BILMURI @ O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN | 1ST APRIL 2025

Let me just start by saying this: if you’ve never witnessed the beautiful chaos that is a Bilmuri show, fix that. I rolled into the O2 Forum on April Fool’s Day thinking I was in for a cheeky gig and maybe a bop or two—what I got was pure joy, start to finish.

Now, usually I’m that photographer who gets the shots, gives a little nod of approval, and respectfully ghosts the pit after the first three songs. But not this time. Oh no. Bilmuri pulled me all the way in. Before I knew it, I’d abandoned any remaining dignity, flung myself into the crowd like a maniac on a mission, and was shouting lyrics I barely remembered learning. It was spiritual.

You wouldn’t think a Bilmuri gig would go that hard, right? Like, it’s funky, it’s meme-y, it’s emotional. But apparently it’s also the perfect recipe for a sweaty, wholesome throwdown with strangers. People were crowd surfing like they had points to prove. Someone tried to do a backflip and landed like a sack of potatoes—but we cheered anyway. Community spirit.

Visually? Chef’s kiss. Colourful lights, shirtless chaos, and enough energy onstage to power a small village. They were an absolute dream to shoot. I had that rare moment mid-set where I stopped caring about the angles and just thought, “Damn, I’m lucky to be here.”

Also, I’m 90% sure I made eye contact with the soul of a saxophone solo at one point. Not sure if that was real or the lighting, but I’ll take it.

In conclusion: Bilmuri slap. If you’re after technical analysis of riffs and time signatures, wrong gig, mate. But if you want an excuse to lose your voice, hurt your knees, and maybe fall in love with a tambourine solo, this is the show for you.

10/10 - Would dive headfirst into the pit again.