The first quarter of 2025 is set to be a landmark period for The Kooks. With their seventh album, Never/Know, arriving on May 9th and a packed tour schedule spanning 20 Australian dates followed by shows in the UAE, Netherlands, and Switzerland, the band is gearing up for a huge year.
But before all that, they returned to their roots, hosting an intimate gig and Indie Club Night at the legendary Notting Hill Arts Centre—a venue steeped in history, where The Libertines first came together and where icons like Amy Winehouse, Ed Sheeran, and The Killers once graced the stage.
From the moment you stepped inside, the energy was electric. Notting Hill Arts Centre has remained true to its raw, underground spirit since opening in 1997, resisting the temptation to become a museum of its past glories. Instead of nostalgic memorabilia, the walls were lit up with striking stills of The Kooks—a fitting tribute for a night dedicated to celebrating their next chapter.
For a band well into their second decade, the anticipation for new material was just as palpable as the nostalgia for classics from Inside In/Inside Out and Konk. Their latest single, “Never Know,” instantly hooked the crowd with its infectious whistling, evoking the charm of Peter Bjorn and John’s Young Folks while weaving in soulful organ melodies and shimmering guitar lines. Ironically, the song was born from frontman Luke Pritchard’s battle with writer’s block—an attempt at writing for others that sounded unmistakably like another Kooks classic.
Whether it was Luke’s tousled curls making him a dead ringer for Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown or simply the undeniable thrill of hearing The Kooks’ melodic indie brilliance live again after a three-year hiatus, everything about the night felt right. And, as any seasoned band knows, you always save a fan favourite for last.
“Naïve” closed the set in a euphoric style, setting the stage for a full-blown noughties indie disco that kept the night alive long after the final note rang out. For The Kooks, 2025 is shaping up to be a big one. If this show was anything to go by, they’re more than ready for it.
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