With Confidence and ROAM
O2 Islington Academy // London, England // 21 September, 2019
Photos and review by Rachael Dowd
With Confidence
Switching off each night of the tour, it was With Confidence’s turn in London to go first and their set certainly did not disappoint. Hailing from Australia, it’s been a while since With Confidence were last in the UK and they made sure their live performance was one to remember.
Opening up with “Moving Boxes,” a percussion-heavy fan-favourite off of their 2018 album, Love and Loathing, the crowd immediately erupted with cheers as crowd surfers soared over the barricade and mini-mosh pits opened up throughout the audience.
Playing a thirteen-song setlist that did not disappoint, the Aussie band included hits like “That Something,” “Spinning” and “Dinner Bell” into their performance.
With only two albums out, With Confidence could be considered relatively new to the scene, but their musicianship and on-stage charisma say otherwise. Putting on a live set that portrays them as touring veterans, With Confidence are truly one of the most exciting acts to see live within this scene, their energetic and passionate fans helping to elevate their performances even further.
Closing out the night with their most popular song to date,“Voldemort” (a track that has over 16 million streams on Spotify), the room erupted into one massive mosh pit as security struggled to keep up with the number of crowd surfers that were gliding towards them. Fans of all ages got involved during this performance which not only made for one of the most energetic moments of the night, but also showcased just how many different people With Confidence’s music has touched worldwide.
ROAM
In celebration of their brand new album, Smile Wide, that has been out a mere three weeks, ROAM used their headlining set to celebrate where the band is going and where they have come from. Performing a variety of songs that spanned their entire career, their twelve-song setlist was jam-packed with high energy tracks as well as fan favourites listeners still lose their minds over while in the pits of ROAM shows.
ROAM opened their set up with “I Don’t Think I Live Here Anymore,” the lead single from Smile Wide, that had everyone in the crowd singing passionately along with vocalist Alex Costello. The band was sure to include plenty of new tracks from their latest release including “Hand Grenade,” “Turn” and “Toy Box.”
“Toy Box,” a song that has clearly become a crowd favourite based on the energy that was exerted during this performance, has a unique inspiration. Taken from the movie Toy Story, the song features direct lines from the movie, an aspect that Alex Costello said is “something we could be sued over, but we don’t have any money so joke’s on them.” Many fans lining the barricade were singing this song so passionately that it seemed as though it had been out for years, the track clearly leaving a lasting impact on many who have listened to it.
“Head Rush,” off of their 2016 album, Backbone, was a standout moment of the night. Jumping off the stage and standing on top of the barricade, Alex Costello got as involved with the crowd as possible. Some crowd-surfed towards him and others reached out for his hand as they all sang the song’s key lyrics, “and if I told you what it meant, would it make any difference? This one’s for you.”
Overall, ROAM’s live set in London last week, while I’m sure is very similar to performances they have done many times throughout their career, showcased the impact and power their music has had on so many fans over the years and how it continues to hold meaning for so many long after the songs have debuted. As they continue to tour in support of their new album, Smile Wide, it is inevitably clear that the songs from this release are slowly becoming positive aspects in fans’ lives as well as helping to shape ROAM’s future for years to come.
