Pop band Only the Poets have announced that they will charge just £1 per ticket when they headline Brixton Academy in London next year.
The Reading- four-piece are being backed by the LIVE Trust, the funding initiative launched earlier this year in support of the UK’s live music sector.
“We charged £1 for our first ever gig – back then we only had a couple of songs, so anything more felt like too much for us,” frontman Tommy Longhurst said in a statement.
“We wouldn’t have been able to see half the gigs we went to if ticket prices were what they are now, so we wanted to make sure that this show was open to everyone.”
Guitarist Clem Cherry added: “Our fans know our shows are a safe space. This is about making sure anybody can come and have an amazing night in an iconic venue. It’s also a thank you to everyone who’s supported us to this point.”
The show will take place on Monday 2 February 2026, days after the band release their debut album, And I’d Do It Again, on 30 January.
All tickets are priced at £1 plus fees of £1 for venue restoration, £1 Ticketmaster fee and the £1 Live Trust donation.
Both Brixton Academy and Ticketmaster lowered their usual rates in support of the band’s goal to make their show accessible to all.
LIVE Trust CEO Jon Collins says, “This is a wonderful, positive move by Only the Poets, giving back to the grassroots while giving back to their fans. Making this show accessible to all means everyone can enjoy the associated mental health, communal and emotional benefits.
“Funds raised for the LIVE Trust will go directly to support artists, venues, promoters, festivals and more across the UK grassroots.”
He added: “A young band like Only the Poets stepping up while artists like Biffy Clyro and My Chemical Romance back the Trust at their arena and stadium shows is further evidence of the growing levels of support for the LIVE Trust across all parts of the live music scene.”
In a post to Instagram, the band elaborated by reflecting on how gigs were “everything” to them when they were younger: “A place to meet people, feel connected, escape the world and look after our heads.
“Lately, with the cost of living rising, ticket prices have gone wild, making live music inaccessible and pricing out the exact people who need that escapism most.”
They remarked: “Brixton Academy has always been the venue we’ve dreamt of playing, so for one night only, we want to make it a moment we’ll never forget by bringing us all together in our bucket-list venue to sing our debut album for the first time.”
Along with the show and their forthcoming debut, Only the Poets revealed that their next single, “SAKÉ”, will be released on 5 September.
Tickets to the Brixton Academy show will be available from 10am on 10 September.
