All Is Love & Pain In The Roundhouse: An Ode To Of Monsters And Men's Latest Tour
- Lara Walsh
- 27 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Sheltered from London’s February rain, Of Monsters and Men’s closing performance at the Roundhouse in Camden felt like shelter, a haven of warmth against an otherwise unforgiving night. Within the circular venue, the Icelandic group delivered a career-defining set, combining songs from their newest album, All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade (2025), with beloved anthems like ‘Little Talks’ and ‘Dirty Paws’. The show was both intimate and expansive; nostalgic and fresh.
The band was met with adoration from a packed-out audience. Switching between their characteristic upbeat folk-rock style and more recent contemplative, gentle melodies, they held the room in a collective state of infatuation. Their performance maintained a cinematic quality; lead singer, Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, commanded attention with her magnetic presence, each song unfolding with the quiet precision of a movie scene.
The circular architecture of the Roundhouse deepened the sense of closeness and intimacy. Bathed in rich hues of blue, orange, green, and red, the stage emitted a warmth that radiated outwards, filling every curve of the otherwise barren space. Its circularity was reminiscent of a Shakespearean day — a band of storytellers in a theatre designed for storytelling.
Of Monsters and Men are well-established poets. Their music is based on narrative — deeply human, tender, and mythical. With resounding melodies and strong instrumentals, songs like ‘Tuna in a Can’ and ‘Ordinary Creature’ were received with heartfelt appreciation by an audience hanging onto and echoing every word. Their lyrics, steeped with yearning and nostalgia, held an important weight. Hearing their words live, it was hard not to feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the shared moment.
Despite the album being the band’s first release in six years, their heyday of the early 2010s feels anything but distant. Their on-stage chemistry is undeniable; the set is littered with anecdotes that elicit genuine laughter, revealing a group of musicians who stay refreshingly unpretentious. Down-to-earth and undeniably charming, Of Monsters and Men seem to effortlessly burrow into the audience’s affections with more than just their sound.
Upon their departure, the crowd’s chants for “one more song” were resounding and instant. They delighted fans with a final, triumphant rendition of ‘Fruit Bat,' finishing with an unforgettable, swelling instrumental, made both tender and fiery by drummer Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson and his crescendoing energy.
The Mouse Parade is an unmissable tour for all those devoted to rock, folk, or simply the beauty of human connection. It is poignant and genuine, impassioned yet gentle, leaving audiences both warmed and inspired. Of Monsters and Men command the stage with an intimacy that seems hardly imaginable for a Billboard and MTV-nominated band. Rather, they appear as a close-knit group of friends sharing their love with the people who love them in return.
You can listen to Of Monsters And Men's latest album, All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade, on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube and stay up to date with their upcoming shows on their Instagram.
Edited by Mahak Naddafi, Music Co-Editor
