London’s Somerset House fountain courtyard was bathed in golden light on July 18, 2025, as fans gathered for Melbourne indie-folk band The Paper Kites’ headline Summer Series concert. This was the quintet’s only UK show of 2025, giving the evening a special buzz of exclusivity. Support artists Nadia Reid and Benjamin Francis Leftwich opened with warm acoustic sets, setting a mellow tone. Somerset House, celebrating its 25th anniversary as a cultural venue, bills the series as held in a “spectacular open-air courtyard” – a fitting backdrop for the band’s “warm, wistful indie-folk” sound. By showtime a palpable anticipation had settled over the historic plaza.
The Paper Kites opened their set with the delicate ballad *“St Clarity,”* immediately enveloping the crowd in their trademark calm and warmth. From there the night unfolded as a carefully paced emotional journey. By mid-set the band launched into fan favourites like *“Bloom”* and *“Paint,”* complete with the five members huddled around a single microphone to deliver their fragile harmonies. In that moment the entire courtyard seemed to hum along. Occasional uptempo bursts punctuated the reverie – an electrified “Featherstone,” for example, had fans clapping in time – but for the most part The Paper Kites kept the mood serene. The set closed with the propulsive *“On the Train Ride Home,”* whose driving rhythm and soaring chorus sent the crowd home on a euphoric high.
The audience was utterly engaged from start to finish. By the time *“Bloom”* rang out, hundreds of voices were already singing along – a reminder of how even large crowds can feel intimate under The Paper Kites’ spell. The band’s *“hypnotic sound and unique ambience”* (as the Somerset House blurb put it) was in full effect all evening. Frontman Sam Bentley charmed the audience with easy humour, repeatedly thanking everyone for being there and even calling Somerset House “a favorite” tour stop. Fans responded with simple devotion – swaying and linking arms during slower songs.
Even so, the concert maintained a professional balance. If anything was missing, it was a big, stadium-style showstopper – but that was a deliberate choice. The Paper Kites have never been about flash; they let their songwriting and atmosphere do the work. Somerset House was right: their music truly *“makes even their biggest shows feel like intimate affairs.”* By the final encore, the only complaint was that the night couldn’t last forever. As the crowd spilled out into the warm London night, many fans lingered on the courtyard steps, reluctant to leave the magical bubble the band had created. It was an evening that reaffirmed The Paper Kites’ gift for turning a historic outdoor festival into a cozy, soul-stirring celebration of song.
Published on 20 July 2025 by Ben Robinson
