Having recently released their third album Smile Wide, ROAM proved they are as catchy live as on record.

Eastbourne pop-punk quintet ROAM have always been known for their raucous and high-energy live shows, and this was no different when they took over London’s O2 Academy Islington on Saturday night. With the recent release of their third album Smile Wide, it proved to be the perfect opportunity to test out some of the tracks in the live setting and judging by the loud cheers throughout the night, they were very well-received.

Opening with I Don’t Think I Live There Anymore, the infectious chorus set the pace for the proceeding Alive which saw some crowdsurfers making their first rounds of the night, and a small moshpit beginning to form. Questioning the crowd, “You guys ready for a party tonight, yeah?” before going in to Better In Than Out, both the band and the audience ensured that it was indeed a pop-punk party that promised a fun time. Throughout the night, the band mixed in their comedic quipping with lively tracks to keep the crowd entertained and there’s no way one leaves a ROAM show without a smile on their face.

A particularly memorable moment to define the show was when guitarist and vocalist Alex Adams revealed that he had accidentally spilt coffee on his base shirt before the show, hence why he was wearing a button-up over it. In response, the crowd chanted for Alex to take off the button-up to which he muttered, “This is so weird” before giving in to the crowd’s demands and inquired “I’m wearing the shirt with stains on, are you guys happy?” Despite the oddness of the situation, what was made crystal clear is the band’s close relationship with their fans, treating them as friends that they joke with and from here one can understand how they’ve kept up their following.

Bantering that they might get sued for using quotes from Toy Story for every first line in Toy Box “but we have no money so they can try”, the crowd was split in half and frontman Alex Costello commanded them for a sing-along that got everyone involved. Playing two more songs from their newest album in the forms of Turn and Piranha, the show was closed on a familiar note with old favourite Playing Fiction.

With their loud pop-punk tunes and an unparalleled energy, there’s hardly anything as rousing as a ROAM show and their new album title Smile Wide seems a fitting way to describe our state after seeing them.

Photos: Kasia Osowiecka