The signs are everywhere. A sold-out headline tour. A growing catalogue of crowd favourites. Fans singing along to songs that have not even been released yet. On the final night of their UK run, Arkayla arrive at Birmingham’s Sunflower Lounge looking every bit like a band on the cusp of something bigger, and leave little doubt that their upward trajectory is only accelerating.

Opening the night, fellow Manchester outfit Rollups warm up the room with an impressive support set. Fronted by Ruth Mills, the four-piece weave together thick basslines and hazy guitar work that draw comparisons to Mazzy Star, Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine. “Who’s excited for Arkayla?” Mills asks the crowd before joking, “Give them a break, it’s their last show on tour.” The band close with ‘Parable of the Linen Woman’, a track so well received that the audience has already packed themselves towards the front before Mills can deliver any words of encouragement.

By the time Arkayla make their way through the audience and onto the stage, there’s barely any room left in the venue. Opening with ‘Lost In A Valentine’, they’re greeted by a wall of cheers that continues throughout the rest of the night.

Frontman Cal Blakebrough’s raspy, distinctive vocal gives the band an identity all of their own, elevating tracks such as ‘Long Way Back’, ‘Fortune Teller’ and ‘Rita‘ from catchy indie-pop/rock songs into something far more memorable.

The band’s confidence is perhaps most evident in the number of unreleased tracks sprinkled throughout the set. ‘Vivian‘ receives a warm welcome, while ‘My Number‘ arrives alongside the announcement that it will be released in June ahead of another forthcoming EP. The fact that many in the crowd already know the words speaks volumes about the connection Arkayla have built with their audience.

Elsewhere, ‘Calling Time‘ reminds everyone of where they started, while unreleased ‘Doba Doba‘ brings a more playful edge, complete with guitarist Finley’s offhand explanation about Aleksander Doba that briefly derails the room. ‘Ella Malone’ and unreleased ‘Ecstasy‘ slow the pace right down, before newest release ‘Run Kid’ draws the biggest reaction of the night, with a mosh pit forming in the limited capacity venue. A Wreckless Eric cover of ‘Take the Cash‘ gives Finley a moment in the spotlight. By the time they reach closer ‘Doctor‘, the room is completely in their hands, bodies packed forward, arms flailing, everyone singing every word back to the band.

What stands out most is not just the size of the response, but how certain it already feels. Arkayla are still early in their trajectory, but nights like this suggest they are moving fast enough that “emerging” is starting to feel like an outdated label.