Live Review: Razorlight – 1st May 2025 – Roundhouse, London, UK

Thursday night saw the return of iconic British rock band Razorlight to their spiritual home of Camden, in what was their one-night-stand at the Roundhouse. Expectations were high, the group having released their first record in six years at the end of last year, Planet Nowhere; an album received excellently by fans and critics alike.

Manchester’s fresh-faced indie band The Guest List took to the stage to open the night, followed by another fresh band, supergroup Everyone Says Hi. The latter played a section of tunes from their debut album, each member bringing their experience from past bands to perform catchy, instrumentally rich indie-pop to the largely unsuspecting audience. Sun-drenched and soulful at times, songs like Brain Freeze fizzled with a double-time ending and a piano solo to boot. They play Bush Hall on the 27th May.

Razorlight arrived a little after nine, exploding with energy as the riff to Rip It Up washed over the crowd and sent them into fits of hysteria. Not many words were shared between singer Johnny Borrell and the audience at first, just song after song, classic hits mixed in with newer bangers. In The Morning was followed by Zombie Love – the opener to their latest release – and Taylor Swift = Us Soft Propaganda. The latter’s driving drum beat and catchy riff turned the crowd into a turbulent ocean, people attempting to jump in time, arms raised to the sky.

The order of proceeding did a good job of seamlessly weaving in the old and the new. Golden Touch was followed by a flurry of new tracks, before the band returned to their roots with a good selection of fan favourites. In The City, Stumble and Fall, and Don’t Go Back to Dalston all flew by on a wave of nostalgia and energy. Cool People and Dirty Luck managed to keep up the momentum – the latter being a highlight of the new material – but it was Before I Fall to Pieces that sent everyone into overdrive. With an encore that included the pure punk progression of Good Night, and the rapturous release of America, it proved to be a night of endless highs. Expertly performed and extremely well received.

Set List:
Rip It Up
In The Morning
Zombie Love
Taylor Swift = Us Soft Propaganda
Golden Touch
F.O.B.F
Scared of Nothing
In the City
April Ends
Stumble and Fall
Vice
Don’t Go Back to Dalston
Cool People
Dirty Luck
Before I Fall to Pieces
Somewhere Else

Encore:
Sugar High
Good Night
America

Ryan Bulbeck

Writer and Musician, Ryan Bulbeck has been published with a number of online publications, and has worked with a myriad of great artists, both as a performer, and as a producer. His most recent band The 295 are still active, playing shows around the UK.