Recently formed indie duo ‘Good Neighbours’ had a meteoric rise in fame with help from their debut single ‘Home’, teased for months across TikTok ahead of its release in January 2024. 517 million streams later, the London act 一 made up of Oli Fox and Scott Verrill 一 had the chance to turn virality into authenticity as they took to the stage for a homecoming performance at O2 Forum Kentish Town.
Just four days prior to the show, the band had released the complete edition of their debut album ‘Blue Sky Mentality’, a predominantly upbeat, positive escapism that encapsulated the band’s motto through all 14 tracks, further expanded by a second disc for fans to enjoy in the complete edition.
After supporting sets from Jack Gray and Master Peace, Kentish Town was primed to experience the blue sky under the lights. Accompanied by a live band throughout the tour, the live sound proved rich and bright, filling the venue with every track. The set was introduced with ‘Suburbs’, a perfect sing-along chorus for the audience, paired with sunrise lighting and blue spotlights that created an intimate setting celebrating freedom and love for community.
The dancing and clapping continued through the set as hit singles ‘Ripple’ and ‘Bloom’ lifted the venue with optimistic energy, instantly reciprocated by the adoring audience. Oli Fox even jumped into the standing crowd himself during ‘Walk, Walk, Walk’, jumping among the voices before returning to his distorted microphone and booming tom drum centre stage.
The tone of the performance shifted as a beautiful new stringed arrangement of ‘Buzz’ was performed with a spotlight on Fox, a song he mentioned came to them in the final moments of making their album, with emotional “meaning”. The song proved to be the most intimate and emotive track of the night, as the strings provided an orchestral element to the song that had never been heard before. The arrangement championed the rawness of the track, elevating the melody to create a powerful atmosphere around the venue. Dreamy hit ‘Starry Eyed’ then picked up the feel-good vibe, bringing the voice of the crowd right back where it left off for a romantic and hopeful couple of minutes that begged to go on for longer.
The set reached its climax with their viral hit ‘Home’; every member of the audience was tested by Fox to sing as loud as they could, as the purple backdrop lighting burst up the stage with each chorus. The virality of the track did not undermine how the message resonated with everyone in attendance, as the room slowly felt like one big neighbourhood, brought together by the artists before they left the stage to applause.
The band then returned for their encore with ‘Daisies’. Labelled as ‘one for the FIFA fans’, Fox came out in a retro West Ham United football shirt, raising the roof one last time with a fan favourite before closing a night that poured pure positivity from beginning to end.
Though often found through social media, the community Good Neighbours have gathered couldn’t be more real. Delivering a standout performance at O2 Kentish Town, the show proved to be an embodiment of their debut album, reminding everyone to “wish the best to everyone you know”.
Written by Eoin Moffatt