemporary pop sound, that everyone was ready to here. They are definitely on the come up, and I can see them being as big as The Vamps one day. They had an effortless air about them, where you could tell the music just came naturally to them. The reaction reminded me of The Beatles, these kids had a fever for these groups. Every member of New Hope Club sang as well, which I found quite impressive.

Check out the video for the super-popular single “Matoma – All Night” here.

Next up was HRVY, who brought the energy in his set filled with covers and originals. He even sported his own team of dancers, all of whom were really talented and clearly trained. One of my favorite moments of his set was his cover of Bazzi’s breakout hit song “Mine,” which caused a roar from the crowd, and every single person in the room to be transfixed by him. He created a great dynamic of both high energy hits, and slow acoustic ballads to balance out his set.

Finally, it was time for the main event, The Vamps. As they walked to the stage, I could feel the heartbeat of the crowd while the lights dimmed, it felt almost slow motion. I felt like I was 14 again, and I was seeing my favorite band for the first time. As lead singer Bradley walked out and began to sing the first song, you could barely hear him over the chorus of screams echoing from the crowd, and you could tell the band loved it, even fed off it.

My favorite song of their set was “Cheap Wine,” because it had an absolutely killer riff in it! The Vamps have it down to a science, they know how to entertain, create unique music, and somehow make every individual fan feel special and welcome. I had a wonderful time, and it opened my eyes to a scene that is alive and well, and thriving.