Photo: Rebecca Bush

Live Review: Generation – Camden Assembly, London

Generation have been making waves across social media with their larger-than-life personas that can be felt across both their music and short-form content. It was all just begging to be brought alive at a show, so we had to head down to the band’s first headline set of 2024 to check out what went down. Joined by Wild Talk and Sick Rose, the night promised to be one to remember.

The night got off to a great start with Sick Rose. The four-piece inspired the first bits of movement of the night, garnering lots of cheers for their glam-laced rock sound. As their set concluded, the energy in the room was palpable, setting a high bar for what was to come.

The anticipation was met with gusto as glam rockers, Wild Talk, took to the stage. With the crowd already warmed up, they wasted no time captivating the audience. You’d be forgiven for thinking that this was one of their own headline shows, given the immediate connection they forged with the crowd. The audience was fully on board with their sound, and a mid-set kiss between members not only garnered lots of cheers from the fans (and soon to be fans) in the audience but also cemented their rock and roll presence. They left the room buzzing with the echoes of ‘Lips That Kill,’ a really catchy track that proved to be a great set closer.

As the lights went down, and the band’s intro played, the anticipation from the crowd was at an all-time high. When drummer Hattie kicked off the ‘Freak Show’ the room erupted into a sea of movement. It was clear the audience was here to let everything go for the hour and a bit set. It wouldn’t take too long for the room to heat up, with frontman Dean removing his jacket before the first song was even over. Water requests from the band became a frequent yet very necessary recurring theme for the night.

The band seamlessly moved between songs across the night within their setlist – filled with both fan favourites and unreleased material. ‘BANG BANG BANG’ would be a particularly powerful early entry into the night, with the room physically shaking from all the jumping in the room. With Dean proclaiming “I’m Jesus… I’m god” on the unreleased track ‘I’m Not A Preacher’, you’d be hard-pressed not to believe it within the Camden Assembly on this night. Screaming, clapping along, and pushing about would all be on the cards for the loyal followers on this track.

The band did manage to calm the seas for more emotional moments during the set with appearances from both ‘Everywhere’ and ‘Smile’, bringing sing-a-long moments – with the latter also seeing the room lit up with phone lights (and even a lighter). Of course, there was only one way for the night to truly end right, and with the energy turned back up to 11, the band set course for their final song of the night ‘Death To The Phony Rockstar’. The room gave every last ounce of power before they’d have to return back to reality on their tube rides home.

In a whirlwind of raw energy and unapologetic rock and roll style, Generation’s headline set at Camden Assembly was nothing short of a spectacle. As the echoes of ‘Death To The Phony Rockstar’ faded away, it was clear that Generation had lived up to their burgeoning reputation—a fusion of sound, spirit, and spectacle that will resonate long after the last note has been played. This wasn’t just a gig; it was a declaration of Generation’s arrival as future titans of the rock and roll scene, leaving us all eagerly awaiting the next chance to catch them live. This truly was a night of future arena fillers.