The infamous Creeper face paint could be spotted all around Camden in the hours leading up to Creeper’s show at the O2 Forum Kentish Town. For anyone unfamiliar with the band, the arrival of the Creeper Cult must have made for a confusing sight. Leaving the venue later that evening, many of those painted faces were streaked with tears, a fitting reflection of a gig that proved to be as emotional as it was theatrical and dramatic.
Expectations were high, particularly following the announcement that the band would be filming the show. Having witnessed onstage beheadings and an assortment of elaborate props at previous performances, fans were understandably curious about how Creeper would raise the stakes this time around. Although the gig was not quite sold out, the room was packed, with seemingly very few tickets remaining.
Still firmly immersed in the Sanguivore era, Creeper delivered a show steeped in its dark, vampiric aesthetic. The stage remained gloomy throughout much of the set, with a huge image of the Mistress of Death dominating the backdrop.
The opening sequence immediately established the evening’s tone. Behind a white curtain, a silhouetted man announced that he had reviewed the show’s plans and made changes to ensure the performance was suitable for everyone, promising a Universal rating free from raunchy, violent or blasphemous content. The crowd responded with boos, just as the silhouette of the Mistress of Death appeared to murder him. The audience erupted into cheers as the curtain dropped, revealing the band ready to launch into ‘Blood Magick (It’s a Ritual)’. Arms shot into the air and voices rang out across the venue as the crowd sang along to every word.
The main set focused on material from Sanguivore and Sanguivore II, with Hannah and Will taking turns in the spotlight. Will demonstrated his natural talent for crowd interaction, using the breaks between songs to whip the audience into a frenzy. Meanwhile, Hannah delivered one of the night’s most memorable entrances, emerging from inside a coffin before breaking into ‘Razor Wire’.
The atmosphere shifted dramatically during ‘More Than Death’. Fans sang through tears, with emotions running high across the room, and even Will appeared visibly moved. It was a powerful reminder of what these moments must mean to the band, standing on stage and seeing a room full of people singing their words back to them, sharing the same feelings and finding comfort in the music together.
Following a short encore break, Creeper returned with three older favourites: ‘Be My End’, ‘Black Mass’ and ‘Misery’. The final song brought another wave of emotion, with the crowd reaching deafening levels as the performance drew to a close.
Creeper have always understood that their shows should be more than a collection of songs. At the O2 Forum Kentish Town, they combined theatre, high energy and genuine emotion to create a memorable experience. The tear stained faces heading back into the Camden night said everything about the impact of a band that knows exactly how to make its audience feel part of something special.