Live Nation and FAE Group have teamed up to launch PUNCHBAG UNI: The University Tour, a new 15-date initiative designed to put live guitar music back at the centre of student life.
Kicking off today (24th September) at Exeter Cavern, the tour brings together some of the UK’s most promising new bands: Villanelle, led by Gene Gallagher, Manchester indie outfit Florentenes, multi-instrumentalist Bino Bames, and Exeter’s own Die Twice.
The run represents a reinvestment in grassroots venues and university spaces, long seen as breeding grounds for future stars. “When some of the recent graduates in my team told me they had never experienced live guitar music during their time at university, I was taken aback,” said Sarah Stennett, founder and CEO of FAE Group. “This tour will offer a rare platform for emerging bands to play in front of audiences we believe are thirsty for an alternative to DJ-driven nights.”
Denis Desmond, Chairman of Live Nation UK and Ireland, echoed the sentiment: “Developing artistes has always been at the heart of what we do, and this new initiative will pump funding directly into the grassroots touring ecosystem. Universities have historically been where up and coming bands honed their skills, and where young generations of gig goers fell in love with music.”
For the artists themselves, the tour is a chance to reclaim university venues as spaces of energy and discovery. “We’re excited to be playing the grassroots venues. This is where it all starts,” said Gene Gallagher of Villanelle. Bino Bames called it “about proving that young artists can bring something fresh and fearless to the stage,” while Florentenes frontman Will Smith added: “It shows that live music is alive and kicking on campus.”
PUNCHBAG UNI: The University Tour 2025
- 24 Sep – University of Exeter, Exeter Cavern
- 25 Sep – University of Falmouth, AMATA Arts Centre
- 02 Oct – BIMM University Brighton, Green Door Store
- 05 Oct – University of the Arts London, The Social
- 07 Oct – University of Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
- 08 Oct – University of Cambridge, Mash
- 12 Oct – University of Oxford, The Jericho Tavern
- 13 Oct – Queen’s University Belfast, Oh Yeah Centre
- 14 Oct – Trinity College Dublin, The Workman’s Club
- 15 Oct – University of Sheffield, Sidney and Matilda
- 17 Oct – University of Manchester, Night & Day
- 20 Oct – University of York, The Fulford Arms
- 21 Oct – University of Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club
- 22 Oct – University of Newcastle, Zerox
- 23 Oct – University of Edinburgh, The Mash House
- 25 Oct – University of Glasgow, Queen Margaret Union
Tickets will be available exclusively through a verified student platform.
Editors’ Picks
- Bino Bames
- Die Twice
- FAE Group
- Florentenes
- grassroots venues
- Live Nation
- PUNCHBAG UNI
- UK Live Music
- university tour
- Villanelle
