Call Me Amour’s debut headline tour hits London
Debut headline tours are always a huge step for any up and coming band, but Call Me Amour made it look effortlessly easy! They had London’s Lower Third packed out with some of the most enthusiastic fans I’ve ever seen, and instantly had everyone won over with their signature brand of chaos. From frontman Harry Radford dancing on bars and singing on a fan’s shoulders in the pit, to guitarist and bassist Geoff Murphy and Arran Lomax taking turns coming into the crowd and getting everybody hyped up, and drummer Danny Hall being the driving force behind it all the whole time. The screaming fans loved every second! This was much more than just another gig, this was a production, a show, an immersive experience. It served as a chance for fans to leave everything at the door, and get lost in an unforgettable night.
Misery Kids brought the vibes as they opened the night with their catchy alt-pop tracks. They are straight off the back of a tour with LeBrock, and this is clear in their polished live set. Their charismatic frontman Nic Matthews effortlessly commanded the crowd as the band performed with the energy of a headliner. Standout fan favourites included ‘Find That Rhythm’ and ‘Burning Up’. The set closed out with a cover of Whitney Houston’s ‘How Will I Know’ which gave even those unfamiliar with Misery Kids a chance to sing along. Misery Kids definitely set the tone for the rest of the night with such a high energy set.
Fort Hope followed, keeping the atmosphere high and keeping the crowd engaged. They aren’t the kind of band that show up to cause chaos, but one that give their absolute everything to the music. Their catchy melodies had everyone’s eyes transfixed to the stage. You can feel the passion in every word that Jon Gaskin sings, and there were many fans in the room singing them right back. I wasn’t too familiar with Fort Hope prior to this tour, but they’ve got me hooked and I’m hoping to catch them on a tour of their own as soon as one is announced!
As Call Me Amour’s dramatic intro played the first thing I instantly noticed was the huge lighting rig behind them. From the second they opened with ‘Where’s The Chemistry?’ The whole room was lit up with stunning colours. This was one of many indications that they have given everything they have (and more) to this tour. Fan favourite (and one of my personal favourites) ‘Blackout’ followed with an even louder singalong. The group of fans in the pit went feral, some jumping on stage, some getting on their friends’ shoulders. Everything about this show made it feel much bigger, we were being treated to an arena style show, except much more up close and personal (and for a quarter of the price!).
Harry took the time throughout to chat to the crowd, asking us to all shout out our names at the same time, then introducing the band with some questionable rhymes including “his favourite Disney character is Jafar, and he plays the guitar” for Geoff.
The setlist spanned across the band’s whole discography, with only one or two tracks being missed off. The band’s very first single ‘Tourniquet’ proved to still be popular with the crowd becoming a sea of waving arms. Whilst the newer and much heavier ‘Happy Hell’ saw that unrelenting mosh pit in the middle of the room get even bigger and wilder.
London was the only show on the tour to receive a surprise appearance from Mallory Knox’s Mikey Chapman who came to sing his feature on ‘Good Day’. This song also saw Harry and Geoff split the room in two for a ‘sing off’. Each side sang a different line of the bridge to see who could be the loudest in a little healthy competition.
The final three songs were by far the real standout of the night. The chorus of ‘Bloom’ had a singalong so loud it was a struggle to hear the band at times! Even the band themselves were visibly taken aback and emotional about how many people knew the words. It made for such a wholesome moment in the set.
Before ‘Girl On The Wall’ Harry took a moment to thank the crowd and express his gratitude. He then gave us the backstory of the song, telling us all about his “magical trip to Amsterdam” that resulted in the song. This is always the song of the set where everybody lets loose and has the most fun. The song’s intro saw Danny hand Arran a drum stick for a little impromptu drum fill. It’s always fun to see band members having little interactions on stage and just enjoying themselves. The infectious beat and catchy chorus have always made ‘Girl On The Wall’ a standout. Towards the end of the song Harry called for a circle pit around their videographer Brad, naming it the “Brad Pitt” which amused me far more than it should’ve done!
Just as you thought the set was over, Call Me Amour gave us one last surprise, an encore of ‘Dreams’ from their latest EP. A track which, in my opinion, is extremely underrated. It was great to see it being shown some love on this tour. The extended outro saw Harry, Arran and Geoff make their way into the middle of the pit one last time, as everybody formed a circle around them and gave it their all one last time. Every single person in the room banging their heads for the final outro. It was the best way to end the set on a massive high.
Throughout the night the one thing that stood out the most, and always does at every Call Me Amour show, is their interactions with fans. All members of the band (besides Danny who can’t really step away from the drum kit, but I’m sure he would if he could!) spend more time in the crowd than on the stage. They create authentic connections, and unforgettable memories. Whether that’s singing with fans, having their arms around them, having a little dance together, or chatting to every single person at the merch table at the end of the show. I often see a lot of familiar faces in the crowd so there’s clearly a reason for these fans to keep coming back, even to multiple shows on the same tour!
As the night came to a close, it was clear the party was only just starting, and for Call Me Amour, this is only the very beginning of something huge. With appearances at Slam Dunk and 2000 Trees Festival already locked in for the summer, and a tour with the legends in Boys Like Girls, Call Me Amour are going to be a name you can’t escape in 2026! I already can’t wait to see what they do next, especially on those bigger stages!