King’s Cross Summer Sounds got off to an explosive start as The Molotovs brought their high-energy live show to Coal Drops Yard.
The fast-rising trio were the surprise headliners for the opening night of the festival, delivering a lively set of neo-punk that drew heavily from their debut album Wasted on Youth. They also found time for a rousing take on David Bowie’s ‘Suffragette City’, the b-side of the band’s first single, and a nod to event partner Lightroom’s ongoing Bowie Nights series.
The Molotovs have quickly established themselves as one of the UK’s most talked-about young bands. Fronted by siblings Mathew and Issey Cartlidge, the trio draws heavily on punk and early indie rock. The Libertines, Sex Pistols, Blondie and The Jam are among the influences in the mix.
Their debut album, Wasted on Youth, reached Number 3 in the UK charts. Live, the band rattle through tracks. There’s little standing around, their stage show honed by years of relentless gigging. London may have been hot. The band were hotter.
The appearance comes shortly before the band’s Welcome To Urbia UK tour. Demand has already been strong enough to prompt a second date at the O2 Kentish Town Forum on 26 September, following the sell-out of the first show.
Supporting The Molotovs on opening night were Ashaine White and Jack Kaye, formerly of The Magic Gang. Reflecting the evening’s Bowie theme, White selected ‘Life on Mars’ for her set, while Kaye treated the audience to ‘Heroes’.
The Molotovs have quickly established themselves as one of the UK’s most talked-about young bands…
King’s Cross Summer Sounds line up
There’s plenty more to come across the festival’s 11-day programme. Running from 13 to 23 August, King’s Cross Summer Sounds is a free festival of music, dance and performance, with programming spanning folk, jazz, soul, classical music and indie rock.
Jazz is represented by a showcase celebrating 35 years of Tomorrow’s Warriors, the pioneering charity that has played an important role in developing young jazz talent. Americana gets its own treatment from Little Grandad, while Len Blake brings together indie pop and R&B.
Community choirs will take over the programme for one day, with London City Voices and West End Musical Choir among five mass ensembles performing musical theatre favourites and pop mashups.
The festival also has a strong focus on diverse voices. Queer Britain and Sounds Queer will present performances from Kimmy Beatbox, Dyan Tai, Thandi Phoenix, Arno Sacco and Bessi, celebrating music and performance from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.
Folk fans have their own reason to visit, with the English Folk Dance & Song Society showcase bringing together the global folk sounds of Mishra and the progressive instrumental folk of Pons Aelius.
Summer Sounds forms part of King’s Cross’s wider Escape in London summer programme. The idea is to provide a series of free and affordable cultural events that encourage visitors to linger in the neighbourhood. Live music sits alongside the canal, makers’ markets and food venues, making it possible to turn a casual visit into a much longer excursion.
The opening night had the added benefit of a young band with plenty of momentum. If the rest of Summer Sounds follows that lead, King’s Cross should be a lively place to spend an August evening.
King’s Cross Summer Sounds runs from 13 to 23 August and is free to attend. For the full programme line-up click here.
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Six decades after Vince Guaraldi Trio’s gentle piano and brushed percussion first accompanied Charlie Brown’s Christmas troubles, A Charlie Brown Christmas has become the best-selling jazz album of all time, certified 6X Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The achievement marks six million album sales and streaming equivalents in the US. The milestone…
London’s most famous music street is once again throwing open its doors, as Denmark Street Sessions returns for a full day of bands, banter, pop-ups and parties. Returning for a second year on Saturday September 5, the shindig brings live music, conversations and creative happenings back to one of London’s best known rock ‘n’ roll…
The Luxe Review 
King’s Cross Summer Sounds got off to an explosive start as The Molotovs brought their high-energy live show to Coal Drops Yard.
The fast-rising trio were the surprise headliners for the opening night of the festival, delivering a lively set of neo-punk that drew heavily from their debut album Wasted on Youth. They also found time for a rousing take on David Bowie’s ‘Suffragette City’, the b-side of the band’s first single, and a nod to event partner Lightroom’s ongoing Bowie Nights series.
The Molotovs have quickly established themselves as one of the UK’s most talked-about young bands. Fronted by siblings Mathew and Issey Cartlidge, the trio draws heavily on punk and early indie rock. The Libertines, Sex Pistols, Blondie and The Jam are among the influences in the mix.
Their debut album, Wasted on Youth, reached Number 3 in the UK charts. Live, the band rattle through tracks. There’s little standing around, their stage show honed by years of relentless gigging. London may have been hot. The band were hotter.
The appearance comes shortly before the band’s Welcome To Urbia UK tour. Demand has already been strong enough to prompt a second date at the O2 Kentish Town Forum on 26 September, following the sell-out of the first show.
Supporting The Molotovs on opening night were Ashaine White and Jack Kaye, formerly of The Magic Gang. Reflecting the evening’s Bowie theme, White selected ‘Life on Mars’ for her set, while Kaye treated the audience to ‘Heroes’.
King’s Cross Summer Sounds line up
There’s plenty more to come across the festival’s 11-day programme. Running from 13 to 23 August, King’s Cross Summer Sounds is a free festival of music, dance and performance, with programming spanning folk, jazz, soul, classical music and indie rock.
Jazz is represented by a showcase celebrating 35 years of Tomorrow’s Warriors, the pioneering charity that has played an important role in developing young jazz talent. Americana gets its own treatment from Little Grandad, while Len Blake brings together indie pop and R&B.
Community choirs will take over the programme for one day, with London City Voices and West End Musical Choir among five mass ensembles performing musical theatre favourites and pop mashups.
The festival also has a strong focus on diverse voices. Queer Britain and Sounds Queer will present performances from Kimmy Beatbox, Dyan Tai, Thandi Phoenix, Arno Sacco and Bessi, celebrating music and performance from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.
Folk fans have their own reason to visit, with the English Folk Dance & Song Society showcase bringing together the global folk sounds of Mishra and the progressive instrumental folk of Pons Aelius.
Summer Sounds forms part of King’s Cross’s wider Escape in London summer programme. The idea is to provide a series of free and affordable cultural events that encourage visitors to linger in the neighbourhood. Live music sits alongside the canal, makers’ markets and food venues, making it possible to turn a casual visit into a much longer excursion.
The opening night had the added benefit of a young band with plenty of momentum. If the rest of Summer Sounds follows that lead, King’s Cross should be a lively place to spend an August evening.
King’s Cross Summer Sounds runs from 13 to 23 August and is free to attend. For the full programme line-up click here.
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Samsung is teaming up with Star Trek for a 60th anniversary celebration that will turn parts of London into a holodeck for fans. Six decades after Star Trek: The Original Series first transported audiences into the final frontier, Samsung is joining the anniversary celebrations with a UK partnership spanning London, Paramount+, and retail. Samsung’s flagship…
How A Charlie Brown Christmas became the best-selling jazz album of all time
Six decades after Vince Guaraldi Trio’s gentle piano and brushed percussion first accompanied Charlie Brown’s Christmas troubles, A Charlie Brown Christmas has become the best-selling jazz album of all time, certified 6X Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The achievement marks six million album sales and streaming equivalents in the US. The milestone…
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