On Saturday, April 25, British indie rock band Only The Poets brought their And I’d Do It Again: The Debut Album Tour to Prague’s ARCHA+, playing to a packed out room. Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Tommy Lyon joined them as support.
Tommy Lyon opened the night with his signature brand of emotional ballads. He commanded center stage from the very start, enchanting the audience with his vocal versatility. Lyon’s range is unmatched, and fans came prepared; one homemade sign near the front read “11/10 STAR HIGH NOTES.”
Lyon performed only with one band member supporting him on both keys and guitar. He played a mix of fan favorites and new singles, along with the unreleased “Hotel Room,” which is available for pre-save here. He handled a bit of good-natured heckling from the crowd like a pro, making jokes with the audience and involving them in the performance as much as possible.
Towards the end of his set, he asked the crowd if he could put them in a TikTok video before approaching the barricade to sing the chorus of one of his hits as his bandmate filmed. Fans booed as he announced that it was almost the end of his set, but he quickly picked the energy back up by reminding them “that just means you’re closer to hearing Only The Poets!” which was excitedly received by the crowd.
He finished with his hit single “All That I’ve Known,” his voice gliding over the notes and leaving fans anticipating what was still to come.
Right at 9pm, the lights in ARCHA+ dimmed as the ambient intro to Only The Poets‘ debut album “And I’d Do It Again” played. Finally, the band exploded onto the stage with their hit single “I Keep On Messing It Up,” immediately injecting the room with energy and excitement. Lead vocalist Tommy Longhurst’s Instagram bio reads “The hyperactive one in Only The Poets,” and that description proved true as he leapt across the stage and got fans jumping along with him.
They tossed it back to 2023 with “Over & Over” next, followed by “God Knows Where You Were” from their debut album. Transitions between songs were seamless as Longhurst, along with bassist Andy Burge and guitarist Clem Cherry, kept the energy high as they engaged with both each other and the crowd at every chance they got. What we found particularly impressive was drummer Marcus Yates’ energy and involvement in the vocals.
The crowd went particularly wild for “Emotionally Hungover” before the band threw it back to the early 2020s for a few fan-favorite bangers, including the surprise song of the night, “Even Hell.”
Longhurst took some time to chat with fans, expressing the band’s gratitude for everyone who came to the show and reading all the homemade signs in the crowd (and there were a lot). Some of them held declarations of love for the band and their music, others were requests for songs to be played. Longhurst particularly liked the “Sex On Fire” suggestion, but there was just one issue: they didn’t really know how to play it. The audience came to the rescue, though, offering up someone’s phone so the band could look up the chords and the lyrics. Despite some hesitation and a quick pause for learning, the band pulled it off beautifully, much to the crowd’s delight.
After a few more songs from their debut album, including “Monumental” and a stripped-down performance of “Madeline,” Longhurst told the crowd that while this tour is in support of their debut album, it’s also about nostalgia, honoring their start, and reflecting on how far they’ve come. With that, they launched into a few tracks from their 2021 EP demos.
Following these blasts from the past, Only The Poets encouraged Prague to party — it was Saturday night, after all — as they brought us back to the present day with their groovy, sexy single “Saké.” This smooth, danceable track had the entire audience moving as Longhurst sauntered across the stage, effortlessly commanding the room while delivering his signature smoky vocals.
They slowed it down a bit with “Guess She’s Cool” before launching into a few favorites from 2024, closing with “One More Night.” Longhurst threw his guitar across the stage (their showmanship is truly unmatched) and the band made their exit.
But of course, they weren’t done quite yet. After a few minutes of chanting from the crowd, Only The Poets was back for their energetic single “JUMP!”, which had everyone in the room doing just that. They closed out their final encore with “emotional.” At one point, Burge and Cherry even hopped off the stage and into the crowd with their instruments to join the mosh pit, further solidifying their unique connection with fans.
For us, some of the most enjoyable parts of the show were the few moments at the very end of their last song — Longhurst held his guitar triumphantly above his head at the front of the stage, with drummer Marcus Yates joining the rest of the band and hopping onto Burge’s back as they yelled along with the audience. Getting to see the band interact with each other and fans in such a thoughtful yet silly way is so rare, and instead of immediately walking backstage, each of them approached the barricade and threw guitar picks, setlists, and anything else they could give out to the crowd in a genuine show of appreciation.
Only The Poets truly gave fans in Prague a night they won’t soon forget. Their emotional, catchy songs translate into an incredibly fun and dynamic live show — it was honestly one of the best we’ve been to all year. Longhurst’s vocal performance and energy were on point all night, with each other band member not only excelling at his particular instrument, but also adding a unique personality in a way that isn’t often discernible from bands at concerts. While the set consisted mostly of songs from And I’d Do It Again, Only The Poets also properly honored songs from previous projects that not only played a significant role in their growth and success, but also that they knew fans wanted to hear.
In addition to the music, their stage presence felt dynamic, genuine, and wholesome all at once, creating a sense of camaraderie between themselves and the audience. This was particularly strong after their banter with fans prior to “Sex On Fire” — not only was everyone impressed by the talent this impromptu performance clearly showcased, but it also formed a more down-to-earth connection between band and fans. If the crowd wasn’t won over right out of the gate, that moment certainly did it, and they carried that energy through the rest of the night.
Only The Poets has one more date left on their European tour: tomorrow, April 29, in Amsterdam. If you haven’t seen them yet, we highly recommend making it a priority. Remaining tickets are available here.
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