Sports Team: Live at O2 Forum Kentish Town

1 Dec

On the stormy night of 25th November, English alt-rock band Sports Team brought their amazing headline show to the O2 Forum Kentish Town, for the final date of their brilliant Boys These Days UK Tour.

Despite travel issues caused by Storm Bert, I gratefully made it to the intimate venue just in time for the first opener, C Turtle. Their set provided an energetic start to the evening, exhilarating the audience for what would become a night to remember. Their song "Ex Athlete" had a particularly shoegaze-y sound, which got the crowd moving and excited.

The second opener, mary in the junkyard, offered a contrast with their calmer, atmospheric music, allowing the audience to take a breather before the chaos of Sports Team ensued. The three-piece band brought a unique sound, highlighted by my personal favourite track "ghost". Their backstory added an extra layer of charm, as bassist and viola player, Saya Barbaglia, joined the group after seeing the other two members perform live.

When the house lights eventually dimmed, the audience fell quiet as an opera track filled the venue. When the audience heard the first notes of "Camel Crew", the room became electric. It was clear that this would be an unforgettable performance.

Sports Team delivered a spectacular show, playing a range of songs from across their incredible discography. This included their recently released tracks, "I’m In Love (Subaru)" and "Condensation", both from their upcoming third studio album, Boys These Days (due for release on February 25th 2025). The crowd was especially energetic during older hits, with "Kutcher", released six years ago in 2018, proving to be a fan favourite. The crowd knew every word, jumping and dancing, and the indie rockers fed off their electric energy.

Between songs, frontman Alex Rice showed the audience that he truly engages with fans, as he connected with the crowd in a way that felt both authentic and entertaining. He left the stage multiple times to lean over the barricade, singing to the fans who had been waiting for hours before the doors opened. Despite scepticism about a 'human pyramid' being possible, Alex told the audience, “I believe it can be done.” The crowd took this as a challenge throughout the rest of night, assembling determined groups between waves of crowd surfing.

From this performance, it became clear how grateful the band are for the opportunity to perform. Alex thanked the audience repeatedly throughout and, at the end of the show, the band handed out setlists and guitar picks. During an unreleased song, entitled "Maybe When We're Thirty", the band were joined by special guest Páulinha Paulette. Sharing centre-stage with Alex, Páulinha expressed how excited she was to perform with the band. This song provided a more intimate moment, prompting the audience to sway and sit on each other's shoulders.

The show concluded with the band's first single and one of my personal favourites, "Stanton". This moment became even more special when the openers joined Sports Team on stage, making for a truly unforgettable performance. At the end of their stellar set, the house lights turned back on and "Angels" by Robbie Williams played over the speakers. The band and audience united, singing the iconic track as guests started to leave.

There was an overwhelming feeling of joy and excitement at the end of the night. The 2,300-capacity O2 Forum Kentish Town homecoming performance was the perfect finale to the Boys These Days tour. On my way home, I couldn't help but feel emotional; Sports Team had formed something rare—a sense of family—and I felt lucky to become a part of it.