On February 2nd, Only The Poets stepped out on stage at their dream venue, Brixton’s O2 Academy. A venue that has come to fruition after more than seven years of hard work. With tickets sold for £1, the band was accompanied by a bold backdrop with the statement: “Live Music Is Not A Luxury. Let’s Keep It Accessible”. Finally arriving to the stage, the four-piece was greeted by a crowd of fans cheering them on in anticipation, ready to enjoy a euphoric, immersive show.
Frontman Tommy Longhurst, along with guitarist Clem Cherry, Bassist Andrew Burge and Drummer Marcus Yates opened with an exhilarating rendition of ‘I Keep On Messing It Up’; explosions of confetti raining on a sea of fans. before launching into their 2023 single ‘Over And Over’ and the hook-laden rush of ‘God Knows Where You Were’, from their debut album And I’d Do It Again. The band’s energetic delivery stunned and captivated the audience.
Between each spirited anthem, frontman Tommy had a few things to say: “As much as tonight is all about coming out and playing our dream venue, it’s about starting a conversation that is so much bigger than us, and that is accessibility in live music. We will never stop shouting about this. As much as this is about celebrating our debut album, this is about all of you, and we would be absolutely nowhere without you lot here tonight. Thank you for being a part of history. We will forever be the cheapest fucking gig”.
The night was a triumphant rollercoaster of music and tenderness. It was clear just how much the conversation around accessibility means to the band. Tommy talked about how Brixton’s O2 Academy had been their dream venue ever since the band first formed. He recalled being unable to afford live concerts growing up and the power of music, he said: “Escapism is all we’ve got. We live in a painful world, and this is all we’ve got”. He thanked the band’s two support acts, Seren and Belle Dame; two unsigned acts selected by Only The Poets’ fanbase.
As the night went on, there was a breathtakingly emotional rendition of ‘Madeleine’, the sexy edginess of ‘Bad’, and a satisfying encore with ‘Jump’. Tommy said before departing the stage: “We will never forget the moment we walked out on this stage tonight. We don’t stop here Brixton, we’re just gonna keep fucking going”.
It is clear to see why Only The Poets have built such a loyal, supportive fanbase. A week prior, the band sat down with 1883 to discuss the release of their debut album, And I’d Do It Again. At the time of the gig, just three days after its release, the album skyrocketed into the UK Top 10 albums.
When discussing how the band hoped the album would be received, the overarching message was that they wanted their music to create a sense of safety around human emotion. Looking around at the gig, some people were jumping and cheering excitedly, some were crying happy tears, and some stood peacefully, taking in the atmosphere. Strangers made friends in the queue, and many solo gig-goers were welcomed into new groups. It’s pretty clear that the band have delivered, and it was beautiful to see how music has brought so many of these fans together.
Although it may have taken time for the release of Only The Poets’ debut album, it was clearly worth the wait. No good things are rushed, and the band clearly poured every ounce of heart and soul into the album and into performing it at Brixton Academy. With plenty more to come, Only The Poets are set for bigger venues in the future.
Review Katie Eliza
