The Kooks light up Co-op Live with a night of mid 2000’s nostalgia and new energy,
- Michael Bond
- Oct 5
- 4 min read
C-Op Live, Manchester 3rd October 2025
WORDS / IMAGES MICHAEL BOND
Indie favourites The Kooks deliver a set packed with hits in Manchester. With rising stars, The K’s proving they’re on the rise, on the opening night of the UK tour.
Day We Ran, a guitar driven rock band hailing from New South Wales Australia, set the tone for the evening. Fusing their laid-back vibes of indie surf rock and captivating vocal harmonies. A band very much at the start of their musical journey, they are already building a growing international following, and this is no more apparent than being given the opportunity to open an arena tour on the other side of the world.
A huge moment for a band that earlier in the year were playing 100+ capacity venues as a headliner. With an image that mirrors their style and sound, the four piece which is made up of three brothers up front and the drummer, outwardly show their happiness and appreciation to be on stage tonight. As they work through their set, the band play several unreleased mellow indie rock tracks. All feeling fresh with a warm energy running through them which resonates with the appreciative crowd.
Next up are the K’s, who continue the evening with confidence. The four-piece make the most of their time on stage, armed with sharp hooks and tight delivery that has come from their constant gigging. Showing exactly why they’ve been rising through the ranks this past year and have now been invited along on a UK arena tour. With their No. 3 debut album I Wonder If the World Knows? and their follow-up 2025 album Pretty On The Internet hitting the No. 1 spot. The K’s arrive as true contenders with their own loyal fan base.
The band don’t waste a second, launching into a charged set of indie anthems striking a balance between raw energy and melody. Tracks from their debut album connect immediately with the crowd, and while the arena is still filling up, they make the space feel smaller and more intimate. With Frontman Jamie Boyle leading with a swagger that anyone who has seen the band before will be familiar with.
By the end of their 40-minute run, the band have well and truly converted more than a few casual listeners and will have undoubtedly increased their fanbase by the end of this tour. With a real sense this band could be headlining rooms like this sometime in the near future.
Tonight isn’t just another gig, it’s the opening night of the 2025 UK arena tour, and The Kooks take the reins, wasting no time in setting the bar for the evening. As the lights drop the anticipation is electric. This Manchester date marks the band’s first time at the city’s newest arena, Co-op Live, and the setting really suits them. There’s history in the air tonight, with a band who helped define British indie in the mid-2000s, playing to 20,000 fans in a venue built for a new era.
They kick off with “Sofa Song”, this is a playful opener that gets the crowd off and bouncing. Instantly, frontman Luke Pritchard looks at ease, bounding across the stage, mic in hand. From here on out, the early hits come thick and fast, with “Always Where I Need to Be”, before the tempo ramps up a notch with “Eddie’s Gun”, which is delivered with the same urgency it had nearly two decades ago.
Newer tracks like “Stormy Weather “hold their own against their back catalogue too. This is quickly followed by a euphoric “She Moves in Her Own Way”. The sense of nostalgia is undeniable, but the energy feels fresh around these older songs.
Mid-set, the band begin to lean into heavier territory with “Bad Habit” and “Westside”, giving the guitars room to snarl and bringing in a pop synth vibe. Followed up by “Sunny Baby”, a new song which is already gaining traction with the live version showing more bite than the studio cut, and it’s clear to see the band are excited and enjoying playing their new material.
The energy continues for “Junk of the Heart (Happy)”, a standout live moment with a chorus built for arenas. Then comes “See Me Now”, a slow burner that shows a more vulnerable side.
From here, the band play another new track, “If They Could Only Know”, moving onto the delicate and subtle “Seaside, a classic from their debut album “Inside In / Inside Out which makes the venue feel disarmingly intimate. “Shine On”, sees the whole arena on their feet, as the crowd are also treated to “Gap”,and “Matchbox”. Inclusions that highlight the band’s songwriting depth.
The floor practically shakes during “Do You Wanna”, as the main set is brought to a close, with “You Don’t Love Me”, as the whole room sway and sing in sync.
After a brief break, the band return for an encore. Which consists of two classics, “Ooh La”, and “Naïve” saved for last as everyone sings along.
It could be easy to dismiss The Kooks as indie nostalgia but tonight proves they’re far more than that and are still looking forward, with their new material. There’s a lightness in tonight’s performance, a sense that they still genuinely enjoy playing together. Luke Pritchard, never overly talkative, still connects with the audience in his own low-key way. The band’s chemistry feels locked-in, and their sound is as infectious as ever.
In a night that blends indie classics with fresh sounds, The Kooks remind us, on the very first night of their tour, that they’re still a band with something to say, and thousands ready to listen.
Setlist:
1. Sofa Song
2. Always Where I Need to Be
3. Eddie's Gun
4. Stormy Weather
5. She Moves in Her Own Way
6. Bad Habit
7. Westside
8. Sweet Emotion
9. Sunny Baby
10. Junk of the Heart (Happy)
11. See Me Now
12. Jackie Big Tits
13. If They Could Only Know
14. Seaside
15. Sway
16. Shine On
17. Connection
18. Taking Pictures of You
19. Gap
20. Down
21. See the World
22. Matchbox
23. Do You Wanna
24. You Don't Love Me
Encore:
25. Ooh La
26. Naïve
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