The Vaccines at Brixton Academy

What Did You Expect from the Vaccines? turned 15. A rare case of an album with no filler tracks, it seems only fitting to celebrate this milestone by gifting fans an adrenaline-infused concert at Brixton Academy, opened by the talented Brigitte Calls Me Baby. Coincidentally, as frontman Justin Young explains, The Vaccines’ first ever gig took place at a pub in Brixton, just around the corner from the O2. At the time, there were only two people in attendance, one of whom was their manager. What a long way they have come.

The band may not be quite the same as when the record first came out – Young and Árni Árnason (bass) remain from the original line-up, joined by Tim Lanham on guitar, Yoann Intonti on drums and Matt Hitt on keys – yet their magnetism seems largely untouched by time. Long-time Vaccines fans arrive ready to have a great time, and they are not left wanting.

They open with their debut single, Blow It Up, followed by its double A-side, the short and punchy Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra). The tone is set immediately: dancing, jumping and fans screaming the lyrics, a frenzy that only intensifies. Fan favourites Post Break-Up Sex and Wetsuit cause an uproar. Then comes A Lack of Understanding, a song that seems designed for the live stage, with Young acting out the lyrics and barely giving the crowd time to catch its breath. The pace slows for Someone Else’s Child: the lights dim, and only Young and Hitt remain on stage. It marks the end of the first half. Excitement is palpable in the stalls as the audience wonders what might come next, ravenous for more.

It is an audacious choice to pack the first half of the concert with many of their most famous songs and live favourites, and one might wonder whether the second set will lose momentum. It does not. Young politely asks the audience for permission to perform songs from their other records, with six in total under their belt. Permission is enthusiastically granted.

They open the second half with Your Love Is My Favourite Band from 2018’s Combat Sports, followed by the catchy Headphones Baby and Handsome. The driving guitar and irresistible hook of I Can’t Quit keep everyone dancing, ensuring the energy never dips. As the second half draws to a close, there is no desire for the night to end. I Always Knew is greeted with screams of joy, the audience becoming one voice, shouting: “’Cause it’s you / It’s always you / I always knew.”

But the surprises are not over. During the encore, they unveil a brand-new song, Ten Years Too Far. Young wisely notes that while the band are honouring the past, they are also looking ahead, because their best songs have yet to be written. One thing is certain: there’s no lack of appetite for new Vaccines material.