Since supporting the likes of Inhaler and The Royston Club last year, Overpass has been a recurring name in the lead up to the release of their debut EP, ‘From The Night’. The Birmingham-based band have been rising fast and kicked off their very nearly sold-out UK tour at Oslo, Hackney, last Thursday.
Starting the night with support from Villanelle, the room was well and truly packed by the time Overpass took to the stage. Greeted with screams from a keen crowd, the band dove straight into the first track released from their EP, ‘Alright’. The set was a perfect blend of old favorites mixed in with the most recent cuts. The title track of the band’s latest body of work (produced by Rich Turvey) was followed by two of the first singles from the fast-growing catalog Overpass have to offer.
Next up was ‘Stay Up’, a song undeniably written for festival crowds. With big guitars and a catchy chorus, you can see yourself singing arm in arm with your mates in a sun-soaked field (a realistic vision for those heading to Truck Festival this July). By this time, the crowd weren’t holding back, screaming every word straight back at frontman Max Newbold.
Clearly happy to be back on stage, bassist Indie Armstrong thanked the crowd for coming down before delving into a huge intro for unreleased song ‘Take It Or Leave It’, which they followed up with another track yet to be released, ‘Dependant’. These songs, both guitar-driven with notably catchy and expansive choruses, show how far Overpass have come from their more mellow, juvenile debut four years ago.
‘Beautiful’ saw the crowd singing so loudly that they could carry the song with only the accompaniment of Newbold’s guitar. Keeping command of the room, the frontman kept the fans singing as the rest of the band took in what was sure to be a memorable moment, impressive to have earned so early on in the tour.
Leaving the stage to roars and bargaining chants of “one more song”, the four piece were thrilled to comply, returning to the stage to blast ‘Right Time’ – a thumping anthem that had the floorboards at Oslo quaking. Newbold goads the crowd before breaking into ‘Midnight’ and then checking in with the adoring fans a final time. “One more song, London? I wanna see you jumping.” London delivered, screaming every word to ‘3AM’, the floor shaking with their enthusiasm.
Exiting the stage to howls from what is clearly a dedicated, earned fan base, Overpass have most certainly delivered an EP people will cherish. There is no doubt they are just getting started.
Words by Jas Kisbee