Palaye Royale at O2 Academy Brixton

January saw the return of LA’s finest fashion-art rock band Palaye Royale to England. This time supporting Enter Shikari for a dedicated tour of the UK.

I was looking forward to seeing them again and excited to photograph at one of my favourite venues: the iconic O2 Academy Brixton. I’ve been going to gigs at Brixton’s O2 Academy since forever. Evenings under that dome have been spent with some of my favourite bands of all time, from The Libertines, to Kasabian, to London Grammar. With other evenings being the contexts for dates with exes long-gone…

Having seen the likes of The Libertines gracing this iconic stage, I was excited for Palaye Royale to be performing on the very same, knowing what a special moment this was (at least in the Londoner’s mind). It was a special moment for me too, being in its Photographers pit for the first time.

Their set was energetic and powerful. Relentlessly jumping both into the crowd and (somehow) onto Brixton’s giant stage speakers, Palaye well and truly gave Enter Shikari’s reluctant crowd a performance. The show finished with a divinely extended version of How Do You Do? and was followed with an even more divine red-lit after party on the tour bus.