Photo + Words: Nikisha Garrett

With the momentum of their upcoming album ‘Everywhere Always’, Birmingham four-piece Overpass returned to the O2 Academy Oxford as part of a series of intimate shows dedicated to the new record. Ahead of its long-awaited release on 5th June, the stripped-back performances celebrate the new material while offering fans an early and up-close introduction to the songs found on the album.

Known for offering colourful and energetic performances, the band instead embraced the stripped-back format of the show, which created space for the music to fully absorb the audience. Intently listening to frontman Max Newbold’s lyrics, the room fell captivated as his vocals hung in the room throughout the intimate seated performance. Opening with pre-released tracks ‘Union Station’ And ‘Sandman’, the band were met with an initial surge of adrenaline from the crowd, which settled into subtle bops and nods of familiarity, signalling an early connection to the new material.

Fondly introducing their recent single ‘Is This Real?’ found on the album, the indie rock band expressed their gratitude for the warm reception the track has already received from fans, demonstrating their grounded nature and highlighting the potential the new album holds as they continue to make their mark on the music scene.

Taking moments between songs to introduce the stories behind the material, the band went on to perform the next five tracks previewed on ‘Everywhere Always’s tracklist. Sharing an anecdote from supporting alternative indie rock band Wunderhorse during their European tour, bassist Indie Armstrong described how the experience gave the band a new “surge of inspiration”, influencing the writing of the high-energy track ‘Get Up’ upon their return home.

These moments of conversation added an extra layer of memorability to the evening. Learning about the origins of the new music allowed the audience to place themselves within the experiences that shaped the songs, creating a more personal and full-circle understanding of the songs. Presenting in such a deeply personal manner, the set remained captivating throughout, with the album’s closing track, ‘Heaven’, prompting a soft sing-along from the crowd.

Offering an opportunity for requests, the crowd enthusiastically chanted for ‘Stay Up’. The fan favourite sparked a wave of energy through the crowd, though notably, the response hardly differed from the audience’s enthusiasm towards the new material, suggesting that Everywhere Always has tracks capable of standing alongside Overpass’s most beloved releases. 

The band closed the evening with fan favourite ‘3AM’, sending a final burst of excitement through the room as arms rose into the air for a euphoric finale. 

Photo Credit: Nikisha Garrett