↑ Tommy and Clem in Antwerp ↑
(photo taken by a friend)
Only The Poets band review – If there’s one artist I will never shut up about, it’s Only The Poets. No thoughts, just them. They are my all-time favourites, and honestly at this point it’s not even a phase, it’s a lifestyle.
If you don’t know them (yet), Only The Poets are an indie pop/rock band made up of Tommy (lead singer), Clem (guitar), Marcus (drums), and Andy aka Roo (bass). Their music has that perfect mix of catchy, emotional, and “scream this in your room at 2AM” energy, with lyrics that hit way too close to home in the best way possible.
But it’s not just the music, although trust me, the music alone would be enough. It’s also them as people. They’re so funny, so down to earth, and just genuinely feel like real humans rather than untouchable artists. The kind of band you don’t just listen to, but actually connect with.
F*cking Family
I’ve been lucky enough to meet them quite a few times now, and what stands out every single time is how intentional they are with fans. It’s not just a quick “hi and bye” kind of interaction. They actually create so many opportunities to connect: signing events, little pop-up shows or stores, and even those moments after concerts where they come outside and turn it into a kind of informal afterparty with fans.
And what really gets me is that they try. Like genuinely try. They don’t just see a crowd, they see people. They take their time with every single fan, have real conversations, not rushed or forced. Even when there are a lot of people, you can feel that they’re fully present in the moment with you.
I’ve met them multiple times, and somehow they remembered me, even down to the fact that my name starts with an X. That might sound like a small thing, but it really isn’t. It shows that if you’re a familiar face, they notice. They make that effort. And that’s so rare.
And it’s not just in those one-on-one moments either, it’s built into their shows. Since the very beginning, they’ve had this line they say every single time:
“the otp community will never ever be just band and fan, this is fucking family.”
And honestly? You feel that. They don’t just say it, they actively create that atmosphere.
There’s always a moment where they step into the crowd and strip everything back, performing a song acoustically right in the middle of everyone. No distance, no stage barrier, just them and the fans, all in the same space. It turns the whole room into something softer, more intimate. Its like for a second, it’s not a concert anymore, it’s a shared moment.
It’s that kind of energy that makes everything feel so much more personal. You don’t walk away feeling like just another fan in line , you feel seen, included, part of something. And I think that’s exactly why so many people feel such a strong connection to them, because they don’t just build a fanbase… they build a community.
They constantly try to keep tickets affordable, they’ve done a show where tickets were literally £1 (yes, ONE pound), because they genuinely believe live music should be accessible to everyone. And they don’t just say that, they act on it.
They’ve also given fans opportunities to shoot their shows as photographers, even providing equipment. Like… who does that?? They create space for people, they include them, they make you feel part of something.
Maybe it’s okay not to be okay…
I even have a tattoo inspired by them, which honestly says everything. I’ve always known that if I ever got a tattoo, it had to mean something, not just something pretty, but something that would still matter years from now. And music has always been such a constant in my life, so it makes sense that it ended up being connected to that.
The tattoo is based on their song “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay.” And the first time I heard that song… yeah, saying I cried would be an understatement. It hit in that very specific, quiet way where you just sit there like, “oh.” Like it found me exactly when I needed it to. That kind of timing you can’t really explain.
They’ve always been really open about mental health too, not just in their music but in the way they talk about things and create space for it. It never feels surface-level, it feels real, like they genuinely want people to feel okay talking about it, even when it’s messy or heavy. And that song is such a perfect example of that.
So during one of their signing events, I asked Tommy to write the title for me, and the other three members each drew a flower to go with it. It was such a simple moment, but it meant everything. And then I actually went through with it and got it tattooed… permanently.
And what makes it even more special is that over a year later, when I met them again, they noticed it. Not just noticed, they remembered it. They even knew which flower they had drawn. Like… that kind of attention, that kind of care? It still blows my mind a little.
So yeah, now it’s on my body forever. And honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s not just a tattoo; it’s a reminder of a moment, a song, and a feeling that stayed.
I genuinely have to thank Lewis Capaldi for putting them on as an opener, because that’s how I first saw them live. And from that moment on… it was over for me. I’ve seen them live so many times since, and somehow it never gets old. If anything, it just gets better every single time.
So yeah, this is me telling you: go listen to Only The Poets. Immediately.
You can find them here:
Trust me on this one.
