Photo + Words: Jessica Plunkett

Twenty years after the release of their debut album ‘A Certain Trigger‘, Maxïmo Park are back on the road, touring the UK and Europe. 

And while two decades have passed, it’s clear to see that their pull hasn’t faded, with the band’s final hometown Newcastle date selling out before it had even hit general sale. On Sunday evening, though, they returned to the O2 Academy Liverpool for the first time in almost 14 years. 

Support came from early-2000s indie rock band Art Brut, whose set relied heavily on audience interaction and spoken word. Fronted by Eddie Argos, their talk-singing delivery and self-aware humour quickly won over the room, if it hadn’t already. Argos called for requests from the crowd, which was met with a string of suggestions, with ‘Modern Art‘ decidedly taking the win. This was clearly a favourite of the band’s, too, with the end chorus being repeated not once, not twice, but three times. This is a band who still loves to have fun with music, and it acted as the perfect warm-up for what was to come. 

As the room began filling up, anticipation rose high. This was my first time seeing the band, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But whatever I was expecting, it certainly lived up to it… and then some. 

From the outset, Maxïmo Park’s energy felt undiminished. Frontman Paul Smith was in constant motion, projecting a contagious enthusiasm across the stage. Despite his high-energy stage presence, his vocals impressively remained strong throughout. It’s no mean feat to perform a high kick whilst holding a note, believe me. Smith clearly takes a lot of pride in his live performances, also ensuring that each song flowed naturally, allowing newer material to sit comfortably alongside older classics. 

The setlist spanned the band’s catalogue, mixing well-known tracks from ‘A Certain Trigger’ with deeper cuts and B-sides. Undoubtedly, the room was largely made up of long-term fans, who were able to recite every word, even on more niche records. ‘Versions of You‘ stood out as a highlight of the evening, and the audience’s synchronised claps and cheers are a testament to that. 

The encore featured ‘Acrobat‘, ‘Books From Boxes‘, and ‘Going Missing‘. Their final song choice provided a last burst of energy and felt like a deliberate, confident closer, ending the evening on a high. 

Overall, the night celebrated their success without becoming stuck in the past. Rather than a legacy act revisiting old ground, Maxïmo Park came across as a band still fully connected to both their music and their audience, with something still to say.