Sessions@AOL (Hard-Fi EP) - Live

Live

Hard-Fi's first live performance was at Manchester's "In the City" music event in 2003 before they were signed to a record label.

They played London's Brixton Academy from 14–18 May, making them one of the few bands to play five consecutive sold-out nights there and the first to do so off the back of their debut album. After the success of the Stars of CCTV album and of hit single "Hard to Beat", it allowed them to end up in a mini-reunion of The Specials, performing "Ghost Town" with Jerry Dammers and Neville Staples at the Love Music Hate Racism gig. Mick Jones of The Clash is a renowned fan of the band, while Paul Weller came to their rehearsal rooms and jammed a version of "Town Called Malice", something of which Kaichen Stephens says "gives us bragging rights over all of Staines". All of these artists were quite inspirational towards Hard-Fi while they were recording Stars of CCTV, perhaps The Specials and The Clash being the larger influences.

Mick Jones also appeared with them performing "E=MC²" by his former band Big Audio Dynamite. Jones had previously helped produce tracks by Richard Archer's prior band, Contempo who had recorded a cover of "London's Burning" by The Clash.

Hard-Fi supported Green Day at their two gigs at Milton Keynes Bowl, performing in front of approximately 65,000 people.

In 2005, Hard-Fi performed at a number of festivals in America including the SXSW festival in Austin and the San Diego Street Scene festival.

During December 2005, the band played at London's Astoria. The performance was filmed and released In Operation on DVD. The performance features all the tracks on Stars of CCTV plus "You And Me" and the band's version of "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes. It also comes with CCTVersions – a CD featuring dubbed versions of album tracks, produced by guests including Roots Manuva and DJ Wrongtom.

In December 2005, the group released an iTunes exclusive Sessions@AOL EP featuring songs played during their sessions at AOL studios, "Gotta Reason", "Cash Machine", "Hard to Beat", "Unnecessary Trouble" and "Better Do Better".

In February 2006, Hard-Fi played the Hammersmith Palais as part of the NME Awards shows with regular early touring partners Boy Kill Boy.

Hard-Fi played a packed out 'secret' headlining slot on the Leftfield Stage on 23 June 2007 at Glastonbury Festival, debuting "We Need Love", "Can't Get Along (Without You)" and "Suburban Knights" before their recorded release.

The band played a series of sold-out, intimate dates later in July 2007 previewing the record. The UK Festival Awards nominated the event in the category for Most Memorable Moment.

Each concert from the band's December UK Tour was recorded in its entirety on audio CD which could be ordered online through Concert Live or bought at the venue for £20. The CD was titled Once Upon a Time in December. It was bundled with the next single "I Shall Overcome".