KOKO isn’t just a venue — it’s a rite of passage. And on Friday night, The Spitfires took it by storm. Playing what felt like both a homecoming and a statement gig, the Watford-based mod-ska-punk outfit reminded everyone why they’ve long been torchbearers for working-class anthems with soul and swagger. When frontman Billy Sullivan announced the bands return (complete with new line up), anticipation for this gig was sky high and the four piece delivered a high energy and triumphant set that will live long in the memory of the 1500 strong crowd.
From the moment the band kicked off with The Great Divide and the band instantly set a tone of urgency and unity. The crowd roared back every word, fists raised: the atmosphere electric. The New Age and (Just Won’t) Keep Me Down followed in quick succession, rallying cries for resilience that hit even harder live.
Frontman Billy Sullivan was in top form, sharp and deliberate, regularly telling the crowd that “The Spitfires are fucking back”; his vocals gritted with passion, backed up by Liam Taylor (guitar), Sam Dimond (bass), and Euan Crawford-McKee (drums), The Spitfires sounded tighter than ever.
The new single Better The Devil You Know went down a storm, igniting the dance floor with its angsty vocals that powerfully reflect the world’s troubles, driving the song’s message home.
Midway through, the band dug deep with tracks like A Man Out of Time and Spoiler Alert, showing their knack for mixing melody with message. But it was Enough Is Enough, featuring Stu Little, that truly lifted the room, providing an extra jolt of energy, and the crowd responded with one of the loudest reactions of the night.
The final stretch was pure fire: Life Worth Living, Where Did We Go Wrong? (announced as being the band’s next single and had a real ska influence in its sound), Something Worth Fighting For and 4am (prompting the biggest sing along of the night and summed up broken Britain) tore through KOKO like a manifesto.
And just when you thought they’d given it all, they returned for a three-track encore that felt like a victory lap. So Long was bittersweet, When I Call Out Your Name anthemic, and Over And Over Again sent everyone home sweaty, smiling, and voiceless.
What The Spitfires showed tonight wasn’t just a well-oiled set, it was a band playing with purpose, power, and pride. Their songs hit hard because they come from somewhere real, and in a world of filters and fluff, that honesty resonates. At KOKO, they weren’t chasing nostalgia, they were rewriting it in real time, with sweat, soul, and a sound that refuses to be ignored.
As the crowd spilled out onto Camden High Street, one thing was clear: The Spitfires still have plenty to say, and we’re all still listening.
The Spitfires Socials
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