Keo Birmingham Show Review – starfreakmag.com

Keo Birmingham Show Review

Keo performed in Birmingham on Saturday, 25th October 2025, at the O2 Institute2.

Picture a small but lively music venue fueled by passion. Genuine fans are waiting for a sold-out show of emotional vulnerability and a striking indie rock sound. An all-arms-up experience where you feel involved with the crowd while playing a part in something bigger. Well, all the above is the doing of London-based band Keo, the much-loved four-piece who are dominating the very sound they specialise in as they release their debut EP “Siren” and head on their very first UK and Ireland headline tour.

With hushed whispers and a guarded existence, Keo has supposedly come out of nowhere. Not many bands manage to sell out their very first tour within days despite only having one debut song at the time. “I Lied, Amber” caught everyone’s attention for obvious reasons, bridging the gap between fuzzy rock and its emotional counterpart. But, it is not just this that attracted fans, as band members Finn Keogh, Conor Keogh, Oli Spackman and Jimmy Lanwern took to Soundcloud prior to any official releases. Currently, unreleased songs “Crow” and “Fly” can be found on the dedicated streaming platform, and it is definitely a gift to have them available.

This rise in popularity has also been fueled by their milestone moment that occurred at the start of the year: signing a record deal with Island Records. This pushed the music out to new audiences at a time when the melodic rock industry thrived, and is currently still seeing this attraction towards volume, deep personal experiences and distinct musical build-ups. With bands including Wunderhorse and Fontaines D.C. easily taking this year as their own, it is no doubt the moment for Keo to shine.

Keo’s Autumn Tour thankfully had a stop at Birmingham’s O2 Institute2, with the demand causing a change of venue from The Sunflower Lounge. With dates in Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Newcastle leading up to the event, long queues of fans were ready for what was to come, acting with excitement despite the bone-chilling weather outside. A good time is a good time, and this is undoubtedly the mindset that fans took to the merch stand, the barrier, and even the bar. Support from Dublin-based band Brooki exceeded the crowd’s expectations, with what is described as a folk-grunge style whilst performing alternative rock, capturing everyone’s attention and introducing new prominent artists on the scene. Brooki mounts with experimental guitar riffs, following the rhythm of Sarah’s own versatile and expressive voice; management knew what they were doing with this choice of support, and we hope to see some official releases from Brooki in the future.

Now, for the main acts themselves. Keo started the performance with “Hands,” and the opening was utterly perfect. It felt like a distant, familiar feeling but expressed through a soft and dynamic guitar riff, and it felt ethereal to hear live. With a largely male-dominated crowd, supporting vocals would come as an entity, making everything feel even more meaningful and poetic as it is doubled in sound and depth. The raised stage provided a better view, with Keo flowing through “Deserts” and “Young” before reaching a personal favourite, and quite clearly a crowd favourite: “Thorn”. The track offers a slow word-for-word portrayal, and it is very easy for the audience to grasp onto this and sing it back with ten times the volume. Feelings of yearning and timeless understanding swim through the crowd, even reaching those at the very back of the venue. People on shoulders, arms wide open, fearless and present. Singing along with their best mates, discovering newfound love.

Each and every song was appreciated and exceptional. From an outside perspective, anyone could see how the entirety of the “Siren” EP has created a loyal crowd of all-around music lovers and a concept of security, mirrored by the autumnal visuals and aesthetics. The consistent chants and energetic atmosphere ruled, a poignant reminder of the passing of time. A benefit of a small gig, that many tend to forget, is the opportunity to hear so many unheard tracks, providing insight into the band’s creative processes and the direction of music they wish to create. You are the witness to art being created and fulfilled before your very eyes. These new tracks included “Deserts,” “Young,” “Spaceman,” “Spent On You,” “Only We Know,” “Kudos”, and “The End”.

And we all love an encore. A moment of rest before everything is turned right back around, heading headfirst into the chaos of it all for the final time. Each member left the stage, only to make a memorable re-appearance to end on a high note with their debut and most loved single.

One thing is very clear: this will most definitely be the last time you will see Keo in venues so small. They deserve a big stage and an even larger crowd, and we cannot wait to see their progression on tour to Bristol, a night at London’s Village Underground, and Dublin. And even when you think recorded music is preferable, live music is their true area of expertise, and we never want to let go of it.

Setlist: