“The guys very clearly have a loyal following, their fans not skipping a beat in their chants of ‘KEO, KEO, KEO’” - By The Fans Magazine - KEO - Portsmouth Gig Review

Words & Review: Manon Hardcastle

Photography: Manon Hardcastle

The gig was opened with an outstanding set from Irish Alternative band, Bleech 9:3. They completely and utterly rocked Southsea’s Wedgewood Rooms, with crowd interaction and stage presence so well executed, you might’ve assumed they were the headliners of the evening. Lead singer, ‘Baz’ Quinlan made himself very well known off the stage within the front row, encouraging the entire audience to scream along, and even initiating a small mosh pit in the middle of the room. The four of them definitely earned themselves a crowd full of fans that evening.

Though it was a hard set to follow, Keo fell nothing short of brilliant when it was their turn to take to the stage. The guys very clearly have a loyal following, their fans not skipping a beat in their chants of “KEO, KEO, KEO” in anticipation of their arrival. Especially for a Portsmouth gig, of which is locally known as one of the loudest football crowds, the fans did not disappoint. 

Keo knew exactly who they were, and who they needed to be that night. Being a band that has been listed under the category of ‘Nepo Babies’, they are certainly anything but. The group have so clearly paved their own way in the ever-growing competitive music industry, and are an incredibly well established band who work beautifully together on stage. I whole-heartedly believe that everyone who was in attendance would be in agreement that Keo are right where they deserve to be.

As a gig with a very male-dominated crowd, it was perfectly emotional - lead singer Finn Keogh performing with an important sense of feeling. The rasp in Finn’s voice captures this sort of desperation and pure vulnerability, which I always love in an artist. You could really feel the energy of the entire room, from my position in the pit all the way to the back of the house. Not a still body in the building - if you weren’t moving, you quite simply couldn’t have been there. 

The four of them wrapped up the show with a three-part encore. It moved perfectly from initially gauging the excitement of their return, to finally saying goodbye to the crowd. Their last track finished with Finn Keogh singing alone onstage, his brother Connor Keogh on Bass, Oli Spackman on Drums and Jimmy Lanwern on Guitar leaving prior to the end of the song. The room burst into applause and cheer, which itself felt never-ending.

Even as I was packing my gear up and leaving the venue, all conversation pointed to how incredibly Keo had performed. They gained a listener in myself, as I imagine anyone who wasn’t already a dedicated fan was similarly feeling, and I’m excited to see where their journey in the industry proceeds.

You can listen to Keo here.

You can also listen to Bleech 9:3 here.