The Kooks delivered a thrilling anniversary show at London's Old Naval College on Friday (July 31), celebrating 20 years of their debut album with a set packed with indie anthems and a spectacular fireworks display over the Thames.
The band, fronted by Luke Pritchard, performed as part of the Labyrinth on the Thames series, with the historic venue and glittering London skyline providing a stunning backdrop. The 10,000-strong crowd reveled in a set crammed with hits from Inside In/Inside Out, including 'Sofa Song', 'Always Where I Need to Be', 'Eddie's Gun', and 'She Moves In Her Own Way'.
A Nostalgic Homecoming
The concert was a literal trip down memory lane for Pritchard, who shared: "I spent half my childhood running around Greenwich - my mum's shop was literally a stone's throw away. Those buildings, that riverside, it's all tied up with my earliest memories of music and discovering who I wanted to be."
Support came from Circa Waves, Tom A. Smith, and Girl In The Year Above, whose singer Jennifer Ball drew comparisons to Florence Welch. The audience sang along to classics like 'You Don't Love Me', 'Ooh La', and 'Jackie Big Tits', creating a choir-like atmosphere during the stripped-back 'Seaside'.
Emotional Moments and New Momentum
An emotional Pritchard told the crowd: "You guys are beautiful. You're unbelievable. I'm an emotional guy, and I might start tearing up. This is amazing." He dedicated 'See Me Now' to his late father, explaining: "I was doing a lot of soul searching in my life, and I realised the whole reason why I make music and write songs is because of my Dad. I lost my Dad when I was a kid; I was three years old. We actually used to live in Forest Hill, just down the road. He left me a box of records and a Gibson Les Paul."
Despite the nostalgia, the band showed they have momentum, having played their biggest UK headline shows last year and with new music on the way. Their seventh album, Never/Know, reached number 5 in the UK charts, boosted by a new Gen Z fanbase on TikTok.
The encore featured 'Ooh La' and 'Naive', with fireworks bursting behind the stage in red and gold as Pritchard sang fitting lyrics: "Hold on to your kite / Just don't let me down." The night earned a five-star review.
