The Molotovs announce second London date following unprecedented demand and top 3 album

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.”