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KML Tour 2025
KML Tour 2025

Waterbear

KEEPING MUSIC LIVE TOUR 2025

Find out about our 2025 Keeping Music Live Tour in collaboration with Music Venue Trust (MVT), supporting independent music venues across the UK.

Keeping Music Live Tour 2025

In 2025, the Keeping Music Live Tour, part of WaterBear’s Keeping Music Live campaign, travelled across the UK, visiting seven cities including Hull – The New Adelphi Club, Sheffield – Yellow Arch Studios, Sheffield – Corporation, Manchester – Castle Hotel, Nottingham – Rough Trade North, Norwich – Voodoo Daddy’s, London – Rough Trade East, Brighton – WaterBear Venue, and Brighton – WaterBear Music bar.

Against the backdrop of a rapidly-evolving music industry, support for grassroots live music has become more important than ever. Local venues and community music scenes provide a core foundation where emerging talent can develop their craft, connect with and build audiences, and contribute to a vibrant, diverse cultural ecosystem.

The tour provided real-world touring experience for WaterBear bands, artists, tour managers, sound engineers, and crew. Every stop on the tour included a slot for local openers, giving regional bands a genuine platform on a tour with national visibility and further supporting the local music scene.

We would like to thank all our tour partners for their incredible support, including Music Venue Trust, Tickets for Good, Scruff of the Neck, Rough Trade, Love Music Hate Racism, Fight Back Lager, Slambarz, and AudioActive, and all the local promoters and teams who helped make the tour possible.

Tickets were priced at £1, with all proceeds donated to Music Venue Trust. Through Tickets for Good, a portion of tickets were distributed to NHS staff, teachers, charity workers, volunteers, and those affected by the cost-of-living crisis, ensuring that live music remained accessible to all and reinforcing the campaign’s mission to embed music in the heart of communities and support our mission to embed music education within the infrastructure of the UK scene.

Read more about our Keeping Music Live campaign below.

Keeping Music Live

“There’s still that magic when a young person walks into a venue for the first time, feeling the energy, the connection, and the humanity that live music brings, we have to preserve that. Let’s not lose it. Live music is life. Let’s keep music live.” Bruce Dickinson, WaterBear Co-founder

THE KML TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

A big thank you to all the venues, their staff, and the incredible artists and bands who performed across the country. And of course, to the brilliant audiences who came out to support the tour from Hull in the north right down to Brighton in the south. We sold over 1,000 tickets and can’t wait to do it all again. All proceeds were donated to the Music Venue Trust, supporting their vital work in keeping grassroots venues and local music scenes alive. Take a look at some of the highlights below.

Hull

Adelphi Club

What a night to start the Keeping Music Live Tour with a bang. Our Hull all-day warm-up show at iconic independent venue @The_Adelphi_Club was sold out and absolutely electric – featuring the following incredible artists from WaterBear and the local Hull scene: @WeAreMaftin, @PoliteBureaux, @RothcoOfficial, @MothersdayUK, @emittertheband, The Richard Carlson Band, @w3nchband, @skinteruk, and @bugfacer.band. A massive shoutout to all the artists and everyone who came down to celebrate grassroots music with us – what a way to kick off the tour.

Sheffield

Yellow Arch and Corporation

Night one of the Keeping Music Live Tour kicked off with two incredible shows which took place at @yellowarchstudios, which was sold out, and @corpsheffield – celebrating grassroots music, community, and unreal talent of all genres from across the scene. Yellow Arch Studios: @femurband_, @flatmoonband, @millypyemusic and @canyonblu_ Corporation: @sulphur1616, @_katiebosworth, @0pm.uk, @dalts23, @standizzi, @nbposted, @arz.upnorth + @thesoftdropp and @slambarzlive

Manchester

Castle Hotel

We travelled across the pennines to Manchester’s amazing grassroots venue @thecastlemanc for another brilliant show, put together in collaboration with @scruffofthenecklive. It was amazing to see so many people packed in to join our celebration of grassroots music, with incredible performances coming from @lizzi_stardust, @thetivolisband, and @dazcadwallander.

Nottingham

Rough Trade

Night three was sold out in Nottingham. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at @roughtradenottm for the latest stop on the Keeping Music Live Tour. It was an unforgettable night of local talent and electric performances from four incredible artists – @AirportDadofficial, @wearesundress, @isthisok.mp3, and @lunaandthelimeslices.

Norwich

Voodoo Daddy’s

Night four saw the Keeping Music Live Tour roll into Norwich for another sold out show – and @voodooshowroom went off. It was amazing to bring together another event celebrating the importance of the grassroots community to UK society, and raise more money for our tour partners Music Venue Trust. A huge well done to the incredible artists that performed – @rossstewartofficial, @charliekingmusic, @finnianjamess, and @jakkelsband

London

Rough Trade East

Halloween saw WaterBear take over @roughtradeeast for an unforgettable night of live music. Featuring brilliant performances from headliners @thistle.thistle.thistle and WaterBear supports @dirtsharksband, @faeser.band & @spikemyheart, it was amazing to bring the Keeping Music Live Tour to the capital and celebrate live music in grassroots venues.

