Against the Current brought their Till Death & Back Tour to a packed O2 Institute in Digbeth on a Tuesday night, celebrating 15 years as a band while promoting their new album of the same name, released just four days earlier. Support came from Daydreamers, and there was a good atmosphere in the room from the start.

Daydreamers handled the early slot well. Drawing largely from their debut album Have You Tried Screaming?, they delivered a mix of punchy indie-rock tracks, including “Beautiful Agony” and “Beach House”, alongside the more familiar “Call Me Up”. The frontman got the crowd moving during “Start Living”, calling for everyone to drop low before jumping on the count of three. It was an energetic, no-frills set that did exactly what a support act should, warming the room without overstaying its welcome. They’re well worth catching on their own UK dates later in the year.

Against the Current opened with two tracks from the new album, “Fortune Favours the Brave” and “Dead Man Walking”. Chrissy Constanza sounded fantastic live, her vocals cutting cleanly through the room as Dan Gow’s guitar and Will Ferri’s drums locked in. The set balanced fresh material with established favourites, giving both the new album and the band’s back catalogue plenty of attention. Newer songs such as “Always You & I”, “Heavenly” and “Ashes to Glory” sat comfortably alongside older favourites including “Talk”, “again & again”, “Blood Like Gasoline”, “Voices”, “Wildfire”, “lullaby”, “blindfolded” and “that won’t save us”.

Around the middle of the set came a genuine highlight. James Wilson-Taylor from Rock Sound stepped onto the stage to present the band with the Spirit of the Scene award, recognising their 15 years together. It was a well-earned moment, with the crowd cheering loudly as the trio accepted it. A quick but meaningful acknowledgement of the band’s place in the scene and the loyal following they’ve built over the years, without bringing the momentum of the evening to a halt.

Chrissy’s between song chats are a fun part of an Against the Current show. She has a way of talking to the audience as though she’s simply hanging out with everyone rather than performing to a room full of people. One of the funniest moments came when she asked the crowd if they knew what a Baby Guinness was, before explaining that she’d tried one earlier in the tour and thought it was delicious. Her description of the experience had plenty of people laughing, and it was these little exchanges, delivered with her usual humour and self-deprecation, that made the connection with the audience feel genuine. It’s a big part of what makes their live shows so enjoyable.

The band’s stage presence remains one of their biggest strengths. Costanza rarely stood still, keeping the audience involved with the same easy humour and directness that have become a familiar part of their live shows. The O2 Institute suited them perfectly: big enough for the anthems to land, but intimate enough that the sing-alongs felt shared rather than distant. Phone lights appeared during the more atmospheric moments, while the floor remained lively throughout.

The main set finished with a strong run of songs, including “Gravity” and “Protégé”, before the encore. “Legends Never Die” brought the biggest reaction of the night, followed by “Paralyzed” and the high-energy “weapon” that sent the crowd out on a high.

Clocking in at around 80 minutes, the show was tightly paced and never felt like it was dragging. The new material held its own alongside the older favourites, while the latter clearly still mean a great deal to the long-time fans in attendance. The sound was solid for the venue, and the band looked and sounded well settled after the earlier UK dates.

Against the Current have always been a band that thrive in venues like this, delivering energetic, melodic pop-rock without any pretense. In Birmingham, they put on a strong show, with Daydreamers providing an enjoyable start and the award presentation adding something a little different to the evening. A thoroughly enjoyable mid-tour stop and another reminder of why Against the Current have maintained such a loyal following over the last 15 years.

Set list :

1. Fortune Favours the Brave
2. Dead Man Walking
3. Talk
4. Again & Again
5. Blood Like Gasoline
6. Always You & I
7. Voices
8. Wildfire
9. That Won’t Save Us
10. Lullaby
11. Heavenly
12. Blindfolded
13. Ashes to Glory
14. Gravity
15. Protégé

Encore:

1. Legends Never Die
2. Paralysed
3. Weapon

Words & images: Mac Byrne