I’ll admit it. When a band gets on stage and announces that they’re going to be playing a whole bunch of new songs, I get a little nervous. There’s always that chance that they could lose the crowd to the unfamiliar tracks. But, when all goes right and audience is feeling it, a set full of new material can border on spectacular. And yes. That’s exactly what it was when Dinosaur Bones took their turn at the El Mocambo last night as part of Dine Alone’s giant CMW showcase.

Besides being great songs, what really made it all work is the boys’ always solid performance. Ben’s voice engulfed the room while the rest of the gang tore it up all around him. They didn’t just play their songs, they played them right to the crowd and you can tell that it was appreciated.

(And can I just say, if it hasn’t already been decided, energetic bassist Branko should take on the second title of official D-Bones hype-man with the way he bounces around that stage.)

Even though the crowd was clearly excited about the new tracks, every familiar song was met with cheers and sing-alongs. Especially, once again, the proven fan favourite NYE which saw the three-fifths of the band break out tambourines while everyone belted the song out.

Obviously, there’s going to be some big new things coming out of the Dinosaur Bones camp in the near future and I can’t wait to see and hear them all.

Photos by Nick Love