The Garage, London, March 10 2026
When tickets for Against The Current’s intimate London return went on sale back in January, the band hadn’t even had the chance to post the link on socials before the show had sold out.
Kicking off a run of six special dates celebrating fifteen years of the band, anyone who’s ever been to an Against The Current show knows that there’s something special that happens any time these three musicians step onstage.
Tonight, at the capital’s 600-capacity venue The Garage, that’s something that undoubtedly hasn’t changed in the couple of years they’ve been away.
In fact, that feeling is concentrated into an even purer form tonight, an energy switch happening throughout the room as soon as the lights go down. Bodies packed so tightly together that even venturing to the toilet feels like an intrepid mission, it’s been almost a decade since ATC have played a London room of this size on a tour (aside from a one-off show at the similarly sized Lafayette in 2024), and everyone present knows how lucky they are to be here to witness it.
Bounding out to huge cheers from fans, grins spreading from cheek-to-cheek, from the first note of ‘Talk’, it’s clear that one thing is firmly at the top of tonight’s agenda – having as much fun as physically possible.
Chants of the song’s chorus fill the room, fingers are thrust enthusiastically into the air, and as the energy
ramps up with the powerful defiance of ‘good guy’ – middle fingers raised everywhere you look – there’s no denying that ATC have been incredibly missed here in London.
“It’s crazy to be here… It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” vocalist Chrissy Costanza smiles when she finally stands still for the first time.
“We do have new things coming for you, but that’s not why we’re here. Tonight we’re here to celebrate that we’ve been a band for fifteen years.”
An extraordinary achievement for any band, it feels particularly momentous following the last few years of Against The Current. Since parting ways with their record label in 2022, they’ve been reclaiming their story on their own terms, releasing a handful of singles whilst taking the time to recalibrate. A move that has been vital in ensuring the band’s future, it’s clear how much it means to them as Chrissy introduces 2022 track ‘blindfolded’: “This is the first song we got to release after we got our freedom back.”
With that said, tonight is about celebration, and whether they’re ramping up the energy with the likes of ‘again & again’ and ‘Another You (Another Way)’ or surprising fans with the long-requested setlist returns of
‘Blood Like Gasoline’ and misfit anthem ‘Outsiders’, every moment of the evening feels uniquely special.
Part of the reason why it’s so special is that over the last decade and a half, Against The Current have grown up alongside their fans, navigating every milestone and hurdle hand-in-hand. Now, when Chrissy talks to the crowd, she does so as if she’s catching up with an old friend, because in a way – she is.
Bantering about the American obsession with British culture (including Greggs, Primark, and the classic Wetherspoons smells of “beer and sadness”) and the historically dismal weather during the band’s
previous visits here, there’s something beautiful about the way Against The Current treasure the bond they’ve built with those who’ve found a home in their music. Knocking down whatever invisible barrier may have previously existed between those onstage and those in front of it, it’s an assertion that their 15-year journey isn’t just about the band itself, it’s about each and every person who’s made it possible along the way.
Some of the evening’s biggest doses of nostalgia come in acoustic renditions of ‘Infinity’ and ‘Fireproof’, with Chrissy and her bandmates visibly moved by the deafening sing-alongs that sound out during the latter. The swaggering self-doubt of ‘Voices’ and the massive chorus of ‘jump’ get similarly huge responses from the crowd, whilst elsewhere, Chrissy takes the opportunity to showcase her jaw-dropping range with some stunning vocals on the heartbreakingly tender ‘Chasing Ghosts’ and euphoric 2022 single ‘Wildfire’.
Tonight there’s no encore, no bullshit, just 90 minutes of exactly what live music should be. As every voice in the room unites during ‘Gravity’, everything outside of those four walls is temporarily forgotten.
Everyone taking in the magic of the moment, the night rounds out with a one-two punch of epic League Of Legends theme song ‘Legends Never Die’ and an explosive rendition of ‘weapon’, but before exiting the stage – Chrissy makes an important announcement.
“In our time off, we weren’t completely idle,” she teases.
“We have a new song coming out after the tour. I don’t remember the exact date, or I’d leak that too!”
After an evening spent reliving every chapter of their story so far, it’s the perfect news to end on.
It’s 2026, and Against The Current are well and truly back. Strap in, folks.
