Only The Poets London show – review

Only The Poets’ Iconic £1 entry Gig At o2 Academy Brixton

On Monday night, Only The Poets played one of the most talked-about shows of their career at O2 Academy Brixton, with tickets priced at just £1. The idea was simple – to make live music accessible to everyone, and inside a packed venue, it was clear the concept worked.

The crowd was made up of fans who travelled from all over Europe, alongside a noticeable number of new faces. From the first song, the room felt united – singing, jumping and fully locked in. That connection was especially visible during songs from the band’s debut album, ‘And I’d Do It Again’, released only days earlier on 30 January and already sitting at No. 10 on the UK Official Charts.

Photos by Karolina Stanowska

Despite the album being brand new, fans knew every word. Every new song was sung back in full, without hesitation. The night moved smoothly between different sides of the band’s sound. ‘Bad’ landed as an immediate crowd banger, while ‘Madeline’ slowed things down, showing a softer, more reflective edge and underlining how confidently the band navigates contrasting moods. Older tracks such as ‘Every Song I Ever Wrote’ slotted seamlessly into the set, acting as reference points and highlighting how far the band has come. Closing the night with ‘Emotional’, following the high-energy ‘JUMP!’, brought the show back to the emotional core that has always defined Only The Poets.

Photo by Karolina Stanowska

The sense of community extended beyond the headline set, with both support slots – Bristol-based band Belle Dame and Seren – selected by fans, reinforcing the idea that this show was built with its audience. That inclusive mindset extended offstage, too, with the band partnering with Nikon to give photographers the chance to document the shows and build their portfolios.

Photos by Karolina Stanowska

The Brixton show proved that accessibility doesn’t weaken a live experience; it strengthens it. For £1, fans got a high-energy, emotionally grounded performance, and Only The Poets showed that growth and community don’t have to exist separately.

Setlist:

I Keep On Messing It Up
Over & Over
God Knows Where You Were
Don’t Wanna Know
Emotionally Hungover
Bad
Every Song I Ever Wrote
Monumental
You Hate That I’m In Love
Thinking Bout Your Ex
Say!
Madeline
Crash
Freeze
Saké
Gone by Now
Guess She’s Cool
All This Time
One More Night

JUMP!
Emotional

Photos by Karolina Stanowska