The Molotovs launch King’s Cross Summer Sounds with free Bowie tribute
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The Molotovs will headline the opening day of King's Cross Summer Sounds in London with a free, David Bowie-inspired show, staged in partnership with Lightroom and its ongoing immersive Bowie exhibition nearby. The punk sibling duo are joined by Ashaine White and former Magic Gang frontman Jack Kaye, with each act performing a Bowie cover to mark his influence on contemporary music; band member Matt Cartlidge said the group were thrilled to pay tribute to Bowie, calling the Lightroom show "phenomenal" ahead of "something special".
The Lightroom exhibition, which opened in April 2026, draws on rarely seen and previously unexhibited material from the David Bowie Archive in New York, spanning tracks from 'Space Oddity' to 'Blackstar', projected around the venue's cube-shaped room with specially adapted spatial audio, and has already hosted events featuring guitarist Carlos Alomar and broadcaster Adam Buxton. The Molotovs will follow the King's Cross date with a UK and Ireland headline tour running from 3 September (Cardiff) through to 3 October (Dublin), taking in cities including Nottingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Belfast, and closing their September leg at London's O2 Forum Kentish Town.
- The Molotovs headline a free Bowie tribute show at King's Cross Summer Sounds
- Show ties in with Lightroom's immersive Bowie exhibition, open since April 2026
- Band follows with a UK/Ireland tour from 3 September to 3 October
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The Molotovs are a punk sibling duo whose 2025 debut album, "Wasted On Youth", drew heavily on David Bowie's influence. They have been booked to open this year's King's Cross Summer Sounds, a free outdoor concert series in London, with a show built around Bowie's music, tying in with a Bowie-themed exhibition at the nearby Lightroom venue.
Lightroom is an immersive exhibition space in King's Cross that uses large-scale projections and sound to explore an artist's work; its current show on Bowie opened in April 2026 and uses archive footage and audio to mark his impact on music. The Molotovs will be joined at the opening gig by singer Ashaine White and Jack Kaye, formerly of the band Magic Gang, with each performer expected to cover a Bowie song.
The gig also marks the start of a busy period for the band, who begin a UK and Ireland tour in September, taking in cities including Cardiff, Nottingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Belfast and Dublin. The story matters mainly to fans of live music and Bowie's legacy, and to those following how venues and events in London are marking his ongoing cultural influence.
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Originally published by NME as “The Molotovs to open King’s Cross Summer Sounds in London with free, Bowie-inspired show”.