Fifteen years on from their debut, The Vaccines  know exactly what kind of band they are. Loud, fast, and built for rooms like the O2 Academy Birmingham. On their March anniversary tour celebrating ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?’, they return to the album that made them the UK’s biggest debut act of 2011. Judging by the atmosphere in the room, the crowd was more than ready to relive their teenage years

Before the nostalgic hits, Chicago outfit Brigette Calls Me Baby warmed up the crowd with a confident support slot. The band deal in dramatic alternative rock that pulls from the same lineage as The Killers, The Cure and The Strokes, without sounding like a tribute act.  Their set leaned on material from their upcoming sophomore album ‘Irreversible’, out 13th March. The songs already feel built for bigger stages. Big choruses, sharp guitars, a frontman who knows how to hold a crowd. Even the unfamiliar tracks drew a warm response from a Birmingham audience eager to get involved early.

It wasn’t long before The Vaccines emerged from the shadows, launching straight into the opening track of their debut “Blow It Up”. From there, the band ran through ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?’ in its entirety. It’s clear the album remains a defining indie document of its era. Fast, punchy songs built for sweaty venues just like the 02 Academy.

Songs like “Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra),” “Post Break-Up Sex” and “Wetsuit” landed with the same punch they did fifteen years ago, proving that these tracks haven’t lost a beat. By the time “If You Wanna” arrived, the crowd was singing every word back at the band, a collective memory of adolescence and late nights, all packed into one room.

The band closed the album run with a stripped back version of “Somebody Else’s Child,” giving the audience a moment to breathe. Lead singer Justin Hayward-Young took the opportunity to reflect on the record, stating that it was “an album that changed our lives and hopefully soundtracked some of yours.” The sincerity resonated.

The second half of the set moved beyond the debut and served as a reminder that The Vaccines never stopped writing indie-rock belters. “Your Love Is My Favourite Band”, “Headphones Baby” and “I Can’t Quit” proved the point. Their catalogue runs deeper than nostalgia suggests, and the Birmingham crowd knew every lyric. Even later cuts like “Heartbreak Kid” and “Lunar Eclipse” drew big reactions. The band played with the same urgency that made their early hits so irresistible, proving they are still at the top of their live game. 

After briefly leaving the stage, the band returned for a three song encore. Young announced that the band had finished writing their seventh studio album, and treated the crowd to a brand new track, “10 Years Too Far”. It was a glimpse of what’s next and a reminder that their best work may still be ahead of them. They closed the night with “All My Friends Are Falling in Love,” the perfect high energy finale, capturing the infectious energy fans have come to adore.

For fans old and new, it was a night that celebrated the past while promising that the best of The Vaccines is still ahead. Fifteen years in, the British Indie heroes are still loud, fast and impossible to resist.