Brighton

WaterBear Music Bar and Venue

Amazing gigs took place at both WaterBear venues and both were packed, with two incredible lineups, and an unforgettable energy that summed up everything this initiative’s been about. The @audioactive_ takeover at WaterBear Music Bar saw brilliant performances from @hutchutchutchutch, @safenath, @airz.co.uk + @cashgreeen, @loriasha, @mclillywolfe, @zanotti_ggg, @tiaice_soulnspice, @as1edu, @where’s_gulu and @channellevvy.Meanwhile at @waterbearvenue, @weareknifebride, @mattedofficial and @five.degreesnorth all smashed high-octane sets to close the week out in style.

“Yellow Arch has always had a special place for us. It was one of the first shows we ever put on ourselves nearly ten years ago, so it feels really special to be back here for such a great cause.

There’s such a strong community around grassroots venues in Sheffield. You walk in, you know the people behind the bar, the promoter, the sound engineer — you know you’re in safe hands. We wouldn’t have been able to do what we’ve done this year without that grounding in independent venues.” Femur Band (Yellow Arch headliner, KML Tour 2025)

KML VENUES AND ARTISTS

HULL ADELPHI CLUB

Saturday 18th October 2025

To warm up for our Keeping Music Live Tour, we held a huge all-day celebration of grassroots music at the Adelphi Club, featuring an eclectic mix of some of Hull’s best local talent and exciting WaterBear acts from across the country at one of the UK’s most iconic grassroots venues. 

Line up:

  • Maftin (Headline)
  • Polite Bureaux
  • Rothco
  • Mother’s Day
  • Emitter
  • Richard Carlson Band
  • W3nch
  • Skinter
  • Bug Facer

 

SHEFFIELD Yellow Arch 

Monday 27th October 2025 

Located in Kelham Island and active since 1997, Yellow Arch is a cornerstone of the city’s music scene – from launching the Arctic Monkeys to hosting recording sessions for the likes of Pulp, Richard Hawley, and even Kylie Minogue. Since 2015, it’s become a legendary live venue, welcoming many of the UK’s hottest talents. 

Line-up:

  • Femur (Headliner)
  • Flat Moon
  • Canyon Blu
  • Milly Pye

 

SHEFFIELD Corporation KML X SlamBarz 

Monday 27th October 2025 

Slambarz x WaterBear brought its high-energy DJ event to Corporation, one of Sheffield’s most iconic music venues. Known for supporting local talent and alternative sounds, Corp provides the perfect backdrop for emerging artists, live music, and nightlife in the city.

Line-up:

  • Owen Miles (0PM)
  • Elliott Roberts (Forca)
  • Sulpur
  • Katie Bosworth
  • Dalts
  • Standizzi
  • Nbposted
  • Arzupnorth
  • The Soft Drop
  • Slambarz
MANCHESTER Castle Hotel

Tuesday 28th October 2025  

We took over the legendary Castle Hotel and we’re proud to team up with our friends Scruff of the Neck, to bring this tour date to life at one of the city’s most vital intimate 80-cap grassroots venue that’s seen the likes of James Bay grace the stage. 

Line-up:

  • Liz Mann (Headliner)
  • The Tivolis
  • Life In Neon
  • Daz Cadwallander
NOTTINGHAM Rough Trade

Wednesday 29th October 2025 

This is a city with a legendary underground scene – and we were very excited to be taking over Rough Trade North that has supported many rising stars, whilst also hosting names such as Everything, Everything, Pale Waves and Kate Nash.

Line-up:

  • Airport Dad (Headliner)
  • Sundress
  • isthisok
  • Luna And The Lime Slices
NORWICH Voodoo Daddy’s  

Thursday 30th October 2025 

Voodoo Daddy’s Showroom is a legendary venue at the heart of Norwich’s grassroots scene, and we’re proud to have stopped here as part of our tour that’s dedicated to supporting spots like this, and the emerging talent that it helps to foster! 

Line-up:

  • Ross Stewart (Headliner)
  • Finnian James
  • Charlie King
  • Jakkels
LONDON Rough Trade East

Friday 31st October 2025 

We stopped off in London at Rough Trade East. We’re so proud to be partnering with Rough Trade for the Keeping Music Live Tour. They’re fiercely independent and share our unwavering commitment to supporting emerging bands and artists. 

Line-up:

  • thistle. (Headliner)
  • Dirtsharks
  • Faeser
  • SPIKEMYHEART
BRIGHTON WaterBear Venue 

Saturday 1st November 2025 

The WaterBear Venue, located on Brighton seafront is a student hangout and a vibrant hub for live music, featuring regular club nights, gigs, and special music events that welcome both emerging and established artists and bands. 

Line-up:

  • Knife Bride (Headliner)
  • Matted
  • 5 Degrees North
BRIGHTON WaterBear Music Bar – KML X AudioActive

Saturday 1st November 2025 

AudioActive brought their incredible energy to WaterBear Music Bar in Brighton, a recent addition to WaterBear’s live music spaces, with an incredible line-up of artists. Known for supporting emerging talent, the venue provides the perfect setting to keep the city’s music scene alive.

Line-up:

  • Hutch
  • SafeNath
  • Airz + Cash
  • Lori Asha
  • Zanotti
  • Where’s Gulu
  • Asiedu
  • Tia Ice (WaterBear)
  • Cashgreen
  • Lilly Wolfe
  • Levvy

“So, we’ve got to get out there, we’ve got to support them, we’ve got to buy tickets, we’ve got to spend some money behind the bar, and we’ve got to enjoy live music, as that’s where we’ll be growing the next crop of talent.” Adam Bushell, WaterBear Co-founder

OUR ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS

KEEPING MUSIC LIVE
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