The Kooks have aged like fine wine – their biggest show proves it

‘It’s only taken us 20 years but here we are.’ 

Those were the words of The Kooks frontman Luke Pritchard a few songs into a set at the O2 Arena that felt like a crowning moment for a band who, despite their skinny jeans and dad-band vibe are arguably more popular than ever before. 

It’s almost 20 years since the Brighton group burst into British consciousness with a debut album, Inside In/Inside Out, featuring indie classics Seaside, Ooh La, She Moves in Her Own Way and, of course, Naive. 

That album has sold over two million copies worldwide since then but has found a new, younger audience thanks to a TikTok cover of Naive that went viral earlier this year. 

Their surge in popularity coincided with a new album this year, Never/Know and now an arena tour consisting of the biggest headline shows they’ve ever done. 

And at the O2 on Saturday night, they closed that tour with a triumphant, 20,000-person singalong that had both parents and teenagers dancing in the aisles. 

From the opener Sofa Song to the encore featuring Ooh La and Naive, this was two hours of pure, unapologetic joy – a message Pritchard was keen to push.

‘So listen, it’s crazy times and there’s a lot of hurt and a lot of crazy going on,’ he told the crowd before launching into their latest single Sunny Baby, a song that wouldn’t feel out of place on their debut album.  

‘You know, music is the healer. Music is the thing that can heal us. It’s amazing we’re all here.’ 

That their sincere brand of Brit-pop joy has found a second home in the 2020s backs up his claim, but amidst the dancing it was a more poignant moment that was the highlight of the show. 

The Kooks ‘don’t do ballads’ Pritchard said, but as he sat down at the piano for See Me Now, he asked for help. 

The song is a beautiful tribute to his father, who passed away when he was just three – and with Pritchard now having a three-year-old son himself, you could tell this was an especially emotional moment for him. 

The crowd were happy to oblige, lighting up the arena with phone lights and swaying in each other’s arms. 

The Kooks got plenty of attention for their performance at Reading Festival during the summer, when they brought out Rebel Wilson for a bizarre but raucous cover of Gangsta’s Paradise. 

That was the kind of moment designed for festival season, and in another world it’s the kind of thing The Kooks would need to make headlines. 

But they proved at the O2 that they are better than ever and have the energy to remain a big part of British culture for the foreseeable. 

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