Feeder at Koko

12^th May 2025

Gem Hurley

Shot by Nick Bennett

Gem Hurley Shot by Nick Bennett

12 May 2025

There was a horrifying moment when the temporary closure of KOKO for refurbishment a few years ago might have been permanent, after its roof caught fire in January 2020. Thankfully, the stunning iconic venue reopened a couple of years later to much relief, once again becoming a staple in London’s live music scene and welcoming a plethora of artists to its stage, including tonight’s headline act.

And so, on a balmy Sunday evening in Camden, Welsh indie rockers Feeder enter to Ennio Morricone’s iconic theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Fronted by lead vocalist Grant Nicholas, Feeder arrived in the late 90s when Britpop was essentially over and alternative rock was rising – they shot to prominence in 2001 with the hit single Buck Rogers and have continued gigging and releasing new music since then, gaining a loyal fanbase while doing so.

Which is why it’s slightly surprising to see somewhat muted reactions here and there tonight; recent track Hey You with its Telecaster indie jangle from touring guitarist Tommy Gleeson and the rapid-fire delivery of Torpedo feel like they deserve a more energetic reception, for example. Nicholas is working very hard to keep the energy up… It’s perhaps noteworthy to mention that this show was preceded by a run of dates in Taiwan and Japan, where Feeder have a passionate cult fanbase. London evidently had a tough act to follow.

Nevertheless, the enthusiasm ramps up for the classics – Feeling a Moment cues KOKO’s gigantic glitterball and a chorus of “ooh-ooh-oooohs” in the intro, debut album deep cut Tangerine opens up a mosh pit, and High has everyone’s hands in the air even before Nicholas commands them to be.

Of course, the biggest reaction was for the best-known song; main set closer Buck Rogers has everyone singing for their lives, while bassist Taka Hirose (who by no means has been slacking) steps forward to raise the volume even higher.

The encore begins with Seven Days in the Sun, which becomes a duet between Nicholas and Takeshi Hosomi (of support band ElleGarden), and Feeder bring the night to a close with a nostalgic double whammy of Just a Day and their staple finale cover Nirvana’s Breed.

It’s evident Feeder love what they do and are good at it; they bring an energy other bands would fail to keep aflame after 25+ years, and amusingly start chants for their crew when Nicholas introduces them (“PJ, PJ, PJ… Arthur, Arthur, Arthur… Otis, Otis, Otis…” and so on). However, one can’t help but wonder if perhaps a smaller venue would have suited tonight’s setlist, in a setting more for their longtime fans than casual listeners.

That being said, 2002’s Comfort in Sound is getting a remastered release and a UK tour soon after, which includes a Brixton Academy show. Nostalgia is still a heavy hitter in 2025, so no doubt the Brixton crowd will be loud, and will hopefully make up for KOKO’s diminished energy tonight.

Gem Hurley
Photos: Nick Bennett

For further information and future events, visit Feeder’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Buck Rogers here: