Asha Bank at Roundhouse

Asha Banks’s How Real Was It? tour raised the age-old question – what if we all had a sing-along in a forest clearing?. The final – and biggest – show of her first headliner tour at the Roundhouse in Camden provided the perfect place to test this out. Citing indie pillars like Gracie Abrams and Noah Kahan, Banks similarly put on a sweet and cosy performance.

She aimed for a whimsy, witchy energy. To create this from the outset, she walked serenely through the crowd as though it were a vigil before opening with Rerun. This was further enhanced by the woodland stage set up, with the lights glowing alternately like moonlight or sunset. Her enlarged shadow on the side of the wall during ballads was very captivating. Otherwise, the space was kept very simple to keep all focus on her.

The audience enjoyed her emotive bridges immensely – one girl had the lyrics up on her phone so that she could follow along without missing a word. Banks’s setlist comprised largely of songs from her 2025 EP, How Real Was It?, including Headstart, Saltwound and Half Built Bridge. Additionally, she included fan favourites from her back catalogue, such as her debut So Green, Freeze and Dive.

Throughout her tour, Banks has covered a favourite track alongside special guest Alfie Jukes. Their surprise song of choice was Noah Kahan’s Everywhere Everything. The duet made the most out of their impressive vocal ranges. From a call and response during closing number Shiver to holding hands in the crowd during Closing Time, Banks maintained consistent engagement throughout. After finishing the show, she thanked her band and the audience once more and gave a potted plant from the set to a fan nearest to the stage. They were equally as involved, with the standing section waving paper stars during her slower songs.

Given this was her largest show to date, Banks’s acknowledgement of her nerves made her show more personal. There was one too many heartbreak anthems that became indistinguishable from each other, and meant the middle part of her set missed the intended emotional intensity. Nonetheless, it was a delightful performance. Banks herself was adorable, with her sheer delight in performing, putting everyone in high spirits. The crowd had their own simultaneous mini concert – the sight of happy teenage girls singing to each other and dancing made for a very wholesome evening all round.