Following the resounding success of the original Dirty Hit Tour of 2017 and its importance in championing new music, the label most prominently known for their relationship with the 1975 have once more provided a platform for the next crop of upcoming stars. Featuring Oscar Lang, No Rome and headline act Beabadoobee, The Key Club welcomed a new wave of Dirty Hit artists destined for triumph in the new year.  

The endless energy of Oscar Lang shaped the spirited atmosphere of the night ahead. Whilst certainly the lesser known of those on the bill, the London based songwriter observed an encouraging receptivity to his material, with tracks ‘Hey’ and ‘Underwater Trees’ igniting liveliness amongst the audience. Concluding with the recently released ‘Christmas is Home’, Lang and his band further enriched the festive warmth of the evening. 

Under the hazy lights, saw No Rome arrive second on stage. Whilst a smaller setting than Rome is now accustomed to following a ground-breaking 2019, The Key Club witnessed a performance that was anything but lacking. The dreamy pop favourites of ‘Do It Again’ and ‘Pink’ were joined alongside a rare rendition of ‘All Up in My Head’ in which Rome pays acknowledgement to his mindset of indecisiveness, a common matter of much of his material. The perfect indie pop song in the shape of ‘Narcissist’ had even the parents of the youthful crowd bouncing from side to side. 

Beabadoobee brought a close to an evening of raw, indie sound. Beabadoobee or Bea Kristi heads into 2020 with heavy expectations upon her shoulders. Taking her place on almost every music platforms one to watch shortlist for the new year, from the BBC’s Sound of 2020 to a nomination for the Brit Awards Rising Star, there was a sense of satisfaction in watching an artist on road for greatness in such an intimate venue. Battling a heavy cold, Bea alongside bassist Eliana and drummer Louis, burst into life with the grunge infused ‘Are You Sure’ from latest EP Space Cadet. ‘She Plays Bass’ and ‘Angel’ symbolised the heavier mould that the band now adopt, yet Kristi did not fully part from her indie-folk roots with the simplistic ‘Coffee’ marking a memorable moment of the night. 

All photography by Clare Redman.