LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB AT CRYSTAL PALACE PARK, LONDON 26/06/26

Indie-rock band Two Door Cinema Club brought their 'Tourist History' tour to London’s Crystal Palace Park to celebrate 15 years of the album. Formed in 2007 by schoolmates Alex Trimble (vocals), Sam Halliday (lead guitar) and Kevin Baird (bass), the band became widely known for its danceable indie-pop sound after 'Tourist History' was released in 2010. The album went on to win the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year in 2011 and is also the focus of the band’s current tour, as they performed it in full at the South London park on June 26th.

English indie-rock band The Vaccines also marked 15 years since the release of their debut album What Did You Expect from The Vaccines?. Lead singer Justin Young told the crowd that this was the reason they were here that night. The band delivered a high-energy set celebrating their own 15th anniversary and already evoking a strong sense of nostalgia.

Before The Vaccines' set, Welsh indie-rock band The Royston Club took over and followed Garage Flower, who had kicked off the night on that hot summer day. The Royston Club’s lead singer Tom Faithfull proved to be an excellent frontman, getting the crowd to sing along loudly as he commanded the stage. Fan favorite 'Cariad' sparked another loud singalong and made it clear that the band is one to watch.

Their set was followed by James Marriott, the British musician from Brighton started on YouTube before finding success as a musician in 2023. He drew the crowd in with his high energy, similarly getting many fans in the front row jumping and singing along.

Then it was time for the main act: Two Door Cinema Club. The band spoke about the 35-degree heat but that didn’t stop more than 20.000 people from showing up to see them celebrate their 15th anniversary. '‘Thanks for coming and braving the heat. I hope you saw some good bands'‘ they called out.

They kicked off their set with 'Cigarettes in the Theatre' and the crowd immediately brought the energy, keeping it throughout the entire show despite the hot temperatures. Fans were on each other’s shoulders, dancing and singing along despite the heat.

The band’s production was simple but they did not need much to win the crowd over and hold its attention. '‘What a treat this has been. Thank you all for coming. Let’s do it again sometime. Here’s one more’' Trimble called out before the band closed the show with their arguably biggest hit 'What You Know'.

The night truly felt like a celebration. Old favourites and newer tracks blended into a set that felt both nostalgic and fresh, a reminder of how timeless 'Tourist History' has become for so many fans. Fifteen years after the release of their debut album, Two Door Cinema Club have not only maintained their energy and charm but also proven that their songs still have the power to soundtrack a summer night for more than 20.000 fans that night.

Words and photos by Nadine Goetz.