Reading’s finest alt-pop storytellers, Only The Poets, are putting their money where their mouth is, again. Off the back of selling out London’s iconic O2 Academy Brixton for just £1, the band are opening that same stage to a rising UK act, offering one unsigned artist or band the chance to support them in front of a packed house on 2nd February 2026.
In a move that screams “we haven’t forgotten where we came from,” the four-piece, Tommy Longhurst, Roo Burge, Clem Cherry and Marcus Yates, are extending their commitment to keeping live music alive and accessible. This isn’t just a support slot. It’s a moment. A platform. And for one lucky act, a career-changing opportunity.
Unsigned artists can throw their hat in the ring now, with submissions open via the band’s official link. Five acts will be personally handpicked by the band and invited to perform at Reading’s beloved Purple Turtle on 31st January, during a full-day celebration tied to the release of Only The Poets’ debut album And I’d Do It Again. Fans attending the Turtle showcase will vote on who gets the Brixton spot, putting the power in the hands of the people. And yes, all five performers will be paid directly by the band. No exposure-only nonsense here.
It’s a full-circle moment. The Purple Turtle was one of the venues where Only The Poets cut their teeth, sweating it out on sticky floors before they were selling out venues across Europe and the US. Now, they’re turning that nostalgia into action, choosing to elevate new artists from the same space they started in. “Without grassroots venues we won’t have the next big bands,” they say, and it’s more than just words.
The Brixton gig itself is historic. Not just for its one-quid ticket price (a nod to the £1 entry fee they charged for their very first show seven years ago), but because it proves that stadium-worthy moments don’t have to come with stadium-sized price tags. The show will also support The LIVE Trust, with an extra £1 from every ticket going towards improving access to live music across the UK.
Their debut album, And I’d Do It Again, lands on 30th January via Capitol Records. It’s a 14-track alt-pop statement of intent, think soaring choruses, raw emotion, and lyrics that read like a diary entry for anyone who’s ever felt too much. It’s the sound of a band who’ve built everything from the ground up, and aren’t afraid to bring others along for the ride.
For a band who started with DIY gigs and dreams bigger than their budgets, this moment, a sold-out Brixton show, a major label debut, and a heartfelt spotlight on emerging talent, is a loud, proud reminder that community and connection are still at the heart of everything they do.
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