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Following massive demand, The Molotovs have announced a second London concert following the Top 3 chart success of debut album Wasted On Youth (Marshall Records).
The band has seen a massive rush on tickets – a full six months before the ‘Welcome To Urbia’ tour begins – and this weekend will reach a national audience with a performance on The Jonathan Ross Show.
The London shows will see the band return to where it all started more than 600 gigs ago at the 2,300-capacity O2 Forum London, supporting The Libertines.
Promoters have been forced to start waiting lists for shows and in Leeds, Belfast and Dublin the venues have been upgraded.
For siblings Matt (17) and Issey Cartlidge (19), 2026 has been a whirlwind success, with the sold-out ‘Wasted On Youth’ tour, a playful chart rivalry with Lily Allen the announcement of their biggest tour to date, and preparations for sold-out arena dates with Yungblud.
On Saturday 21st March The Molotovs will appear on ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show alongside Rachel Zegler, Ben Platt, Ruth Jones, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kathryn Newton and Alison Hammond. They will perform ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’, the band’s anthem and call to arms, which hit the top of the physical singles charts last June.
The ‘Welcome To Urbia’ tour in September will now include shows at the O2 Forum London on September 25 and 26.
Issey Carts said: “These shows take us back to where it all started after being plucked out of the rain by The Libertines. Our first gig as The Molotovs was at the Kentish Town Forum supporting them.
“We met them down in Margate at their hotel, the Albion Rooms. We were getting ready to busk on the beach and it was absolutely pissing it down. Carl Barât saw us and invited us into the studio to just come in and play. We ended up chatting and he invited us on that first tour. That was a 20-minute set as soon as the doors opened at the O2 Kentish Town Forum – and now we’re doing two headline shows after the first sold out!”
The chart success of the album, Wasted On Youth, was the outcome of a touring-led, fan-built campaign, and the ‘Welcome To Urbia’ tour in September will also include major venues in Nottingham, Brighton, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff and Birmingham.
Wasted On Youth reached number 3 in the Official Charts, with Lily Allen and The Molotovs taking an early lead before a Grammys appearance saw Olivia Dean return to the top. Further down the top 10 that week were new albums from indie favourites Cast, despite the recent Oasis support slots, and Kula Shaker.
Matt joked on Instagram that they were “in a chart war with some new, unsigned band called Lily Allen”.
Lily replied: “It’s all love baby, @TheMolotovs, hope you win the war.”
Recorded at Marshall Studio with producer Jason Perry, and mixed and mastered by Blair Crichton from Dead Pony, Wasted On Youth, features Matt and Issey with drummer Noah Riley. It includes the hit singles ‘More More More More’, ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’, ‘Rhythm of Yourself’ and ‘Get A Life’.
The band have honed their craft supporting, and taken inspiration from, legendary figures including Iggy Pop, Sex Pistols, Blondie and The Damned.
Wasted On Youth is a life-affirming burst of new wave, punk, indie, and garage, opening with the blistering ‘Get A Life’, a direct strike against the toxic culture of social media negativity. From there, the band dives into the complexities of coming of age. Whether it’s the pressure of academic expectations in ‘Daydreaming’ or the hazy, rehab-bound fantasies of ‘Popstar’, the lyrics reflect a generation caught between societal demands and their own creative instincts.
“A lot of pressure is put on young people to know exactly what they want to do in life, which is just unrealistic,” said Matt. The sentiment anchors the title track, ‘Wasted On Youth’, an anthem of self-doubt and the relentless passage of time. Yet, the album isn’t just about the struggle; it’s a rejection of the “small-town mentality” found in ‘Geraldine’ and a fierce defence of individuality in ‘Rhythm Of Yourself’, a track born from the band’s refusal to be moulded by industry trends.
From the lockdown-induced frustrations of ‘Newsflash’ to the frantic energy of lead single ‘More More More More’, Wasted On Youth is as much a sonic riot as it is a cerebral one. It concludes with the defiant ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’, a powerful “call to arms” urging listeners to reject apathy and stay informed.
Artist: The Molotovs (Mathew Cartlidge & Issey Cartlidge).
Tour: ‘Welcome To Urbia’ September 2026
Tour locations: Cardiff, Nottingham, Brighton, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Belfast, Dublin
Ticketing & Direct Link: https://themolotovs.os.fan/
Debut album: Wasted On Youth
Record label: Marshall Records
Production: Produced by Jason Perry; Mixed/Mastered by Blair Crichton (Dead Pony).
The Sound: A “chemical compound” of New Wave, Punk, and Indie Sleaze.
Core Philosophy: Modernism as progression; optimism through individualism.
Tracklist: 1. Get A Life, 2. Daydreaming, 3. More More More More, 4. Come On Now, 5. Nothing Keeps Her Away, 6. Wasted On Youth, 7. Geraldine, 8. Newsflash, 9. Rhythm Of Yourself, 10. Popstar, 11. Today’s Gonna Be Our Day.
The Molotovs UK tour dates:
Thu 03 Sept 2026 – Tamshed, Cardiff
Fri 04 Sep 2026 – Palais, Nottingham – low availability
Sat 05 Sep 2026 – Chalk, Brighton – sold out
Thu 10 Sep 2026 – TV Studio, Glasgow
Fri 11 Sep 2026 – Digital, Newcastle
Sat 12 Sep 2026 – Foundry, Sheffield – low availability
Thu 17 Sep 2026 – Beckett SU, Leeds – venue upgrade
Fri 18 Sep 2026 – Arts Club, Liverpool – low availability
Sat 19 Sep 2026 – Academy 2, Manchester – low availability
Thu 24 Sep 2026 – O2 Academy 2, Birmingham – low availability
Fri 25 Sep 2026 – O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London – sold out
Sat 26 Sep 2026 – O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London
Fri 02 Oct 2026 – Limelight 2, Belfast – venue upgrade
Sat 03 Oct 2026 – The Button Factory, Dublin – venue upgrade
About The Molotovs
London-based siblings Matt (17) and Issey Cartlidge (19) are The Molotovs, a high-octane duo at the forefront of a burgeoning revival of authentic guitar music. Eschewing the typical path of viral shortcuts, the pair built their reputation the hard way: playing more than 600 shows across the UK’s relentless live circuit. This grueling schedule has transformed them into one of the tightest, most explosive acts in the country.
Their debut album, Wasted On Youth (Marshall Records), serves as a fierce rejection of the “lost generation” narrative. Rather than leaning into apathy, The Molotovs champion social optimism, individuality, and a direct call to arms for Gen Z to take up space and stay informed.
Recorded at Marshall Studio with producer Jason Perry and mixed by Blair Crichton (Dead Pony), their sound bottles the raw, sweat-soaked energy of their live performances. From the chaotic spirit of ‘More More More More’ to the political urgency of ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’, The Molotovs aren’t just playing rock and roll – they are revitalizing it for a new era.
Marshall
Marshall unites musicians and music lovers through a shared passion for high-quality sound and built-to-last products. For over sixty years, we’ve amplified the sound of the world’s most talented artists and brought their music to crowds and solo listeners everywhere. That same drive is the foundation of Marshall Records. Our mission is to help fuel the next generation of musicians and provide access to state-of-the-art equipment, a cutting-edge studio, and full label services to help them achieve their full potential.
Photo Credit Oliver Bromidge
