Only The Poets make history with £1 Brixton show
Reading band Only The Poets are set to make history by becoming the first band to play London's O2 Academy Brixton for £1.
Only The Poets are set to headline O2 Academy Brixton for just £1 — in a full-circle moment.
On February 2, 2026, the Reading-born four-piece will become the first band ever to headline the iconic London venue for just £1 — the same price they charged at their very first gig seven years ago.
The purpose of the stunt is to make a point that live music should be accessible to everyone, with the average price of a concert ticket setting gig-goers back £84.35, a steep rise from around £30 in 2005.
The show takes place days after the release of their debut album And I’d Do It Again, which is due to land on January 30.
For frontman Tommy Longhurst, bassist Roo Burge, guitarist Clem Cherry and drummer Marcus Yates, the £1 ticket price is more than symbolic — it’s personal.
Longhurst said: “We wouldn’t have been able to see half the gigs we went to if ticket prices were what they are now.
“This is about making sure everyone gets to feel what we felt growing up — that rush, that connection, that escape.”
Cherry added: “Our fans know our shows are a safe space. This is about giving back, and making sure no one’s left out because of money.”
In a further show of solidarity, £1 from every ticket will be donated to the LIVE Trust — a charity working to protect grassroots venues and ensure live music remains accessible across the UK. LIVE Trust CEO Jon Collins praised the move, calling it “a powerful gesture that highlights the emotional and communal value of live music.”
Even Ticketmaster and the venue have stepped up, waiving standard fees to support the initiative — a rare moment of industry-wide alignment in favour of fans.
A presale will take place on September 11 at 10am via onlythepoets.os.fan/brixtonacademy. General on-sale takes place at the same time on September 12.
