Tilburg, The Netherlands – Having released their third album bird earlier this year, Low Island are now taking their new material on the road, touring across the UK and Europe. Tonight, the Oxford quartet bring their vibrant sound to the Hall of Fame in Tilburg.
Opening tonight’s show is Tilburg-based artist Dehaze. The singer-songwriter crafts personal songs with a hopeful undertone. In 2024, he released his EP Tell The World. Sitting behind his piano, accompanied by three backing vocalists, he begins his set the same way the EP does: with a beautiful instrumental intro led by harmonies from the choir, followed by “Tell The World”. The song starts small and gentle but opens up in the chorus, becoming truly moving. Another strong example of that dynamic is “Round and Round”.
Between songs, Dehaze is open and honest, often sharing the stories and inspirations behind his music. Alongside tracks from his EP, he also performed a few unreleased songs, including “Blablabla” — about letting go of what others think of you — and “Wrong World”, which reflects on the way he sees the world today. After these, he jokes that he does have happier songs too, and he did — “Golden Smile” and “Therapy in All the Keys” sounded a lot lighter. His music is easy to listen to without losing depth, and it’s clear we’ll be hearing a lot more from Dehaze in the years to come.
Normally, this is where I’d say that Low Island took the stage — but tonight was different. Instead of the classic setup on stage, the band performed in the middle of the room, surrounded by the audience in a circular formation. This created a unique experience and dynamic, with the crowd standing all around them.
Opening with “only you” from their latest album bird, they set the tone right away. With its calm beginning and more explosive chorus, the song quickly captured the audience’s attention — who at first were still watching a little cautiously from the edge of the room. After a bit of encouragement, everyone moved closer, and that’s when the setup truly came to life.
The set continued with the guitar-driven and raw “spit it out”, followed by the beautiful “this is water”. Up to that point, the band had followed the album’s track order, but from there they started to mix things up. I was especially happy to hear one of my absolute favorites from the new record, “once in a while”, which sounded as good live as it does on record.
Low Island played seamlessly together without ever sounding stiff or over-rehearsed. Everything seemed to come naturally to them, with a real sense of ease and confidence. What I always appreciate most is when you can see that a band is genuinely enjoying themselves, their energy is infectious, pulling the crowd right along with them.
After “once in a while“, the pace slowed for a moment with “What The Hell (Are You Gonna Do Now?)” from their debut album If You Could Have It All Again. I was pleasantly surprised when “Everything Before Us“ — the only track from their second album Life In Miniature — was played, and “In Your Arms“, with its deep bass, was a real highlight. With “Don’t Let The Light In”, Low Island once again showcased their danceable, electronic side.
While I secretly hoped to hear a few more songs from bird, some older tracks remain absolute crowd-pleasers, such as “Search Box” and “In Person”. This track really showcased their chemistry — the band playing with an effortless energy that drew the audience right in.
The set closed with “What Do You Stand For”, and after a short break, they returned for an encore with “Who’s Having The Greatest Time” — ending on this high note left the audience buzzing, perfectly capturing the spirit of the night.
Although it wasn’t a sold-out show, it was clear that everyone who came genuinely wanted to be there — a special moment for the band, performing their first headline show in the Netherlands. Especially with the band positioned in the middle of the room, the venue never felt empty; it felt more like an exclusive, intimate performance. And I have to agree with what I overheard from other attendees afterward: how amazing is it that, when Low Island breaks through, we can say we saw them like this — up close and personal, in such a unique setting!
Dehaze
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Low Island
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Setlist:
only you
spit it out
this is water
great dream
once in a while
What The Hell (are you gonna do now)
In Your Arms
Everything Before Us
Don’t Let The Light In
machine lover
Search box
In Person
What Do You Stand For
Who’s Having The Greatest Time
Show date 26/10/2025
