Live Review: The Kairos - O2 Academy, Liverpool 08/11/2024
The Kairos return home to Liverpool’s O2 Academy and put on a breath-taking show that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
The four-piece have been extremely busy in recent years, working hard and showcasing their undeniable talent all over the country. Along the way they’ve released monster tracks which have drummed up a great deal of hype.
Their reputation as a formidable live outfit is what truly sets them apart from the rest. After relentless touring and proving that they’re the real deal, The Kairos were able to fulfil a dream of every budding Merseyside artist: to play Liverpool’s famous o2 Academy.
The entire night was one big showcase of local talent. Liverpool has, of course, always had a reputation for raising some of the finest musical prospects, but today there’s a new wave of acts coming through who are particularly gifted. Those on the bill for The Kairos’ biggest headline show to date certainly fit that description of exciting prospects.
First up on the night were Ambedo Blue. As an opener, they were perfect. Their effortlessly catchy hooks and riffs were lapped up by the crowd, who gathered early to catch them. ‘Bad Bad Day’ was a song that was particularly striking, boasting some gripping vocals and dreamy riffs.
Next up on the night were The Kowloons, who have been getting a lot of attention, particularly around Liverpool. It feels as though it’s only a matter of time before the hype spreads, though. Songs like ‘Can We Go Faster?’ had the audience hooked. The band are certainly one to watch going forward.
It must be admired just how high the standard was in terms of acts on the bill. Each act was sublime, particularly Ellis Murphy, who was the final support act ahead of the main event. He and his band wowed the crowd, with an array of talents on display- including Murphy’s use of a harmonica, which impressed the audience.
An appearance from Callum Thompson of The Mysterines on guitar certainly propelled Murphy’s set, with the overall sound becoming so powerful. Ellis Murphy is almost certainly destined for stardom, and his set was the ultimate way to get the crowd up for the main event.
The Kairos took to their stage and Liverpool went wild for them. The connection between band and crowd was evident and strong from the off, even before the group took to their instruments.
Once they did take to them, though, it became a frenzy of bodies, all bouncing at the command of lead guitarist Lewis Chambers’ electrifying riffs.
The set opened with high octane tune ‘Suspend’, which nearly took the roof off Liverpool’s o2 Academy. The band immediately showed off just how tight of a unit they are. Their sound is truly remarkable, kept in check by the rhythm section of Sam Bradley’s drums and Owen Forrester’s bass and sent wild by Chambers’ incredible lead guitar. Frontman Tom Dempsey showed the crowd what they were in for with some incredible vocals on display from the off.
Liverpool were with the band straight away, and ‘Suspend’ really did set the tone for the rest of the gig.
Almost every song sent the crowd into a collection of various mosh pits around the enormous room that the local lads had packed out.
The set list was home to some of the familiar favourites that the crowd went wild for, including ‘Better Late Than Never’ and ‘Money Mind’. The band have taken these songs up and down the country with them, in all kinds of venues, so it was incredible to see them perform them to around 1200 people in the place that they come from. It really is testament to their quality as a group. Dempsey took to the microphone late in the set to express his and the band’s gratitude, stating how proud they were that the music had been picking up for them at “a scary rate”. The crowd erupted and belted out a song of their own: “No Kairos, No Party.”
Amongst the older songs were some that are currently unreleased. These went down a treat. ‘Rat Race’ was particularly well received, and fans will hope to hear it, in its recorded form, soon…
The tail end of the set was perhaps the best. The band performed ‘Round The Bend’, which ensued bedlam in the venue. At the end of this one, the crowd were treated to a fantastic instrumental rendition of Led Zeppelin classic ‘Kashmir’.
Perhaps the track of the night, though, was ‘Trip Through The Night’. As one of the band’s slower and more acoustically- focussed tracks, it was a truly emotive thing to hear live. The crowd belted every word of it with Dempsey, with many in attendance getting up on shoulders, fully immersed in the sublime music.
All too soon, it was time for the set to conclude. The Kairos finished with ‘Teetotal’, which gave the crowd one last chance to go wild… and go wild they did.
Both the band, and the crowd, won’t be forgetting that show in a hurry. The Kairos returned home and smashed it out the park. It’s great to see them putting on gigs like this in their hometown, they really are one of the best about right now.
It feels as though they’re destined for these big venues across the whole nation, and fans will hope to continue to see them grow.
Words by Matthew Caslin
