hard life give fans a night to remember in London
The group brought new album ‘onion’ to O2 Academy Brixton.
Photo: Billie Wheeler
Leicester-born indie-pop group hard life have proven that they’re undoubtedly one of the most resilient bands in music right now after their run-in with popular flight provider EasyJet, and at Thursday’s show at the O2 Academy Brixton, they celebrated the release of their new album onion after their two-year hiatus with a performance that was as emotionally charged as it was joyous, celebrating their comeback with a bang.
After an unbelievable support performance from up-and-coming bedroom-pop artist Woody, lead vocalist Murray Matravers strutted onto the stage with unbridled confidence and, along with Oliver Cassidy, Lewis Berry and Jordan Birtles, made this performance one that they wouldn’t dare to forget.
They opened with tears, the lead single marking their return after their much needed break. This track sets the tone with its raw candour and serves as a bold statement of intent and cements hard life as a band determined to write about what they’ve lived in a positive light. The crowd responded with cheers, drawn in by both the band’s vulnerability and the energy they brought to the stage.
Without skipping a beat, hard life followed with older fan favourites sunday and sangria (originally featuring indie-pop artist Arlo Parks). These tracks reminded the audience of their roots and the path they’ve strutted from bedroom-pop beginnings to major-label stages, and that nothing — not even a company worth millions — can bring them down.
hard life then took the momentum into the new album with y3llow bike. After that, the set dipped into nostalgia with early tracks like petty crime and peanut butter, harking back to their early days. The way they backtracked to onion with OCTOpus and then circled back around again with ojpl reaffirms that the band’s future is still very much built on their humble beginnings.
Then came two of the newest tracks from their brand-new album onion: crickets!!! and othello. Both songs carry a clear homage to hard life’s earlier sound while showcasing the band’s evolved lyricism and the sharpened vocal talent that defines the band’s new era.
The group then launched into an old-but-gold favourite, dead celebrities, one of their strongest and most celebrated early tracks and the very song that helped propel them into indie-pop stardom. Hearing it live again was a reminder of just how quickly their intricate songwriting had distinguished them in the ever-changing music industry.
hard life then dipped into their most successful record to date, MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE…, performing BEESWAX and DEAR MISS HOLLOWAY. The transition between the two was a little whiplash-inducing, yet it created a beautiful emotional arc, emphasising the emotion beneath their confident bravado.
DEAR MISS HOLLOWAY remains one of their most heartfelt songs. Its warmth and vulnerability make it a standout — not only on the album — but in their discography as a whole. Fans of this track might have hoped to hear temporary love pt 2 alongside it, but unfortunately, it still remains as a track that the band rarely perform live. Both songs share the same ethereal vocal delivery that can leave an entire crowd teary-eyed.
The set lifted the vibe again with two upbeat fan favourites, pockets and skeletons, songs guaranteed to have every voice in the venue shouting along. After that burst of energy, the band glided back into onion with OGRE, a tender, lyrically rich track that highlights the emotional depth of the new album.
To close the night, hard life chose two powerful finishers: ocean view and their most popular track to date, nightmares. As the final chords were strummed, it was clear the crowd wasn’t at all ready for the evening to end. The blend of new releases, old favourites, and emotional highs and lows made for a setlist that perfectly captured who hard life were, who they are now, and the direction in which they’re confidently heading.
What stood out most was their stage presence. Lead vocalist Murray Matravers and his bandmates were present, engaged, and delivered a performance which will go down in hard life history. The performance felt less like a gig and more like an experience, and this show certainly felt like a statement of endurance, resilience and rebirth.
Photos by Billie Wheeler.