I love it when I arrive at a venue and I’m instantly in a queue for hugs from friends – some expected, some unexpected, but not surprising. As I rushed in through the side door of O2 Forum Kentish Town, I was put instantly at ease by friendly faces who allowed me to settle in and get ready for the night ahead.
Lysistrata
I arrived halfway through French post-hardcore/math-rock trio’s Lysistrata fourth song and I instantly kicked myself for being late this one time. Their atmospheric crescendos built of riffs bridge the hardcore, the post and the math beautifully. As an avid ArcTanGent Festival veteran, I could picture them fitting beautifully on an ATG or Portals line up.
Their performance was a masterful blend of introspective expression – one moment they would cut a shoegazing silhouette, but they’d quickly pivot to distorted shredding and guitar throwing, building up to a glorious finale. Their last song ‘Mourn’ reminded me of vintage Mogwai ‘R U Still in 2 It?’ and it soared and glowed until the final slow burn.
They remarked from the stage that they previously played London at New Cross Inn “to 15 people” and they were visibly moved by the strong turn out at Kentish Town Forum. I sincerely hope we will get to see more of them soon, and given how warmly the audience reacted to them with front rows really getting into it, I am certain the next time they play London they won’t have to worry about playing to 15 people.
Thrice
There was a real air of anticipation and excitement in the air and Thrice, the progressive hardcore pioneers, entered the stage to a roaring welcome from a packed room. After launching Horizons/West in October 2025 – a companion piece to 2021’s Horizons/East and a continuation of their philosophical explorations, they finished their triumphant tour in London. With a sound that seamlessly combines hardcore with elements of prog and post rock textures, they amassed an adoring fanbase from every genre of experimental rock and they all came out in droves on that Thursday night.
They eased their fans into the evening with a couple of tracks from the 2025 release, but by the third song we were treated to absolute crowd pleasers with ‘The Artist In The Ambulance’ and ‘Hurricane’, the latter in particular getting an audience response synonymous with its title – The Forum was absolutely roaring. And this intro set the tone for the rest of their set – Thrice seamlessly manoeuvred through their impressive discography with incredible cohesion, weaving the newest records in as if they have always belonged, while the older material sounded as relevant as ever – with the transition from ‘Black Honey’ into ‘Albatross’ being the perfect example of the new meeting the classic. Their sound was immense and they played incredibly tight, but they made it feel effortless and full of groove – this was a band in their peak form.
And that feeling was echoed among the audience – everyone I spoke to commented just how perfect the night sounded, flowed and felt. Thrice are a band with a loyal fanbase, so many people in the audience were lucky to have seen them multiple times in the past – and even then they told me this was the best they’ve seen them play. The setlist was also perfectly put together – everything just flowed, amplified by the stunning light show making us feel as if we were basking in the glow of a thousand suns. The atmosphere was joyous and euphoric – even the security guards were having a great time. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to the gloom of winter and welcoming the first rays of spring sunshine.
Thrice
Set 1
- Blackout
- Gnash
- The Artist in the Ambulance
- Hurricane
- Holding On
- Paper Tigers
- The Dark Glow
- Still Life
- The Window
- Stare at the Sun
- Crooked Shadows
- In Exile
- Of Dust and Nations
- Black Honey
- Albatross
- Beyond the Pines
- Robot Soft Exorcism
- The Earth Will Shake
Encore
- Vesper Light
- Deadbolt
