The final stop of Hannah Bahng’s Abysmal Tour at London’s O2 Academy Islington was like stepping into a cosy, chaotic little universe and delivered a show that blended musical vulnerability with fan-fueled chaos in the best possible way.
If you don’t know Hannah Bahng yet, now’s the time to hop on the train before it inevitably leaves the station at lightning speed. She’s a 20-year-old independent Australian artist who sold out the O2 Academy Islington within minutes of tickets going on sale.
While she doesn’t have a huge discography yet, you’d never know it based on the energy in the room. The crowd was electric. It was unexpected to witness such screaming and hollering for an artist whose vibe leans far more ethereal than EDM.
Hannah was joined on stage by Ryland on guitar and Puma on drums for a setlist which included a whiplash of genres. Her set flowed from dreamy R&B to sweet indie-pop to raw acoustic moments that felt like diary entries set to music.
She also performed some unreleased tracks. These were raw, stripped back, and in some cases still works in progress – all of which made them even more powerful. The songs offered a glimpse into the deeply personal direction of Hannah’s future projects. Each track was received with reverent silence followed by roaring applause, confirming the strong emotional connection she has already built with her audience.
The concert adopted an “evening-with” format, balancing stripped-back performances with spontaneous crowd interaction, highlighting her natural stage presence and unmistakable charisma. At one point she challenged someone in the crowd to a Rubik’s Cube battle, which Hannah won. There were also several cultural exchanges between the Aussie and the British audience. Segments included hot takes on Greggs bakery, commentary on slang terms like “peng,” “leng,” and “fit”, and passionate discussions about Love Island.
Unbeknownst to me, Hannah’s fans – called Blues – established a project to celebrate the concert. The small banners nodded to K-pop concert traditions, with a team stationed outside the venue handing out the items with instructions to hold them in the air during the final song, Pomegranate. This gesture is so delightful to me. In an era of digital-only ticketing, I wish more artists provided tangible souvenirs for concerts.
With her first European tour now concluded, Hannah Bahng leaves behind a blueprint for what live music can look like when the boundaries between artist and audience are blurred in the most authentic way.
To sum it up, Hannah Bahng’s London show was a little pocket of magic, and I feel lucky to have been there. Now someone please get this woman a Greggs sausage roll.
