Live Review: South Arcade - The Dome, London 02/10/2024
From the for you page to the big stage, South Arcade return for a small run of special shows this autumn to celebrate their track DANGER hitting 1 million streams, and to welcome their new found fans.
If you’re an internet-savvy music fan, you’ll have undoubtedly come across the viral South Arcade band practice videos floating around Instagram and TikTok. Vocalist Harmony Cavelle is often captured struggling to control her rambunctious bandmates who enjoy trolling one another mid-practice by altering their sound levels, secretly adding sound effects to tracks or sniping one another with water guns. Through the band’s vibrant personality, they have quickly gained a fierce fanbase of young punks across the UK. The “I Was Here First” Tour brought the band’s energy from our screens to our stages across the country, showcasing a great active eagerness for the band’s projects.
Following the landmark of their single ‘DANGER’ reaching 1 million streams, the troupe embarked on a humble 5-stop tour across England, joined by rock trio Torus and the majestic Lizzie Esau. Excitement was high as tickets sold out for each and every venue and the band had recently proven their talent at the BBC Introducing Stage of Reading Fest 2024 to a booming crowd.
Torus opened with their staple, classic alt-rock sound and boasted heavy guitar riffs and brutal breakdowns, hinting towards South Arcade’s own metal tendencies and love for heavier music. Following the release of their self-titled debut album last month, Torus stormed The Dome, London stage with untamable energy. Their electrifying performance drummed up the excitement tenfold and encouraged various mosh pits within the crowd.
Lizzie Esau provided a unique experience for South Arcade’s fans; wearing a pair of staple fairy wings and taking up the role of guitarist for some of her tracks, Esau’s aura was permeating in the darkness of the October eve. The twinkling stage lights shone brightly over her figure as she performed angelic melodies with a Wolf Alice-inspired ambience. Her enchanting performance resonated with the Y2K aesthetic that South Arcade preaches and put the crowd into an awed trance.
Despite their seemingly timid stage entrance, South Arcade wasted no time in diving into their viral singles with fervent excitement. The Dome erupted into cheers and singalongs from the band’s eager fans, who clambered between one another into a vast wave of movement. South Arcade’s impressive catalogue of 2000s pop rock provided an incredibly immersive live experience, bolstered by their dedicated fanbase who provided consistent backing vocals to each song. Cavelle provided engaging crowd interactions and encouraged attendees to join them in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to their bassist Ollie Green.
South Arcade have formed a track record of proving critics wrong through vibrant live shows and performances; the so-called ‘TikTok band’ have proven themselves far more than just a trend or viral sound. Their finale show in London solidified this fact that South Arcade have a booming young fanbase and an incredibly exciting future ahead. The ‘I Was Here First’ tour celebrated Y2K artists across rock and pop and reshaped ‘internet music’. There is an immense amount of thrill and excitement for the band’s debut album.
Words by Erin Hill
Photography by Harry Wassel
