The Molotovs Take The Forum By Storm: Two Sold-Out Nights and One Hell of a Statement
02 Forum Kentish Town – 26th September 2026
IMAGES / WORDS ALAN BRYCE
What A Forum: The Molotovs, Carl Barât and Two Nights That Changed Everything
There are gigs you attend, and then there are gigs that remind you why you fell in love with live music in the first place. The Molotovs' sold-out show at the O2 Forum Kentish Town was very much the latter. Remarkably, it wasn't even the only sold-out Forum show of the week. Having already packed out the venue the previous night, the band returned to Kentish Town for a second consecutive sell-out, a feat that underlined just how rapidly their reputation is growing. As I stood in that packed room, surrounded by mods, indie veterans, curious newcomers and teenagers who looked as though they'd discovered their future favourite band, it felt less like a concert and more like a celebration of a movement gathering momentum.
The Cases opened the evening and immediately proved they deserved their place on the bill. They had the difficult task of convincing an audience already focused on the main event, but they approached the challenge with confidence and energy. What impressed me most was their hunger. They played with the determination of a young band who know every support slot matters. There was no wasted movement, no half-hearted crowd interaction, just a stream of sharp, guitar-driven songs delivered with conviction. By the end of their set, people who had initially been chatting at the bar were paying attention, and that's usually the best measure of a support band's success.
Garage Flower followed and took the energy up another level. The Liverpool-based outfit, featuring Nathan Whitehead, Dylan McQuade, Joshua Ndombasi and Charlie Brown, combined swagger, melody and a healthy dose of ambition. Their set felt like a collision between classic British guitar music and modern indie confidence. What I enjoyed most was the sense that they weren't trying to imitate anyone. They had songs, attitude and enough charisma to hold the Forum's increasingly packed floor in the palm of their hand. By the time they finished, the room had fully shifted from anticipation to excitement. The stage was set.
Then the lights went down and The Molotovs arrived.
Opening with "Johnny Don't Be Scared", they hit the stage as though they had something to prove, which is remarkable considering they no longer need to prove very much to anyone. The song detonated across the Forum, setting the tone for a relentless evening driven by urgency, confidence and youthful defiance. "Rhythm of Yourself" and "Born In Society" followed in rapid succession, while "Daydreaming" showcased the band's knack for balancing huge hooks with sharp social observation.
Watching Matt Cartlidge command the stage while Issey Cartlidge anchored everything with effortless cool, I was struck by how naturally they've grown into headline performers. There was none of the self-conscious posturing that often infects young bands reaching this level. Every lyric, every chorus and every guitar line felt earned. This wasn't a band borrowing the Forum for a night. This was a band taking possession of it. Two consecutive sold-out shows in one of London's most historic venues isn't the sort of thing that happens through hype alone. It happens because audiences leave convinced they've seen something special and tell everyone they know.
"Geraldine" and "Join Us" landed particularly well, with the crowd singing back lines as though these songs had already become part of London's musical furniture. "Today's Gonna Be Our Day" felt like a mission statement delivered with complete conviction. It wasn't difficult to understand why audiences are responding so strongly to this band. In an era where so much music feels designed by committee, The Molotovs make rock and roll feel immediate, unpredictable and alive.
"Down At The Café" highlighted the band's gift for turning everyday British life into something cinematic, but it was "Urbia" that felt especially important. As their newest single, it arrived carrying the weight of expectation and was greeted like an established favourite. Live, the song sounded huge. Its observations on modern urban life felt broader in scope than some of their earlier material, while still retaining the sharp wit and punch that defines the band. Watching the crowd sing along to one of their most recent releases offered further evidence that The Molotovs are no longer merely building an audience. They're building genuine momentum. "Is There Any Hope?" followed and deepened the reflective undercurrent running beneath the night's relentless energy.
As the set continued through "Father Flag", "Wasted On Youth" and the deliciously energetic "More More More", the audience became increasingly animated. The Forum floor seemed to bounce constantly. Every chorus appeared louder than the one before it. "My Metallic Wife" provided one of the evening's most intriguing moments before "Get A Life" and "Newsflash" reignited the chaos.
Their decision to close the main set with David Bowie's "Suffragette City" was inspired. Covering Bowie in London is never a safe move, but The Molotovs attacked the song with enough confidence and personality to make it their own. Rather than simply paying tribute, they made a persuasive argument that the lineage running from Bowie through punk, mod revival and indie rock continues right through them. The audience responded accordingly, transforming the Forum into a joyous mess of singing, dancing and raised fists.
The encore somehow felt even more emotionally charged. "Nothing Keeps Her Away" and "You, Me – Shadowboxer" demonstrated the band's ability to shift dynamics and create moments of genuine connection without sacrificing momentum. "Come On Now" then acted as the perfect launch pad for one final surprise.
The last song of the night, a tour-debut cover of The Libertines' "What A Waster", was already enough to send the audience into meltdown. Then Carl Barât walked onto the stage.
For a few seconds, the Forum seemed to lose its collective mind.
The roar that greeted him was unlike anything else all evening. It felt symbolic on so many levels. Five years earlier, The Molotovs had played their first show supporting The Libertines. Now they were standing before a packed O2 Forum crowd, headlining two consecutive sold-out nights and sharing a stage with one of their most obvious influences. As Barât joined in, the performance became gloriously chaotic. Voices overlapped, guitars crashed together and the audience screamed every word. It wasn't polished. It wasn't supposed to be. It was a perfect rock-and-roll moment, built on history, gratitude and mutual respect.
Walking out into the Kentish Town night afterwards, ears ringing and throat sore from singing, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd witnessed more than just a successful headline show. The Molotovs are no longer simply an exciting young band with potential. They're rapidly becoming one of the most compelling live acts in British guitar music.
On 26 September at the O2 Forum Kentish Town, they didn't just play a concert.
They confirmed that the excitement surrounding them is real.
And judging by the reaction inside that room, this is only the beginning.
SET LIST
Johnny Don’t Be Scared
Rhythm of Yourself
Born In Society
Daydreaming
Geraldine
Join Us
Todays’ Gonna Be Our Day
Down At The Café
Urbia
Is There Any Hope?
Father Flag
Wasted On Youth
More More More
My Metallic Wife
Get A Life
Newsflash
Suffragette City (David Bowie cover)
ENCORE
Nothing Keeps Her Away
You, Me – Shadowboxer
Come On Now
What A Waster (The Libertines cover)(With Carl Barat)(Tour debut)
CONNECT THE MOLOTOVS
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