In this week’s Gig Guide, we bring you 10 sets of recently announced UK and Ireland tour dates!
Wot Gorilla?
Wot Gorilla? will tour the UK in support of their new album to be released on February 20, 2026, Drongo Records/Ripcord Records).
Dates:
February 2026
27 — Birmingham, The Rainbow
28 — Norwich, Voodoo Daddys
March 2026
05 — Sowerby Bridge, The Blind Pig
06 — Bristol, Cafe Kino
07 — Luton, The Castle
Waterparks
Credit: Ashley Osborn
Waterparks will be touring in the UK and Ireland in 2026!
Dates:
March 2026
17 – Birmingham, O2 Academy
18 – Manchester, Academy
19 – Glasgow, Barrowland
22 – Dublin, Academy
23 – Leeds, O2 Academy
25 – Bristol, O2 Academy
26 – London, O2 Forum Kentish Town
Machine Head
Machine Head have announced some special shows.
We’ll let the band’s Robb Flynn explain to you:
Head Cases,
I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a Machine Head show… a Machine Fuckin’ Head show.
People talk about the riffs, the circle pits, the sweat, the beers, the chaos—and yeah, all of that is part of who we are. It always has been.
But there’s something else.
Something I didn’t fully understand until years into doing this.
It’s the singing.
The way you take our songs… songs we wrote in a cold Oakland rehearsal room, in dark places, in moments of pain, struggle, or heartbreak—and you turn them into something bigger. Something yours.
I’ve stood on stages all over the world, guitar hanging off my shoulder, lights blinding my eyes, sweat dripping down my face… and then I hear it:
You. All of you. Singing louder than the PA. Singing like the song belongs to you—and it does.
That feeling… I can’t compare it to anything else in my life.
There was a show a while back—honestly, I can’t even remember what city it was—but during “Darkness Within,” the crowd came in so strong on that first line I actually stepped back from the mic. Just… let it happen. And as I listened, I felt something shift inside me. Like, this is why we’re here.
This connection.
This shared voice.
It’s not a performance anymore.
It becomes a conversation.
A communion.
And that’s why we’re doing this tour.
“AN EVENING WITH MACHINE HEAD” — EUROPE / UK APRIL & MAY 2026″
No openers.
No limits.
Just 3 hours of anthems, deep cuts, ragers & epics, the songs you’ve screamed so loud we could feel it in our bones.
I want these nights to feel like those rare shows where everything clicks and the world falls away. Where we can dig into the catalog, take our time, talk, play, improvise, go places we haven’t gone in years… or ever.
I want to see you jump until the floor shakes.
I want to hear those first words of “Halo” explode like a war cry.
I want to hear that massive “Let freedom ring” during “Davidian” that rattles the walls.
I want to feel the whole room move as one.
These are the nights where the band and the fans become the same damn thing.
Pre-sale tickets start today.
I hope you’ll be there with us.
I hope you’ll bring your voice.
Because we’re going to need it.
With love, rage, and gratitude,
– Robb
**MACHINE F*ING HEAD**
Dates:
May 2026
14 – Glasgow, O2 Academy
15 – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse
16 – Wolverhampton, University Of Wolverhampton, The Civic Hall
17 – London, O2 Academy Brixton
TV Cult
Credit: Nirén Mahajan
TV Cult will tour the UK later this month!
Dates:
January 2026
25 – London, New Cross Inn
26 – Bristol, The Croft
27 – Lancaster, Kanteena
28 – Edinburgh, Bannerman’s
29 – Newcastle, The Lubber Fiend
30 – Brighton, Green Door Store
Simple Plan
Credit: Skyler Barberio
Simple Plan will be taking on their biggest UK headline shows in 2026!
It is called the Bigger Than You Think tour and will see the band perform tracks from across their lengthy discography.
The band said: “We had such a great time playing all over Europe and the UK these past 2 months, we decided we just had to come back again in 2026!
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring our very own “Bigger Than You Think!” Tour all across the continent, playing full headline shows and extending our 25th anniversary celebrations. This means we will be performing all of our biggest hits along with fan favourites we rarely play live, spanning our entire discography. And we’re also bringing our friends Neck Deep with us, so these are going to be really special shows!
“As we reflect on the past few years, we can’t help but feel so grateful and amazed at how awesome it’s been to play in Europe and the UK and receive such incredible support from all of you. It’s been so cool to see our old-school fans still there with us and a whole new generation joining them. The shows keep getting bigger and bigger and we can’t believe we will be playing such iconic, massive venues like Wembley Arena in London and the Accor Arena in Paris. This is a dream come true for us and we owe it all to you.
“Thank you so much and can’t wait to see you at the shows!”
Dates:
October 2026
02 – Manchester, O2 Apollo
03 – London, OVO Arena Wembley
Jimmy Eat World
Credit: Jimi Giannatt
Jimmy Eat World will be in the UK for some huge shows in the summer!
The shows will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bleed American and they will perform the album in full.
Jim Adkins said: “When we printed the last mix of Bleed American, we felt like we had achieved something great for ourselves. There was no barometer of how it would connect with people outside of the studio and we are still in awe with the life the record and songs have had since their original release. Bleed American is as much yours as it is ours, so we want to celebrate it with you all in a very special way.”
Support will come from Rise Against, The Get Up Kids, and Jay Som (Cardiff and London only for Jay Som)!
Dates:
August 2026
14 – Halifax, The Piece Hall,
15 – Cardiff, Cardiff Castle
16 – London, Gunnersby Park
Evanescence
Evanescence will be in the UK in 2026 on tour!
Support will come from Poppy and K.Flay for the UK shows, with Nova Twins joining for the mainland European dates!
£1 from every ticket sold will be going to support organisations providing humanitarian aid and medical relief around the world.
Amy Lee said: “This year has been so inspiring in so many ways, creating so much new music, playing some bucket-list shows and working with so many artists that give us life. We are taking all of that fire and energy and inspiration and building it into an epic 2026 for our fans. Collaborating with K. Flay, Poppy, and Courtney Le Plante made me want to create a world where we could share stages together, and I’m thrilled we are going to make it happen! I can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on, and I can’t wait for this incredible tour.”
Dates:
September 2026
8 – Leeds, First Direct Bank Arena
10 – Manchester, Co-op Live
11 – Birmingham, Utilita Arena
13 – London, The O2
Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls will be on tour in the UK in 2026!
The tour is titled The Soundtrack of Your Life Tour and celebrates 20 years since the band’s self-titled debut album, and 17 years since the release of Love Drunk.
Boys Like Girls will be playing both albums in full!
Support will come from As It Is and Call Me Amour!
Dates:
July 2026
13 – Bristol, O2 Academy Bristol
15 – Glasgow, O2 Academy Glasgow
17 – Manchester, Manchester Academy
18 – London, O2 Academy Brixton
The Hara
Credit: Cosmic Joke
The Hara have announced two shows to celebrate the release of debut album The Fallout.
Dates:
January 2026
22 – London, Camden Assembly
23 – Manchester, Deaf Institute
Toe
Japanese band Toe will be in the UK for their first headline tour!
The band has performed in the UK just twice in their 25 years together, a sold out show at XOYO in London in 2013 and at ArcTanGent Festival in 2016!
Dates:
April 2026
10 – Bristol, Prospect Building
11 – London, Electric Brixton
13 – Glasgow, St Luke’s
