Shrill screams fill the O2 Academy Islington as the lights drop. It’s the first time Marcus & Martinus have ever played a headline London show and the excitement is palpable.
The Norwegian twins are only 23 years old but, incredibly, have been doing this for 13 years already. The We Are Not The Same Tour is a celebration of the journey to this point, but just as much a look at what is still to come.
A large portion of the 800-capacity venue are fans who have grown up with the Gunnarsen twins and it’s those followers who burst into song as the duo arrive on stage to 2018 hit ‘Like It Like It’ – Marcus sporting a Kobbie Mainoo England shirt in a nod to his love for Manchester United while a bandana-clad Martinus’ top sparkles under a leather jacket.
That opener is taken from the criminally underrated Moments. An album that, even at such a young age, saw Marcus & Martinus hone in on their big, Scandi-pop brand – it’s a sound that matches their personality.
While the twins’ sound has changed over the years, that longstanding honesty to their character makes for a timeless live show. Where some artists shy away from older hits, the trademark Marcus & Martinus grins are ever-present throughout Wednesday night.
The cheesy ‘Girls’ is delivered with enthusiasm and the venue turns into a frenzy for the timeless ‘Elektrisk’ – Marcus & Martinus need to do little more than hold the microphones out for that to go off with a bang.
While the brothers embrace the old, it’s fair to say the newer material is delivered with an extra swagger. ‘Love Flow’ is perhaps their best non-Eurovision release of recent years with its forward-thinking electropop and viral TikTok choreography while ‘We Are Not The Same’ boasts the duo’s raunchiest lyrics in a statement release.
It might not be the most streamed, but the group’s best songwriting to date comes on ‘When All The Lights Go Out’. On that track, Marcus & Martinus tackle the unseen effects of growing up in the spotlight and its a striking moment of candour in an action-packed set.
Proceedings are slowed down for ‘Heartbeat’ and a cover of ‘Wicked Game’, a nod to their Masked Swinger win in Sweden. Over that two song run, not that there was any doubt, it’s clear these boys can really sing.
As well as the fans who have grown up with Marcus & Martinus, further back in the crowd are some older followers who have clearly found the duo thanks to their Eurovision success. In 2023, the brothers entered Melidofestivalen with ‘Air’, only to be beaten by eventual Eurovision-winner Loreen.
The truth is, that song would probably have won the whole competition that year as well. Delivered at Mello in front of a sea of lasers, it packs just as much punch with half the production in Islington.
Marcus & Martinus eventually had their Eurovision moment last year with ‘Unforgettable’. That sultry number spirals into a dancefloor filler and closes the night with confidence.
It’s a true journey through the Marcus & Martinus songbook on Wednesday night and, what’s even more impressive after such a career, is the feeling this is still a story being written.
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