Tesseract at KOKO (London)

I’m going to start this post off by saying I really wish gigs could be on a Saturday more often, as opposed to during the week. The British band Tesseract was scheduled to play on a Friday, which meant my boyfriend and I wouldn’t be able to meet in London much before the gig. I couldn’t get there early enough because I had classes at University, and my boyfriend had to finish work (poor thing). The doors opened ridiculously early which was particularly gut wrenching because we missed the amazing American guys from The Contortionist who were supporting Tesseract.

Apart from being overly excited for the band, I was also looking forward to the venue in Camden. A) Camden is my favourite place in London and B) Koko is my favourite venue. I had only been to Koko once before, in order to see Yashin, and I sensed that the venue exudes a special aura. It is on the smaller side, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing because its intimate setting can be more fitting depending on the band. If you haven’t been to Koko yet, it truly is an iconic venue that also doubles as a club. So, if you happen to have an evening free in London, you should check it out! The design is quirky and almost imitates a theatre. You’ll see what I mean when you get there!

Despite missing out on an equally awesome progressive metal band, the gig was mindboggling. I was genuinely in awe as I was so engrossed in the dreamlike melodies, and I didn’t have anything to complain about. The lighting was cool, and the sound could’ve been better; however, it wasn’t bad. The atmosphere was perfect, and I wasn’t expecting the fans to be so chill behaving more than just bearable. People seemed like they just wanted to have a good time by immersing themselves in the music without the rowdiness, and there were only miniature mosh-pits going on. And yes, that was a good thing for me as I’ve become one of those who just sing (if I have the courage) and sway, and I'm completely content with just that. Throughout the entire gig, it literally felt like everyone had come together to enjoy a journey through space. Ethereal and dreamlike definitely seem like the best words to describe Tesseract’s distinct sound. The stage performance wasn’t that special, but I was more than impressed by the vocals. Dan Tompkins (the vocalist not just for Tesseract but also for the amazing band Skyharbor) blew me away because every song was on point-he is definitely one of the best live singers I’ve heard. However I especially loved their song "April"! The whole band seemed to play together in harmony, and it was such an enriching experience!

The gig may have always been bound to be particularly enchanting. It may sound cringy to some, but, apart from the awesome band, I enjoyed the coincidence that the concert fell on the Valentine’s Day weekend. Needless to say, I was more than delighted to share the special moments with my love by my side. All in all, if you’re into otherworldly sounds, high quality live performances and sexy bass lines, make sure you catch these guys on tour!