The quartet Tommy on vocals and guitar, Andy on bass, Clem on guitar and Marcus on drums, who together make up the English band ONLY THE POETS, have just kicked off a brand new tour. And the first date is none other than Paris, in the intimate and warm venue of the Alhambra.

This English band, originally from Reading, has made a name for itself in alternative pop, having supported acts like YUNGBLUD, Bastille, and Lewis Capaldi, all while running their own tours in between. After the release of their EP “One More Night, they’re back for a brand new tour. They’re presenting And I’d Do It Again, their very first album, released earlier this year. On it you’ll find tracks like “Emotionally Hungover” and “I Keep On Messing It Up.”

What a pleasure to see them back on stage! Tommy the singer is in great form and seems genuinely happy to be there. He also takes the time to thank the fans who keep showing up, “seven months after the album came out,” as he put it. A vulnerable album, one that shows exactly who the band is, each of them individually — a record that sounds like them.

The show kicks off strong with “I Keep On Messing It Up,” the perfect way to start the night full of energy. They play almost the entire new album live for the first time. What’s also incredible is that even on the calmer, more emotional songs, you can’t take your eyes off the band for a single second. The staging is very simple, just two white LED strips on the sides with their name in the background, and it works perfectly. It feels like being in some kind of mini club.

They close the set, everyone thinks it’s over, but they burst back onto the stage with “One More Night” and “JUMP!” The whole crowd crouches down and jumps up together. Genuinely lovable guys, and musically, it’s no accident: this is a real live band, tight and road-tested, one that knows exactly when to hold a room and when to let it go.