A steady stream of excited fans made their way to Camden’s iconic venue KOKO, buzzing for a night that felt more like a long-overdue reunion rather than just a gig. The venue’s rich red walls, ornate balconies, and the giant glittering disco ball overhead only added to the electric feeling in the air.
Tonight was a special one: Elliot Minor’s ‘once in a decade’ reunion tour. The last time I saw them live was in 2014—also a one-off show—which makes the passage of time feel all too real. But judging by the sea of smiling faces, a couple recognisable from my youth, most of us here tonight were long-time fans, ready to relive a piece of our teenage years.
First up were Palmist. Immediately, they brought a fresh energy to the room, bouncing around the stage with infectious enthusiasm. Their sound—a smooth blend of synthwave reminiscent of The Midnight, with a dash of The 1975’s glossy pop feel, had me hooked within minutes. Their set may have been short, but standout tracks like ‘I Can’t Stop (Falling in Love)’ and the catchy ‘Not Done Ever Giving You Up’ quickly won over the crowd. Frontman Sam, all grins and gratitude, took a moment to thank the early birds in the crowd, joking that he expected “about ten people” to show up. They closed with ‘If This Is Love’, and as they left the stage, I found myself already pulling out my phone to find them on Spotify.
Next up was Call Me Amour—and you could tell something big was coming when even the security guard warned us photographers to brace ourselves. The lights dropped to darker hues and the stage was bathed in strobe flashes as they kicked things off with ‘Good Day’. Lead singer Harry wasted no time, commanding the stage with infectious energy, bouncing from one side to the other. Midway through the set, he taught the crowd a melody, cheekily joking that the crowd in York (Elliot Minor’s hometown) was bad at it and that London had to do better—all in good humour, of course, likely with Elliot Minor grinning backstage.
Then came the highlight: Harry diving headfirst into the crowd. From the pit, I lost sight of him for a second before spotting him, arm slung around an audience member’s shoulders, urging everyone to jump along. Somehow, he made it back to the stage without missing a beat. He also took a breather to praise Elliot Minor, reminiscing about seeing them on Kerrang! TV and being blown away by their harmonies and orchestral influences—an admiration that made supporting them tonight even more special. Before launching into the heavier ‘Bloom’, he also gave a shout out to Greggs, earning approving laughs from the British crowd. They finished strong with ‘Girl on the Wall’, leaving the stage to loud cheers. Another band I’ll be keeping my eye on.
Finally, it was time.
If you’re looking for an impartial review of Elliot Minor, you won’t find it here. As someone who spent their teenage years queuing outside London venues back when tickets were made of actual solid paper, this band has always felt like old friends. As the unmistakable tones of Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar score filled the venue, the lights came up, and there they were. Older, much like us, but still the same group that had soundtracked my youth.
Opening with ‘Jessica’, the band immediately set the tone: high energy, pure nostalgia. ‘Electric High’, one of my personal favourites, followed, and then ‘Running Away’, with Alex bouncing across the stage and Teddy grinning ear to ear, clearly having the time of his life. Spotting keyboardist Ali Paul at the back, who had left the band before their hiatus, was the cherry on top. Later, in a moment that had the whole room laughing, Drummer Dan teased Ali for bringing a cheese and wine board onto the stage.
The setlist was a perfect balance of old hits and a couple of their newer ones. ‘I Believe’ and ‘Discover’ got huge sing-alongs from the crowd, with Alex sharing a story about shooting a music video in Japan and feeling like true rock stars. Every time Ed took on lead vocals, the cheers got louder, and the smile on his face said it all.
They slotted in their new single ‘How Does It Feel’, before launching into fan favourites like ‘Last Call to New York City’ and ‘Solaris’. Dan, usually hidden at the back behind his drum kit as drummers are, stole some moments by standing up to film the crowd, looking every bit the proud parent.
They pretended to end on the explosive ‘Still Figuring Out’, prompting a quick dash to the bar for water, but we all knew there was more to come. Sure enough, they returned for a powerful three-song encore: ‘All My Life’, ‘Better Than the Courtroom’, and finally, the song that started it all for so many of us: ‘Parallel Worlds’. The entire venue erupted in song.
At one point, Alex quietly mentioned that this might not happen again, and I’ll admit, I got a little choked up. But whether or not we get another tour, tonight was enough to remind us all why we fell in love with Elliot Minor in the first place.
