KEANE - BOSTON, MA 9.23.24
Coverage by Jenna Joyce
“You there. The energy you’re giving off tonight is enough to keep me going for a thousand songs. Never change.” —Tom to a fan
The most memorable concerts feel like reuniting with an old friend. Or, in Keane’s case, twenty-year-old Hopes and Fears.
Despite a well-loved discography that soundtracked my high school and college years, it was my first time seeing Keane live. The wait was more than worth it, packing MGM Music Hall at Fenway with a crowd ready to wear their hearts on their sleeves all night.
Openers Everything Everything had us buzzing, elevated by the impeccable sound at MGM. Then Keane greeted the audience with “Can’t Stop Now,” a mid-tempo fan favorite that had lead Tom Chaplin bouncing from stage corner to stage corner with Tim Rice-Oxley’s keys.
The setlist hit all the right notes, peppering in hits from other albums — “Crystal Ball,” “Is It Any Wonder” — that had people in the mezzanine up from their seats, dancing and clapping like churchgoers. The synergy of the band’s nearly 30-year history made for a tight, well-polished, and enthusiastic performance.
No other venue in Boston could have accommodated Tom’s immaculate vocals, crystalline and soaring for the punchy hits and lilting and delicate for the slower tunes. Kicking off the encore with an “Under Pressure” Bowie cover felt particularly apt for Chaplin’s voice.
While Tom’s vocals were the star of the evening, his laugh and charismatic stage banter were the backtrack. He gave a local nod to Newbury Comics, one of their first Boston gigs many years ago, and lovingly teased the crowd to “shut up now” after they got carried away yelling out their favorite b-sides.
It’s difficult to beat the unique joy of seeing an old friend after too long. The kind where you can pick up exactly where you left off with no love lost after months, years, and even decades. We’ll be back to greet Keane with open arms on their next tour date in Boston.
