Bristol Sounds 2026: The Kooks

If you grew up in the 2000s on a music diet of UK indie, there’s no doubt that The Kooks would’ve been one of those that made up an important part of it. Since their formation in 2004, Frontman Luke Pritchard and guitarist Hugh Harris have taken the group from its humble beginnings at the BRIT School to some of the biggest places in the country, with the band having delivered a sold-out arena tour in the UK last October. With the band celebrating the 20th anniversary of their critically acclaimed album, Inside In/Inside Out, what better to commemorate it than a string of big outdoor shows and festival slots, including the Isle Of Wight and Kendal Calling. And while they’ve lost and gained band members across the years, the core of what makes them impactful still remains, and a sell-out crowd of 10,000 people on a Tuesday evening in Bristol certainly agreed.

Liverpudlians Circa Waves began proceedings to help warm up the crowd, though they admitted that they didn’t need much warming up due to the scorching weather! Nonetheless, their crop of tracks went down very well with those who braved the sunlight and got down early, with several moments of crowd interaction and energy. The highlight of their set was undoubtedly ‘T-Shirt Weather’, though it got to a point where those getting baked and burned had done away with the t-shirts completely.

However, from the moment Luke and co. stepped on stage, the space became theirs and made braving the unbearable heat worth it. ‘Always Where I Need To Be’ was as strong a choice for a second song of the set as could be, while ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ also came very early on, with seas of fans on shoulders and every lyric being sung back with such careless freedom. Luke Pritchard sounds just as good now as he did when he was a bright and budding teenager at the beginning of the band’s career, and if anything, it’s nice to hear a more mature take on some of the youthfulness that is present on Inside In/Inside Out. Despite this being a show celebrating the anniversary, the band also chose to explore an array of tracks from some of their later work, with a run of songs such as the ever-brilliant ‘Junk Of The Heart (Happy)’ and ‘Sunny Baby’, a poetic choice with the sun slowly descending on what was the hottest day of the year.

Perhaps the highlight of this run of songs was the beautifully performed ‘See Me Now’, which was extra poignant tonight due to Luke’s late father growing up in Bristol. Despite this run of songs more than holding their own, it was fairly evident that the audience would rather be hearing the ‘classics’. The fact that a large chunk of the crowd wouldn’t have even been born when their debut album came out certainly says a lot about not only the impact the record has had over time, but also their staying power and the impact of indie music on UK culture. And why wouldn’t they be so loving of that record? It’s big and bombastic in its sound, with a certain youthful charm that many in that crowd could relate to. Throughout the 80 minute set, Luke was a frequently charming individual who proved to be a thoroughly animated character. There were even moments of fun with the crowd, as his announcement of the band taking a hydration break was met with boos by the abundance of football fans in the crowd.

The set ended in just as epic a manner as it had started, with a quick one-two of ‘Do You Wanna’ and ‘You Don’t Love Me’ followed up by as strong of an encore as you could get. ‘Ooh La’ is a fan favourite on their debut,  and with the guitar being turned all the way up to eleven, Hugh Harris certainly shredded his way into the night. Last (and very much not least), came the band’s staple track ‘Naïve’, and if those who were sitting on the steps on the edge of the amphitheatre weren’t already standing up, they were now. As the crowd sang out the first verse entirely on their own, it was clear to me why The Kooks still have the same impact on their listeners as they did all those years ago. Sure, they play heavily into the nostalgia side of things, but it certainly works wonders for them as they continue to maintain their relevance in a fast-changing industry. And while the England football team may not have lived up to the expectations that night, The Kooks were a band that you knew you could rely on delivering.