See them before they get big: Keo delivers a commanding display performance in Southsea.
Rising indie quartet Keo delivered a commanding performance in Southsea on Wednesday night, showing exactly why they’re quickly becoming one of the most talked-about new bands around.
Despite having only five songs to their name on Spotify, the band have already generated enough buzz to graduate to the main stage at the Wedgewood Rooms, just six months after performing at its smaller sister stage, the Edge of the Wedge. Anticipation was clear long before the first note was played, as a long queue snaked down Albert Road with fans eager to catch a glimpse of what many believe could be the scene’s next big breakthrough. Inside the venue, the diverse crowd reflected the band’s growing appeal, with a mix of age groups turning out to witness a group whose career is only just beginning.
Opening the night were Irish alternative rock outfit Bleech 9:3, whose grungy half-hour set proved the perfect warm-up and set the tone for the evening ahead.
From the moment Keo took to the stage, the Portsmouth crowd made their enthusiasm clear. After opening with Hands and Be Happy, frontman Finn Keogh paused to acknowledge the atmosphere: “What a crowd!” he exclaimed, as the room continued to brim with energy. That intensity was matched by the band’s brooding stage presence, with Keogh delivering hauntingly powerful vocals throughout the set, particularly on tracks like Thorn and Superman. Although there was relatively little interaction between songs, the audiences hardly needed prompting, singing along loudly from start to finish.
In many ways, Keo seems to follow a similar philosophy to British band Wunderhorse, allowing the music itself to take centre stage. Songs flowed seamlessly into one another, carried by gritty basslines and a tight, atmospheric sound. For a band with such a small catalogue, taking on the challenge of an hour-long set, including an encore, is no easy task, but Keo handled it with confidence. Whether it was older material like Hazel or fan favourites such as Stolen Cars, the crowd sang along with remarkable passion and precision. Between ongs, chants of “Keo! Keo! Keo!” echoed around the venue.
After a short break, the band returned to a thunderous reception for the encore. Launching into The End, Crow and Kind, if you Will they quickly had the crowd moving again. The set steadily built towards the moment many had been waiting for: I Lied, Amber. When the song finally arrived, the audience erupted into a deafening sing-along chorus that many established acts would envy. It felt like the perfect conclusion to an already dominant performance, and a track that could easily grow into one of the defining indie hits of the decade.
Keo has clearly struck a chord with a young and passionate fanbase, and their ability to sell out grassroots venues so early in their career is impressive. The next challenge, however, may be carving out a distinct identity within a crowded indie scene. Comparisons to Wunderhorse are inevitable; Keogh’s raw vocal delivery invites them, and the connection was evident in the noticeable amount of Wunderhorse merchandise in the crowd.
As Keo continues to expand their catalogue, it will be fascinating to see how it builds on these early foundations and develops a sound that is unmistakably their own. For now, though, they’ve proven themselves to be exactly the kind of band you want to see before they get big, and one whose rise will be well worth watching.
