Following a last-minute upgrade to the main room of Glasgow’s SWG3, only four hours prior to the show, Keo delivered a performance that stayed with the audience long after the show finished. And a band that can successfully sell out a room in such a short amount of time? They’re ones to watch out for.
Opening the show for Keo, were Bleech 9:3, who were also stepping foot on their first ever Scottish stage, and the crowd did not fail them. The band were welcomed with open arms, and despite only having three singles released, the crowd were singing along word for word, especially as lead singer, Baz Quinlan, came down from the stage, and was eye-level with fans in the front row. The bands stage presence was captivating, as they took to the stage with such confidence, and rightfully so, due to their unique and alluring sound.
Following Bleech 9:3, Keo were shortly welcomed to the stage, following the crowd’s chants of “Keo, Keo,” and it was clear the band were mesmerised by the size of the venue from front-man Finn Keogh’s smile alone.
And it’s nothing the band don’t deserve, as they opened the show with electrifying guitars, bursting into tune with, ‘Hands,’ a single from their debut single, which is recognisable from the first chords. And everything they gave, the crowd gave right back, erupting into tune and singing word to word back to them.
Despite being a band with only five songs released, it didn’t stop the crowd’s energy, as they continued to sing along to everything the band performed, including many unreleased singles, such as ‘That’s me’ and ‘Crow,’ being prime examples of this. As both songs are available for streaming on platforms such as Soundcloud, as well as social media’s influence. And fans are dedicated, wanting to experience everything the band have to offer.
Throughout the show, Keo gave it their all, as they played this mixture of released and unreleased songs, and the crowd didn’t falter once. As the evening continued, they played fan favourites, such as ‘Thorn,’ which saw the entire room erupt, and even saw fans up on each other’s shoulders, with everyone taking in the raw beauty of the song.
However, the stand-out of the set is none other than the closing number, ‘I Lied, Amber,’ which engulfed the crowd, pouring their hearts out to the lyrics. The song shows true depth and vulnerability throughout the lyricism, and its live performance is even more beautiful from the band’s performance.
Keo are truly something special and have proven their spot within the indie-rock genre through their electrifying performance and ability to engulf the crowd into a spectacular atmosphere. Their songs are raw, vulnerable and encapsulating, and the future can only hold even more for them.
