HAEVN – A BEAUTIFUL END TO AN INCREDIBLE TOUR AT SHEPHERD’S BUSH

LIVE REVIEW | HAEVN | O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE, LONDON | 25th September 2026 by Kevin O’Sullivan

There are bands you go and see because you like their music, and then there are bands where, every time you see them live, you come away wondering how they can possibly get any better. HAEVN are firmly in the second category for me. I’ve seen this band several times now, but there was something different about their show at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire earlier this week. Perhaps it was because it was the final night of a long tour; perhaps it was the feeling that everyone on that stage had been through this journey together and had reached the end of it as a much tighter unit, or perhaps it was simply one of those nights where everything seemed to fall perfectly into place. Whatever it was, this was a very special HAEVN show, and one that had sold out months ago.

From the opening notes of ‘The Sea‘, through ‘Promise‘, ‘City Lights’, ‘Finding Out More‘ and ‘Till The Morning‘, it was obvious this wasn’t going to be an ordinary night. Four classical musicians had joined HAEVN for the show, adding another beautiful layer to their already stunning sound. HAEVN have always had a way of creating music that feels bigger than the number of people standing on the stage, but having those additional musicians there took it somewhere else again.

Then there was Grzech Piotrowski. If you’ve never heard this incredible Polish saxophonist, composer and music producer before, I suspect quite a few people in Shepherd’s Bush left that night wanting to hear a lot more. Piotrowski, who is known internationally for his work with the World Orchestra, joined the band for ‘City Lights, We Are‘ and ‘Bright Lights‘, and every time he appeared he brought something completely different. There was something almost effortless about the way the saxophone fitted into HAEVN’s sound, while at the same time giving those songs another dimension.

And then came ‘Trade It For The Night‘. I’ve seen HAEVN perform this live before. It is normally around ten minutes long and is already one of those songs where you know you are going to get something special. This time they went even further, and nobody in Shepherd’s Bush seemed remotely bothered. If anything, I think there were a few hundred people hoping it would carry on for another ten minutes. The vocals were simply mind-blowing. The song kept developing, building and breathing, and at one point the entire room seemed to stop. An audience that had been singing along earlier was suddenly almost completely silent, not because they were bored, but because they were listening. Really listening. It was one of those moments where you are reminded just how powerful live music can be.

That is something HAEVN does incredibly well. They have this quietness about them. They don’t need to constantly talk to the audience or demand attention. When Jorrit Kleijnen speaks, people listen, and they listen quietly. Before Welcome To The Wind, Jorrit spoke about something that I suspect quite a few people in that room could relate to: how easy it is to keep doing what we know because it is familiar. We get comfortable with the things we understand and don’t always stop to ask ourselves whether they actually make us happy. He talked about making room for what we haven’t had, with one line particularly standing out: “Make room for all you never had.”

He hoped that when we woke up the next morning, the song would still be in our heads and that perhaps we would ask ourselves whether we had the courage to question what we know, what we do and what we actually want deep down. Then came the story of a fan who had listened to the song, taken its message to heart and subsequently went into work and told her boss to “fuck off”. That got a big laugh from the audience, and perhaps a few people in the room wondering whether they should do the same. Jorrit also talked about how the musicians become tighter every time they play together and thanked them for being part of the tour. He mentioned that fans often tell them they prefer the live versions of the songs to the albums. Having seen them live several times, I completely understand that. There is something about HAEVN live that you simply don’t get from listening to the records.

‘Throw Me A Line‘ followed before ‘We Are‘, which brought Alex Apolline back onto the stage alongside Grzech Piotrowski. Alex had her own sold-out London show the following night, so seeing her share the stage with HAEVN was another lovely moment in an evening full of them.

Then came ‘Where The Heart Is’, and another moment where Shepherd’s Bush seemed to stop breathing. One of the string quartet stepped forward with her violin and delivered an incredible solo. The audience was almost stunned into silence again. It was one of those performances where you don’t really want to clap halfway through because you don’t want to break the spell. It was a beautiful reminder that sometimes a single musician, given the space to express themselves, can completely change the atmosphere of an entire room.

Then came ‘Great Mother‘, with Neco Novellas joining the band. I’ve seen Neco perform with HAEVN before, but on this occasion he seemed to be given even more freedom to take the songs somewhere vocally, and wow. Neco’s story is fascinating. Born and raised in Mozambique, he grew up surrounded by music, with both of his parents musicians. His musical journey has taken him through traditional Mozambican music, classical guitar, singing, jazz and other influences, eventually bringing him to the Codarts Rotterdam Conservatory. You can hear all of those influences in his voice. It is huge without simply being loud, soulful, incredibly expressive and capable of going from something beautifully understated to something that fills the entire room.

On ‘Great Mother‘, and again on ‘Ever Know‘, he was outstanding. There was a freedom to his vocals that I haven’t seen quite so much on previous HAEVN shows I’ve attended. Rather than simply singing the songs, he seemed to be allowed to explore them, and when you have a voice like Neco’s, that’s a pretty wonderful thing to watch.

‘Bright Lights’, with Grzech Piotrowski back on saxophone, followed before ‘Love Is A Game‘ and then ‘One Day‘. The main set came to an end, except nobody was sitting down. The seated audience were now on their feet, bringing a real sense of celebration to what was, after all, the final night of a very long tour.

The encore began with ‘Caught A Light‘, again featuring Neco, before ‘Kite In A Hurricane‘ finally brought the evening, and this incredible tour, to an end. There was a real feeling throughout the evening that this was the end of something, but also very much the beginning of something else.

HAEVN thanked the musicians who had travelled with them and spoke about how much tighter they become every time they play together. You could see it, and you could feel it. This is a band that has grown enormously, but still feels like it has somewhere else to go.

I also loved seeing how many people were experiencing HAEVN for the first time. Jorrit asked the question from the stage and there were plenty of hands in the air. I suspect quite a few of those people will be back, because once you’ve experienced HAEVN live, hearing the songs on the album just isn’t quite the same.

There is something about being in a room with this band. The music, the musicianship, the lighting, the moments where the audience suddenly erupts and those moments where hundreds of people are simply standing there completely absorbed. It is a different level of live performance, and as someone who has now seen HAEVN several times, I genuinely can’t wait to see where they go next.

The O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire felt like the perfect place to finish this tour. But I have a feeling the next time HAEVN comes back to London, they might need a considerably bigger room. And if they do, I’ll be there.