LIVE FROM THE PIT: Against The Current
- Angel Turley
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
On Tuesday night, fans of AGAINST THE CURRENT experienced a moment many had been waiting for. After more than a year largely off the radar, the band suddenly reappeared with the announcement of just six anniversary shows worldwide, and only one in the UK. For those lucky enough to secure tickets to the sold out London date, the reward was an intimate celebration of the band’s fifteen year journey.
The New York trio vocalist Chrissy Costanza, drummer Will Ferri and guitarist Dan Gow first formed in 2011 and quickly built a loyal online following through YouTube covers. Their breakout moment came with Legends Never Die, created for the League of Legends World Championship, which propelled them onto a global stage. After independently releasing an EP in 2013, the band signed to Fueled by Ramen in 2015 before eventually returning to independence in 2022. Following a run of standalone singles, the band fell quiet toward the end of 2024, making this anniversary run feel even more significant.
For the celebration, AGAINST THE CURRENT deliberately chose venues reminiscent of their early touring days. In their own words, they wanted to perform “in the kinds of rooms where we had some of those first surreal moments,” reliving them with longtime fans while welcoming newer ones who discovered the band later.
London’s The Garage proved the perfect setting. Packed wall-to-wall with fans, the venue buzzed with anticipation before the band even appeared. Audio snippets from the past fifteen years played through the speakers, creating a nostalgic atmosphere before the trio burst onto the stage with Talk launching into the first song of the twenty-one-track set. A brief microphone issue threatened to derail the opening moments as Costanza’s mic failed to cooperate. However, a quick and slightly comedic swap had the show back on track within seconds, and the energy in the room barely faltered.
From there, the band delivered a set that showcased just how well their catalogue translates live, including a handful of acoustic versions. Several songs felt even more powerful than their studio versions, driven by crowd participation and the occasional crowd surfer navigating the packed room. Costanza joked that she had recently undergone spine surgery from “moshing too hard,” before clarifying it was actually the result of a horse riding accident. She also laughed that remembering lyrics had once been difficult enough, but after “hitting my head a few times since then,” she encouraged the crowd to help her out during some of the deeper cuts.
Between songs, the band leaned into the intimacy of the venue with relaxed, conversational moments. The band also reflected on their journey since leaving their record label and returning to independent releases. When a fan shouted “We love you,” the moment sparked a humorous discussion about American perceptions of British culture. Costanza joked about the band’s affection for Greggs pastries and Primark shopping trips, while also poking fun at the unmistakable atmosphere of Wetherspoons pubs — which she described as smelling “like beer and sadness,” despite admitting the band loved visiting them as enthusiastic tourists.
That connection was also evident in how the setlist itself was shaped. The band revealed that they had consulted their Discord community when deciding which songs to include. One particular fan-driven moment came from a previous show where the crowd sang Outsiders entirely acappella to the band, prompting them to add the track to the anniversary performances. Part of the excitement for the London audience came from not knowing the setlist in advance. Each song reveal was met with renewed enthusiasm, reinforcing the celebratory atmosphere throughout the night.
Later in the set, the trio reminisced about their early days on YouTube, including the surreal moment when one of their cover videos was unexpectedly featured on the platform’s homepage and went viral, revealing to friends and acquaintances that they had secretly been building a band online.
Although the night focused on celebrating the past, the band could not resist teasing what might come next. Throughout the set there were hints that a new era was on the horizon. By the end of the show, Costanza confirmed that a new single would arrive after the anniversary tour though she admitted she did not know the exact release date, joking that otherwise she “would leak that too.”
Across a packed ninety-minute performance, AGAINST THE CURRENT delivered more than just a live show. The night felt like a reunion - a chance to reconnect with fans, revisit the moments that defined their career, and celebrate the community that has supported them for fifteen years. In a venue small enough to feel personal but loud enough to capture the band’s full energy, their London return proved that even after a period of silence, the bond between band and audience remains as strong as ever.
Words: Angel Turley
Photos: Dan Brock
Comments