The Molotovs have announced a 2026 UK headline tour of independent venues. Find all the details below.
The teen brother and sister duo (Matthew and Issey Cartlidge) will hit the road early next year in support of their highly anticipated debut album, ‘Wasted On Youth’, which is released on January 30 (pre-order/pre-save here).
They’ll showcase the record with a lengthy run of dates on these shores, kicking off with a performance at the legendary King Tut’s in Glasgow.
Further stops are scheduled at indie gig spaces such as Manchester’s Gorilla, Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms, Birmingham’s Sunflower Lounge, Blackpool’s Bootleg Social, Norwich’s Waterfront Studio and more.
Additionally, The Molotovs will take to the stage at numerous UK record stores, including Banquet in Kingston, Sister Ray at London’s 100 Club, and Jacaranda Records in Liverpool in late January and early February.
“We want to make sure we’re playing all of those vital independent stages that keep new talent coming through,” explained Matthew, highlighting the importance of grassroots venues across the UK.
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“We’re doing this to stand with grassroots venues that help keep music alive, and formed an intrinsic part of the band’s origins.”
Tickets are on general sale now – you can buy yours here, and see the full itinerary below.
The Molotovs’ 2026 UK headline tour dates are:
JANUARY
06 – King Tut’s, Glasgow
07 – Lending Room, Leeds
08 – Gorilla, Manchester
09 – Thekla, Bristol
11 – The Cavern, Exeter
13 – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
14 – Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
15 – Esquires, Bedford
16 – Ramsgate Music Hall, Ramsgate
21 – Hallamshire Hotel, Sheffield
22 – The Bootleg Social, Blackpool
23 – The Sugarmill, Stoke
24 – Monks Waterside, Aylesbury
26 – The Brook, Southampton
27 – The Black Prince, Northampton
28 – The Waterfront Studio, Norwich
30 – Banquet Records At Kingston College, Kingston
31 – Resident Music, Shop, Brighton
FEBRUARY
01 – Rough Trade, Denmark Street, London
02 – Sister Ray at 100 Club, London
04 – HMV, Shop, Cardiff
05 – Jacaranda Records, Shop, Liverpool
The Molotovs are also set to support Yungblud on his UK and Ireland arena tour next spring. They’ve previously opened for Sex Pistols and The Libertines, and been praised by Green Day.
Last month saw the duo play a sold-out show at London’s Electric Ballroom as part of their current UK and European tour – marking their biggest-ever headline date. The Molotovs’ most recent single, ‘Rhythm Of Yourself’, became their third consecutive top-three song on the physical chart.
Per a press release, the forthcoming ‘Wasted On Youth’ is “scattered with themes of social and political awareness” while “conveying a sense of being personally overwhelmed, connected yet internally fragmented”. The album is also “brimming with hope and youthful energy, yet grounded in the reality of everyday challenges and modern life”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to NME about the importance of grassroots music venues in the UK this summer, saying that they needed “not just to survive, but to thrive”.
While throwing his support behind the £1 ticket levy for arena and stadium gigs, he acknowledged that smaller gig spaces are “where a lot of people access their music”. “It’s obviously where a lot of musicians start off, and therefore I’m hugely supportive of it. I’d like to see it expanded even more, but I want to support it in any way we can,” Starmer continued.
In related news, Sam Fender has donated his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venue Trust (MVT).
“I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing today if it wasn’t for all the gigs I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out,” he said. “These venues are legendary, but they are struggling.”
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