Photo Credit: Seren Thomas
Words: Evie Johnson
There was no better place to be than O2 Academy Liverpool on Saturday Night, as the incredible Manchester-based band, Seb Lowe, took to the stage for a night of politically-charged, sing-along tracks.
The set opened with impressive support from the band’s own Kate Couriel, and Leeds’ indie upcomers The North. The crowd packed in early to see them both, and were not left disappointed. There were definitely some new fans made in the audience that night.
Opening the headline set with ‘Little Caesar’ and ‘Here Come The Aliens’, the crowd grew even more eager as they bounced around and roared lyrics back to Seb and the band, giving a strong indication of the atmosphere that was going to follow.
Highlights in the opening set had to be ‘Kill him (he’s a Socialist)’ as Seb entered the crowd to soak up the ambience and receive a thunderous reception back. Followed by a personal favourite of the night, ‘Don’t Say No to Hitler’, where the theatrical tone me cabaret-style tune had even the people at the very back bouncing up and down to the band’s satirical lyrics and captivating performance.
The band capitalised on the high of this run with a recently released track, ‘One Day to Live’, and despite only being released a matter of weeks ago, it took the crowd by storm and had fans reciting back lyrics already. No doubt a future classic and one the crowd will be eager to hear again soon. The show continued on with a beautiful acoustic rendition of ‘Freak’, and Seb and Kate’s highlight performance of ‘Mr & Mrs Human Race’ which engrossed the crowd in the stage presence and chemistry the two had.
The final part of the show drew to a close with fan favourites such as ‘Ode to Britannia’, ‘Terms and Conditions’, and ‘A Westerner Walks Into a Bar’, with the band aptly bringing out a cowboy hat to introduce the latter. All brought the classic, sing-along energy the band thrives off, whilst still bringing a strong, political message and using their platform to exercise their voice.
Kate Couriel also deserves a mention for her incredible, stand-out performance throughout the night on violin. She truly gives a more refined and sophisticated feel to the indie band, and sets them apart from many others competing in a crowded industry. The band are all fascinating performers, and the reception on Saturday goes to show that they have big things ahead of them.
The April 2026 tour continues towards the end of the month for Seb Lowe and the band in venues across the UK, such as Stoke, Norwich, Oxford, and Portsmouth. As well as a festival slot at this year’s Reading Festival, and a big slot supporting Pulp at Wythenshawe Park this August.
Taped Magazine 