Keo at O2 Guildhall, Southampton (24.10.2026) with Brooki supporting.
It’s a while since I’ve been to a gig inside the Guildhall. Pleased to find the sound good tonight, even up in the balcony with the help of the extra speaker hanging high from the ceiling. It was good to see the place full and full of young people who like guitar music.. a proper band. Yes, I must be one of the oldest here, with most in their 20s. Who cares.
I stand downstairs for the support band, Brooki. Loud anthemic sound. Pretty heavy with Sarah Brookfield’s lead vocals really strong. They’re from Dublin and been going three years. Quite a short set – 25 mins – but well supported. This young, male dominated audience appears very tall, from my mixing desk leaning spot. Maybe I’m shrinking.
I retreat up to my centre balcony seat, which I only bought a few weeks back, having been introduced to the excellent debut Keo LP: Put A Smile On For Me.
First night of this Autumn tour and a real buzz. Some bluesy guitar provides the walk-on music. All phones up and a real roar as they come on. “Kee-o, Kee-o!”
Post-grunge was the description I liked most from the bios and I could hear a Pearl Jam sound in there somewhere. Their sound is a real celebration of guitar sound with heavy reverb.
Pistol is their second song tonight – popular and familiar from my album plays. Cracker.
Frontman Finn Keogh and his bass playing bro, Conor, have been the hub of the band, touring around as kids with their dad on his Irish music tours out of Plymouth. They lived in Portugal for a bit and Keo (yes, I get how the name came about now!) are now a London based band.
Lead guitarist, Jimmy Lanwern strikes many a pose against the lights. A frequent extended arm action on his strum, stooping with the guitar scraping the stage and occasional aggressive striking of the strings.
They play pretty much the whole of the new album: nine of its eleven tracks. That’s Me is my pick. Introduced by Finn with some words about not caring what people think about it him – they’re just out to have a good time he says.
Loser is one track I catch on video, a slower one, quite shoegazey – I usually just try and get one full song. If I’m in the way or it’s not a good position I just leave it. I’m quite a way from the stage but you get a feel. (YouTube link – Loser)
There is some resistance in some quarters of the music press, to the indie guitar bands. What’s wrong with some respect for good old guitar based rock’n’roll? I am loving this. Another wave is rolling in. The Guest List are another new band with some crossover here…coming soon to Southampton Papillon.
Short set of about an hour but can’t fault this. They take a break before returning to the now familiar ‘football crowd’ chants of “Kee-o Kee-o” and perform The End by The Doors – more respect to the past. Finn sits up by the drums for a bit before descending into the pit at the front of the stage to get close to his audience.
Then there is time for one more from the new LP, Fly, and the unreleased but not new, Only We Know.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and one more gig to go now in my run of six gigs in six days.
