Only The Poets in Amsterdam, NL: Gig Review & Photos

Only The Poets on stage at Amsterdam Paradiso on 29 April 2026.

Photos by Zoë Priscilla for BRUITMag.

Written by Zoe Priscilla | May 2026

Over the last few years, the music industry has become increasingly restrictive and close to impossible for fans to live through. With ticket prices that keep rising and scalpers reselling concert tickets for almost double the face value, it’s an expensive hobby.

The British band Only The Poets is working hard to push back against these new standards. Ever since blowing up, they've tried to keep their ticket prices low and accessible, and with their latest tour, they were offering so-called ‘Low Budget’ tickets for fans who can’t afford to spend all their money on an entry ticket. Earlier in their career, they played shows for just £1, and in 2026, they headlined O2 Academy Brixton in London for the same symbolic price.

Only The Poets isn’t just a band that blew up overnight; many people assume so, since the band has supported massive acts such as Lewis Capaldi, Bastille, and Louis Tomlinson, but the band worked hard for it. The four-piece built their fanbase by performing live and showing their morals. The opportunities to support bigger artists helped them introduce their music to different fanbases. 

The band not only stand out because of their cheaper tickets and their successful career. It’s also their live shows, the spaces where they can perform the lyrics they wrote to other people. Their gigs genuinely feel like a moment of connection, a few hours you can share with people who have the same passion and interests as you.

Only The Poets always run the extra mile to entertain their fans. They always make time to meet their fans, to sign some CDs or vinyl. I believe they’re the only band that goes out of their way to take an hour of their time to sit down outside just for the fans to step by and have their favourite albums signed by the band. I gained a lot of respect for them after seeing them try to talk to every single person who was waiting to see them. 

Only The Poets show that they care about their fans and their passions. The band pushed boundaries and introduced a new programme during their O2 Academy Brixton show: they didn’t just want to make the tickets more accessible, but also the opportunities.

The band worked with the camera brand Nikon and had people sign up to take photos at their big headline gig. To contribute, you didn’t need any experience, nor did you need any expensive equipment, as the band wanted to make a place for people to learn, without having to spend a lot of money on tools. They provided photo passes, Nikon camera kits and mentors. After the show, they posted the fan photos on their public Instagram profile.

This programme also returned for their And I’d Do It Again Tour in Europe. There was a chance to sign up for every show; they picked 3 people for each of the 11 shows, making a total of 33 people across Europe. The band also gave me a chance to learn and to take photos for them in Amsterdam. This meant a lot to me, as I got to experience my first official photo pit. For a band like Only The Poets, that has been a dream, and I want to massively thank them and their team for giving me this opportunity.

At the last show of their And I’d Do It Again debut album tour, they had to say goodbye to a part of their team, their close friend and tour manager, Kieren Anderson. This moment had people in the crowd hugging each other and tearing up, only proving how close they are. As the lead singer, Tommy Longhurst, said: “This is fucking family,” and clearly it is one that welcomes everyone.

There is no stopping this band, though. Just as their European tour ended, another show was announced: they are playing Melkweg in Amsterdam this Halloween.

In October 2024, Only The Poets played two Halloween shows in another Dutch city, Rotterdam, so I’m glad to see them coming back to celebrate the day with their fans.

Tickets for the show are live now, so get them while you can!

Follow Only The Poets on Instagram here!

Listen to Only The Poets here!