By Scott Hays
If you are a mainstream music fan looking to dip your toes back into the raw, unpolished thrill of alternative rock, look no further than Keo. Bridging the emotive depth of 90s grunge with soaring, arena-ready melodies, the London-based quartet are currently executing one of the most explosive live ascents in modern guitar music with all its all of their dates for their 2026 tour sold out.
Stepping into the historic brick walls of Newcastle’s Boiler Shop, the atmosphere crackles with a rare, cult-like anticipation. Listeners accustomed to over-produced pop spectacles will find a refreshing antidote here: four musicians letting loose with heavy, distorted riffs, driving percussion, and zero gimmicks. Frontman Finn Keogh commands the stage with effortless, sunglasses-clad charisma, cutting through a wall of sound that echoes the dynamic intensity of Radiohead or Wunderhorse, yet remains entirely accessible to anyone who loves a massive, memorable hook.
Highlights come thick and fast. Tracks like That’s Me are genuinely exceptional songs that effortlessly balance melancholic undertones with explosive guitar lines, turning the room into a sea of bouncing bodies and shoulders. Even for the uninitiated, the crowd’s infectious energy, singing unreleased cuts and future anthems word for word, makes it impossible not to get swept up in the current.
However, once the adrenaline clears, the economics of the evening leave a bitter taste.
For a ticket price pushing past twenty-five quid, plus booking fees and steep venue bar prices, and getting a truncated “blink and you have missed it” set clocking in at barely an hour with no support band feels distinctly like poor value for money. Just as the band hit their absolute stride, building up to an adrenaline-fueled finale, the house lights flickered on, wrapping things up far too early.
Keo left the room electrified, but given the steep cost of admission for such a brief performance, it is hard not to feel slightly short-changed despite the undeniable quality of the music. Impressed but left wanting more. Imagine a kebab with more salad than kebab….
