The Vaccines with support from Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers and Divorce
at The O2 Guildhall in Southampton, UK
words and photos by Phoebe Reeks

The Vaccines returned to Southampton’s O2 Guildhall as part of their UK tour of latest album, Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations released in January this year. A large crowd of fans of all ages filled the venue early on, providing a good audience for both support acts.

Opening up the night was band, Divorce. Their alternative sound went down well with the early crowd that had gathered. Their personal and heartfelt music offered a sense of intimacy between the band and the audience, with songs including ‘Scratch Your Metal’ and ‘Eat My Words’.

Following up were Aussie alternative group Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers. Their energetic rock had the crowd hyped. They performed an array of songs from their debut album I Love You, released last year, including ‘Treat Me Better’ and ‘I Don’t Want It’, as well as a cover of Billie Eilish’s ‘Happier Than Ever’ which was well received by the crowd.

Both bands added to the atmosphere, warming up the audience for The Vaccines to follow. The stage was adorned with pink carnations - a nod to the title of The Vaccines’ latest album. The band arrived on stage to cheers from the audience, opening with latest single ‘Love to Walk Away’, where frontman Justin Hayward-Young interacted with the crowd from the get-go, followed by ‘Wrecking Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’ and ‘I Can’t Quit’ which had the crowd energized, jumping, and singing along throughout.

The band were very enthusiastic throughout their set, as were the audience. The setlist ran through various songs new and old which span over a decade. The new material from the latest album release was met with the same warmth as the old favourites, with fans singing all of the words despite it still being so new including ‘I Swear’ and ‘Heartbreak Kid’. Older songs included ‘Wetsuit’, ‘Teenage Icon’, ‘If you Wanna’ and audience request ‘Lack of Understanding’.

The band’s collective musical talent as well as Justin’s stage presence, show their capabilities not only as brilliant songwriters but also as performers. This, along with their appreciation for their fans for supporting them over the years made for a great night.

After concluding the first part of the set, the band returned for an encore. With the gig taking place on Valentine’s Day, ‘All My Friends are Falling in Love’ seemed a perfect fit to close the night. As usual, The Vaccines provided fans with a packed setlist full of sing-along indie anthems with an energetic live performance, one not to miss.

THE VACCINES: SOUTHAMPTON, UK

Divorce

Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers

The Vaccines