On the 11th of September, British pop rock band Only The Poets held their sold out headline show in Nijmegen and we had the pleasure to be there to witness it.This was a pretty special show for the band and the fans. This show was not connected to a tour, but just as a one-off headliner show. This was also the fastest selling out headliner for the band.
The four-piece consisting of Tommy Longhurst (lead vocalist), Marcus Yates (drummer), Andy Burge (bassist), and Clem Cherry (guitarist) are no strangers to playing in front of big crowds and it shows. Singing happy birthday to a fan on the balcony, having fans who organize fan project after fan project and talking about mental health all contributed to an incredible show.
They started off the night with their latest single ‘Crash’. Followed by one of their older songs ‘Dead Young’ the band successfully set the tone of the rest of their show. Energetic wouldn’t even begin to cut it.
Nearly halfway through the set, Tommy exclaimed it was time for his favorite part of the show. Accompanied by Clem the pair went into the middle of the crowd to perform an unplugged version of ‘Every God I Pray To’. Asking the crowd to be as silent as possible until the last chorus would have been a bold move for most bands, but Only The Poets have created a bond with their fanbase like no other. Tommy’s vocals and Clem’s chords echoed through the room and the crowd went dead silent until Tommy gave them the go ahead for the last chorus. Together it brought an atmosphere into the venue like no other. The lead singer tells the crowd “Always remember this is never ever just band and fans, this is fucking family” making sure everyone knows how much the band values their relationship with their fanbase.
Playing fan favorites like ‘Nana’s House’, ‘Every Song I Ever Wrote’ and ‘Emotional’ along with Tommy’s speeches kept the audience fully engaged and entertained from the first moment they walked onto the stage all the way to the very last chord.
If you like crowd interactions, artists with a lot of stage presence and energetic riffs accompanied by deeper lyrics, we think Only The Poets are right up your alley. The band put on a hell of a show and you’re in luck if they are the band you want to see live next. During the show they announced that we don’t have to wait long until they are back. Only The Poets will play a show in Utrecht in February 2024.
