Only the Poets at Brixton Academy

2016 is on trend again, and so begins the next indie rock boom. At least, this is what Only the Poets frontman, Tommy Longhurst, would have you believe, based on their nostalgic and animated performance at Brixton’s O2 Academy last night. 

Set to the backdrop of a black screen with “Live music is not a luxury, let’s keep it accessible” emblazoned in white text, the Reading-born band played their second (and latest) album, And I’d Do It Again, to a crowd who chanted the lyrics along with them – a real feat considering the music was released just one week ago. White lights flashed, red confetti shot into the air, and Marcus Yummer’s thundering drums filled the venue during the bouncy opener, I keep on messing it up. However, it was the more angsty pop records like Emotionally Hungover, Guess she’s cool and Madeleine that truly excited show-goers. The front row wagged their fingers, gesturing to each other and swayed with their phone torches held in the air.

But Longhurst did have to work hard to bring the audience along with him. Yes, live music should be accessible, but it also needs to feel exciting and intentional. A space comes alive when it is filled with people who are desperate to be there, who have begged to stay out on a school night and who have battled through Tube delays to arrive. By charging £1 for tickets, Only the Poets made a poignant point and important step toward solving the inclusivity issues surrounding live music. However, the fan-stirred frenzy that you might typically expect at a sold-out gig was lost, as was the gig’s momentum, due to being frequently broken up by Longhurst’s extensive heartfelt thanks.

Yet when the band seamlessly moved from one track to another, letting the sounds of Clem Cherry’s bass fill the space, the energy was palpable, and screams of “OTP” (Only the Poets) were deafening.

As the encore, JUMP, rolled around, the band’s dedication to rousing and uniting the audience paid off. Andy “Roo” Burge’s backstepping switched from tentative into that of a headlining pro, and Longhurst’s usual spatters of gratitude elicited roaring screams from the pitt – proof that if you shout loud enough about something you care about, other people will eventually join you in your dream, even if they weren’t right there with you at the start.