A tsunami of neon-haired outcasts descended on their spiritual home of Camden this evening, gathering at O2 Forum Kentish Town to worship at the benevolent altar of their newfound idol, RØRY. The artist of the moment is experiencing a true peak of the mountain moment in a career that she herself had doubts would ever progress any further than base camp.
RØRY
O2 Forum Kentish Town – 6 March 2025
Words: Matt Pratt
Photography: Ash Nash
Roxanne Pink, who goes by the stage name of RØRY, has overcome waves of adversity to climb to the position she finds herself in today and has not been shy in sharing those challenges with her audience. The raw honesty of the artist has hugely influenced the dedicated following she has amassed.
Labelled the 37 Club, RØRY’s fandom has become a safe space for all who have struggled with loss, addiction and mental health, providing a sense of community for those who would otherwise feel hopelessly isolated.
This community was a significant presence throughout the night. There was no member of the sellout crowd that appeared to have malicious intent or lack empathy for their fellow concert-going neighbours.
Following a set of fantastic support acts [More on those soon], the audience was bouncing with anticipation, chanting RØRY as the blinding lights cut to black, signifying the start of our headliner’s show. 
The lights raised on stage to reveal a set of gothic arches that looked to belong to a church, appropriate decor as our vocalist triumphantly arrived on stage to sing In The Bible. The opener, paired with the following If Pain Could Talk, What Would It Say? paints a picture of both the damaging self-talk and toxic environments Pink has sought to overcome in her life.
This poignant setup for an evening of vibrant reflection was immediately followed by one of RØRY’s most popular hits, UNCOMPLICATED, which the crowd yelled back with eyes glazed with admiration.
After an energetic opening to the show, RØRY finally had an opportunity to address her adoring fans. You could see the pride and emotion beaming from the vocalist as she shared stories of her last Camden appearance at Camden Assembly in 2022, in which she only performed to 200 people, a factor of ten less than tonight’s sell-out crowd.
RØRY went on to explain that she, as with her songwriting, was not as mature at that time as she is now and how she is slowly trying to retire those songs that do not reflect who she is today. Unfortunately, as is the case with any artist, no matter how far you distance yourself from your older songs, there will always be fan favourites.
Pink stressed that the continued setlist inclusion of the following song was entirely dependent on the crowd’s reaction and, upon completion of the track Baby Vendetta, begrudgingly admitted that Norwich would be hearing it the following evening.
There was no slot wasted on the evening’s tracklist. The next two songs, Help Your Friends Get Sober and My Chemical Romance, detail the relatable feelings of substance abuse and unhealthy relationships. We then had the pleasure of welcoming Bethany Curtis of As December Falls back to the stage, as she joined RØRY for a rendition of My Funeral Song, complete with a bit of crowd participation as everyone crouched down to jump up in time with the final crescendo of the song.
RØRY jokingly expressed confusion at the atmosphere thus far, insisting that her shows are about being emotionally destroyed, not having fun. This tongue-in-cheek moment was immediately reinforced as Pink, true to her word, broke us.
She shared a heartbreaking monologue of the pain that she feels that her mother cannot be with her on a night as special as this. The emotion clearly struck her at this point as she was forced to take a few composing breaths as the audience, as supportive as ever, roared support at her.
While the story was profoundly sad, RØRY did what she does best and used it to reflect on how many others share her experience and have found a home with their compassionate, understanding friends in the room tonight. There were plenty of soggy eyes in the house as flashlights waved to a rendition of Jesus And John Lennon, a song dedicated to Pink’s mother. 
The hits continued flowing with fan favourites ANTI-REPRESSANT, ALTERNATIVE and FAMILY TREE and an opportunity to thank instrumental influences to Pink’s success, her chosen family, with her step-children getting a shoutout and partner being reluctantly dragged to stage for a wholesome embrace before scuttling off again.
The action was not just located on stage this evening. Midway through the show, our vocalist spontaneously appeared on the balcony. She explained how there were concerns of safety from the venue, fearing a potentially rowdy crowd. This notion was quickly put to bed. The audience behaved with the utmost respect, huddling around the perch from which the artist performed.
RØRY treated us to an acoustic performance of One Drink Away and The Apology I’ll Never Receive in a sensitive, contemplative moment.
Arriving once more on stage, Pink whipped through another flurry of songs from the new album, before finally landing on The Atheist. She thanked the support and expressed her shock that so many had stayed throughout the emotional torture.
Departing the stage in the traditional faux-ending, the crowd chanted “one more song” before the familiar sound of a Nokia ringtone played through the speakers. As the call was answered, we heard the voice of RØRY’s partner, reminding her that she had to come back, having missed the final songs of her setlist. A skit humorously reflecting the ADHD experiences Pink is so vocal about through her social media activism.
The final two songs SORRY I’M LATE and BLOSSOM perfectly bookend the show. Where the first two songs set the scene with stories of what preceded the RØRY of today, these final songs are a reflection of where she is now, depicting her success against all odds and redemption in the eyes of critics.
Tonight’s show was executed to perfection. The instrumentals were excellent, the vocal performance was flawless, and the production was a pleasure to watch.
With that said, this evening was about a lot more than just a performance. It was the culmination of an unlikely story. There are so many reasons why RØRY could have thrown in the towel along the way.
As a result, there are 2000 people in the room this evening, and many more around the world, who have a role model to look up to. Despite every bit of adversity, every setback and challenge, RØRY is here now, and she is a certified star.
