
The Kooks have announced details of a major UK arena tour for this autumn, with six dates across the country and a milestone show at London’s O2 Arena on 11th October, their biggest headline gig to date.
The run kicks off on 3rd October at Manchester’s Co-op Live, taking in Cardiff, Brighton, Newcastle and Birmingham before the London finale. A pre-sale begins on 23rd April, with general sale opening two days later.
The tour follows the release of their upcoming seventh album Never/Know, out 9th May. The record’s most recent single ‘Sunny Baby’ premiered on BBC Radio 2 and made The Times’ Best New Songs roundup. “We’re told how bad everything is at the moment… the world’s sh*t,” says frontman Luke Pritchard. “And I was like, I’m just going to refuse to not let these be the best years of life… It’s a love song about someone making me fall back in love with myself.”
Main support comes from Merseyside outfit The K’s, named Breakthrough Act of the Year at the 2024 Northern Music Awards. Their second album Pretty On The Internet lands this June.

The Kooks launched their new era in January with a sold-out Indie Club Night at Notting Hill Arts Club. Lead single ‘Never Know’ was named Radio X’s Record of the Week and has picked up spins across BBC Radio 1, 2 and 6 Music.
Since breaking through with their 2006 debut Inside In/Inside Out, The Kooks have managed a rare feat, finding relevance across multiple generations. While still anchored by 2000s favourites like ‘Naïve’ and ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’, their later work has taken in synthpop, krautrock and soul, earning them both critical respect and a fervent Gen Z fanbase online.
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