KEO

Following the release of their debut album, ‘Put A Smile On For Me’, London-based Keo hit the road for a UK-wide record store tour, bringing their new material to fans across the country. Playing both a stripped-back unplugged performance and a full electric set in Brighton’s Chalk, the band showcased two sides of their sound, with packed out rooms underlining the growing buzz around one of the country’s most exciting emerging rock acts.

By the time the house lights dimmed for their second performance of the day, the heat inside Chalk was almost as intense as the anticipation from the crowd. But despite having already played an unplugged set earlier in the day, Keo showed little sign of slowing down, launching into the album’s opening track ‘Be Happy’ to a crowd already singing along word for word. The atmosphere in the room was reminiscent of a festival field, with cardboard signs held above heads and fans climbing onto shoulders to get a better view; it felt as if they had not just come to hear the new album, but to experience it together.

With the album having landed only four days earlier, the familiarity of the response was overwhelming. Across the set, the room of 800 fans proved that Keo’s new material had already made its mark, filling Chalk with huge singalongs that only grew louder as the night progressed. Tracks including ‘Thorn’ and ‘Spent On You’ were met with equal enthusiasm, making the event feel more like an anniversary tour than an album launch.

Frontman Keogh was even able to step back from the mic during ‘Only We Know’, handing the vocals over to the crowd - a request they comfortably met, taking over the song in a deafening chorus. As the band let the audience carry the track, it was a clear demonstration of just how quickly Keo have built a connection with their listeners. Nearing the end of the set, the biggest singalong yet arrived with the album’s lead single ‘That’s Me’. The crowd’s vocals filled every corner of Chalk, the band responding with the drums and guitar lines becoming increasingly intense. By the final stretch, the band was almost drowning out the crowd - not an easy feat considering the volume of the singalong that had come before it.

The band left the stage with the final note of ‘Black Dress’ still ringing out, which was met with chants of “Keo, Keo” and “One more song”. They quickly returned to the stage, closing the night with their biggest single and first-ever release, ‘I Lied, Amber’. It was a fitting finale to a set that had demonstrated not only the strength of Keo’s new material, but the remarkable connection they have already forged with their audience in their 18 months of releasing music.