15 Years of Against The Current, Celebrated Up Close
Against The Current are nearing the end of their 15-year anniversary tour, a short European run that began in London and stops in just four cities: London, Amsterdam, Cologne and a final show in Paris. The Amsterdam show felt more like hanging out with friends than attending a typical concert. Playing the small room at Melkweg, the band delivered an intimate set that perfectly captured the celebratory spirit of the tour.
All of the concerts on this run take place in small, intimate venues, perfect for longtime fans who have followed the band since the beginning. The demand for tickets proved just how dedicated that fanbase still is. In London, the first show of the tour apparently sold out before the ticket link had even been widely shared online. Amsterdam was no different. The Melkweg date was completely sold out, and by the time the lights went down the room was packed wall to wall, both downstairs and at the balcony. There was no support band and no warm-up act. Just Against The Current and 90 minutes of heartfelt music shared between the band and the fans who have followed them for years.
Singer Chrissy Costanza was in constant conversation with the crowd from the moment she stepped on stage. With no barricade separating the audience from the band, the atmosphere felt unusually close and relaxed. Fans leaned against the stage, singing along, passing up small gifts, bracelets and notes throughout the night. These moments often turned into spontaneous unboxing sessions between songs, adding to the casual, personal feel of the evening.
Chrissy also took plenty of time to reflect on the band’s journey. Fifteen years, she admitted, still feels surreal. “When we started we were the youngest band in the scene”, she told the crowd with a laugh. “Now we feel old”. She spoke openly about her back surgery as well, explaining that being back on stage already felt like a small victory. If she could still jump around and perform after that, she joked, the audience had no excuse not to give their full energy in return.
Some of the most memorable moments arrived when the tempo slowed down. Acoustic versions of ‘Infinity’ and ‘Fireproof’ changed the mood in the venue entirely. The sing-along during ‘Fireproof’ was especially powerful, with the entire crowd carrying the chorus while the band looked visibly moved.
About two-thirds of the way through the set, the show briefly paused when someone in the crowd felt unwell and paramedics stepped in to help. The interruption probably lasted around five minutes, but it didn’t disrupt the mood. Chrissy filled the time by chatting with fans and opening more gifts from the audience, some of them, unsurprisingly, themed around League of Legends.
A standout moment in the set came with ‘Outsiders’, a song that has been one of the band’s most requested tracks over the years. For fans who hadn’t looked up the setlist in advance, it was a welcome surprise, although it quickly became clear that plenty of people already knew what was coming. At one point someone from the back of the venue shouted, “We’ve seen the setlist!” prompting a confused reaction from Chrissy. “How? You’re not even close to the stage”, she laughed. As it turned out, fans had already taken photos of the setlist and were passing it around before the show even began.
Before starting ‘Outsiders’, the band joked that if they didn’t see real movement from the crowd this time, they might stop taking requests in the future. The playful warning didn’t need much convincing, the audience immediately responded, jumping, singing, and throwing their full energy into the song to prove it deserved its place in the set.
As the night moved toward its end, the band leaned into two of their biggest tracks. The set closed with the League of Legends anthem ‘Legends Never Die’, before ending on an explosive final performance of ‘Weapon’, sending the sold-out Melkweg out on a high. With the final European show of the tour taking place tonight in Paris, fans still have one last chance to be part of the celebration.
