Larkin Poe return to London in celebration of ‘Bloom’ at Eventim Apollo, 21.10.2025

If you have followed my reviews this year, you will notice recurring themes – I’ve been drawn to either artists that share my point of view on the world, or I have been going on a journey of discovery and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. And then Larkin Poe came along and those two roads came together. Despite having 8 studio albums under their belt, they were brand new to me this year and for an unknown reason their show at Eventim Apollo called to me for months. I arrived at the Apollo on the evening of 21st October full of anticipation.

Son Little

The first to step on the calathea-decorated stage was Son Little, whose vibe can only be described as sunshine in a bottle. Aaron Earl Livingston and his small band delivered a brand of blues that encourages introspection, as his songs are deeply emotional – his last record Little Neptune released in 2022 was influenced by the pandemic-induced introspection and allowed Livingston to process childhood trauma. And while the trauma is not explicitly spelled out through the lyrics, the words are that of an artist shaped by traumatic experiences.

Minimalist in staging, his band was exuding good vibes. It brings me immense joy witnessing artists having an amazing time on stage. There was an ease to their performance that permeated all the levels of the Apollo, and the audience was truly spellbound.

Larkin Poe

I stuck on Bloom, Larkin Poe‘s latest LP, in my ears about a week before the gig – and I will be the first one to admit that was my first time listening to it, despite the gig itself calling me for months. I was proverbially hooked, line and sinker instantly. There is an element of introspection and self awareness in Bloom‘s lyrics that is instantly relatable, and the hooks and melodies in Rebecca and Megan Lovell’s guitar tones are beautifully crafted in a way that doesn’t leave your ears for weeks to come.

Opening with ‘Nowhere Fast’, they set the tone for the evening, beautifully changing the lyrics to match the location:

We got just enough gas to get into trouble
Just enough trouble to start a reputation
Just enough torque to get the world shakin’
From east to west, London does it the best

And we were off, with an auditorium of devoted fans cheering them on. It quickly became clear how deeply the Lovell sisters appreciate their fans, because between the first two songs they shone the brightest lights on the audience as a token of gratitude.

Their set was masterfully crafted and split into three sections. The first act focused on Bloom, with crowd favourites like ‘Mockingbird’, ‘Easy Love Pt.1’ and ‘Bleuphoria’, which got the Apollo singing along from the top of our lungs. Then they checked in with the audience to ensure they managed to conjure a spirit – “Is the spirit among us?” – and introduced a song that was one of the most important to them on the new album, ‘If God Is A Woman’ – also my personal favourite, and a tribute to Rebecca who had her first baby just 10 weeks prior to this spectacular headline performance.

The pure magic of sisterhood beams from Rebecca and Megan on stage, and every time they face each other on their guitar and lap steel respectively – it is as if they were the only ones in the room. Their bond is electric and the smiles and glances they exchange create an intimate atmosphere in this grand room, as if they were letting us in on their secrets. They are every inch rock stars while emanating down to earth energy, and they deliver excellent southern riffs with ease and swagger. Their live performance is absolutely magnetic.

While Bloom is at the beating heart of their set, the second act was all acoustic, with a highlight of ‘Southern Comfort’ from 2023’s Blood Harmony getting the biggest crowd cheer. They return to electric sound in act three, which included a Black Sabbath cover ‘War Pigs’, which also signals their awareness of their influences. The musicianship of Rebecca and Megan Lovell is astounding. They command the room with ease and confidence and they are able to conjure whatever mood their music calls for – from boot stomping Americana to an introspective, acoustic melody performed in pin drop silence. Bookending the memorable night with an encore of ‘Bloom Again’, they won the London crowd over – and then some.

Larkin Poe continue their Bloom tour across Europe and you can still grab tickets.