Live Review: Kean Kavanagh - The Lexington, London 17/06/2025
Despite the sweltering heat, upstairs at The Lexington was packed out with people wanting to see The County Star himself, Kean Kavanagh, on Tuesday night.
Kean Kavanagh, born in Texas and raised in Portlaoise in Ireland, has had a strong presence within the Irish music scene for a while now. Releasing his own music since 2018, Kavanagh is also a producer, artist collaborator and the co-founder of Soft Boy Records. However, now, with the release of his debut album The County Star, it feels like a new chapter for the Irish artist.
Kavanagh celebrated the release of his debut album with a show at The Lexington, London, on Tuesday night, with support from fellow Irish artists, Bog Band. The duo from Dublin, Bog Band, made up of Stephen Sorensen and Isaac Clarke, took to the stage earlier in the evening. It has to be said that it is no easy feat to keep a crowd’s attention in a tight space, particularly during one of London’s unforgiving heatwaves, but Bog Band nailed it. Accompanied by their band, their set was a soulful mix of scuzzy guitars and punchy beats. “Laptop soul” is how the duo has previously described themselves, and well…if the shoe fits, as they say. Elements of funk and jazz combined with warm honey vocals, Bog Band were easy listening, the perfect accompaniment to a cold pint on a hot summer's day.
Kean Kavanagh and his band, known as The Stars, were met by an eager crowd as they took to the stage, opening with Texas Tea, the first track from Kavanagh’s debut, The County Star. It’s the perfect fusion of American rock and Irish trad, the standout sound of the uilleann pipes behind Kavanagh’s swinging guitar and gritty vocals. It’s a quick guitar change for Kavanagh before they launch straight into 45s, a personal favourite from the album. It’s fast-paced, infectious and Kean’s energy on the stage is palpable. Elevated by the addition of the fiddle, the song rattles through the floor of The Lexington, crawling up the feet of the crowd, a dance-worthy number that is followed by the slower, gentle lo-fi melody Time Goes By that has the crowd swaying.
While the gig was a celebration of The County Star’s release, Kavanagh still included some of his older songs, including his shiver-inducing rendition of The Portlaoise Queen as well as Roll Over! and EMMA from his first project, Dog Person. The Portlaoise Queen began with just Kavanagh and his guitar, which allowed the singer to really showcase his vocal ability. Joined by the gentle tap of the snare along with the uilleann pipes, Kavanagh had captivated his audience. The crowd were so quiet and still for the duration of the performance; one could hear a pin drop in the silence. Breaking the bubble that had enveloped the crowd, Kavanagh and The Stars broke into a heavy trad session at the end of the track, before continuing the celebration of the album’s release.
Kavanagh performed The Whistle and Father Brown’s one after the other, both tracks that spotlight the artist’s talent as a lyricist. The Whistle, a tender, ballad-like song focusing on the end of a relationship, how often we don’t see the signs of its collapse until it’s too late. Pulls at the heartstrings generally but is a punch to the gut live. Kavanagh’s vocals draw chills through the crowd during his performance of Father Brown’s, which shines a light on emigration and the hypocrisy of racism in Ireland, which is on an alarming rise throughout the country at the moment “we can go anywhere but they can’t come here / they’d shoot holes in them boats and leave the kids die swimming”. There was a sad irony to hearing this song live in a room full of mainly Irish people, all living in London.
Kavanagh and his stars powered through the rest of the album, overcoming minor issues such as a broken guitar string and a broken guitar strap with grace and humour, while also handling the heat of the room, which was growing ever hotter as the night went on. Their energy never faltered through Melting, Anyway and Never, with Kavanagh and The Stars giving it their all during the title track The County Star. Closing out the set with fan favourite, A Cowboy Song, Kavanagh was met with a chorus of cheers and whoops from the crowd. The upbeat indie track, which has a continuous haunting echo throughout, sounds even better live and as Kavanagh stomped about the stage, the crowd followed suit; the singer’s energy every bit as infectious at the end of the gig as it had been at the start.
A stellar album, a stellar performance, Kean Kavanagh is certainly one to watch, overflowing with rare talent. Accompanied by The Stars, nothing is standing in the way of this man and his rise to the top.
Words by Angela English
