Keo Turn Chalk Into a Choir at Their Brighton Album Launch
Keo are one of the most exciting fast-rising acts to emerge from the alt-rock scene in recent years, and on September 29, 2026, I had the chance to photograph them at their sold-out album release show with Resident Records at Chalk in Brighton.
For much of the night, I could hear the crowd more clearly than I could hear Keo. Not because the London-based band were being drowned out, but because their audience seemed determined to give every lyric back to them twice as loudly. That connection was obvious before Keo even took the stage: “Keo!! Keo!!” was being chanted across the room, with almost everyone joining in.
I’ve been following Keo since their debut single, “I Lied, Amber,” and have watched them grow from London’s grassroots venues to selling out shows across the UK. Now, with their debut album, Put A Smile On For Me, out and an O2 Academy Brixton headline on the horizon, I was keen to see what they could bring to this small seafront venue.
They opened with “Be Happy,” an upbeat yet equally vulnerable rock song, and the crowd was immediately screaming every lyric back. There was a kind of energy and connection I’ve rarely felt at concerts of this genre: the fans needed to scream those lyrics just as much as, if not more than, the band needed to play them.
The emotional “Thorn” made for one of the most memorable moments of the night. Lead singer Finn Keogh didn’t even need to sing; the crowd filled the room with their voices. He stepped back from the mic and watched everyone with a smile, knowing the moment belonged to them. The whole room was connected by the music.
Despite not being officially released, “Only We Know” got the same treatment, and so did songs that had been out for only a few days, including “Loser,” one of my personal favourites and one of the few album tracks that hadn’t been played live or teased online before. “That’s me,” Finn shouted into the mic before launching into the album’s popular lead single. It was undoubtedly the biggest moment of the night: mosh pits erupted throughout the audience, going so hard I could feel the floor shaking beneath me. The room had become incredibly hot, but no one was willing to slow down. Given the intensity of their shows, and incidents at previous ones, Finn checked in with the crowd several times.
According to the printed setlist, the planned final song was “Black Dress,” which I thought was a slightly odd song to end on. It wasn’t. The crowd erupted into chants of “One more song!!”, and after a short break the band returned to close the night with the song they owe their career to, “I Lied, Amber.” The reaction was immediate, bringing the show to an energetic, euphoric end as everyone poured out into the chilly sea breeze.
I’ve now seen Keo three times: at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, at Finsbury Park in a more festival-like setting, and now at their sold-out album launch in Brighton. Each time, both the band and their audience seem to have grown. A few years ago they were gigging around London’s grassroots venues with no released music; now they’re selling out tours, have released their debut album and are preparing to headline the O2 Academy Brixton. If this is what Keo can create a couple of years into their career, I can’t wait to see what happens when the room gets even bigger.
About the Artist
Keo are a London-based four-piece alternative rock band formed by brothers Finn and Conor, drawing inspiration from guitar-driven bands like Nirvana and Radiohead. They began gigging at grassroots venues across London, quickly building a reputation for an intensely passionate stage presence.
Last year they released their debut EP, Sirens, initially recorded in a garage in just five days, featuring the lead single “I Lied, Amber,” which rapidly gained traction on social media. Since then they have sold out the 4,000-plus capacity O2 Academy Brixton and performed at major festivals in the UK and abroad.
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