A MASTERCLASS IN ROCK’N’ROLL: THE MOLOTOVS HARD LAUNCH 2026 IN GLASGOW

LIVE REVIEW | THE MOLOTOVS w/ Riviera | KING TUTS WAH WAH HUT, GLASGOW | 6th January 2026 by Mairi Lynch

Unfiltered Rock’n’Roll siblings, Issey and Matt Cartlidge of The Molotovs, kick started their new Wasted On Youth Tour at Glasgow’s King Tuts on Tuesday night, bursting through the doors with attitude, confidence, and some of the best stage presence I’ve ever seen.

Despite being just 17 and 19 years old, London’s The Molotovs boast over 600 shows to their name already. And just the the smaller ones like King Tuts, the pair have shared stages with the likes of Sex Pistols feat Frank Carter, Blondie, Iggy Pop, The Libertines and The Damned – something that bands with decades on them can only still dream of.

Before the main act though, it was over to some local lads to warm up the already packed out room.

Riveria

From the moment they stepped on stage, Riviera delivered insane movement with sharp indie rock sounds. The crowd absolutely adored them. Their love was fuelled by striking guitar riffs, cool looks, and genuine, playful audience interaction that had the room laughing with them. Young, yet ridiculously talented, they premiered their new track ‘Plane Crash Dreams’ to the sold out audience with the crowd left chanting “one more tune”’ at the end of their set. Riviera delivered the kind of performance which acted as a reminder of something I often ask myself: why are so many gifted young bands in Scotland not quite getting the recognition they deserve? 

The Molotovs

Straight to the point, The Molotovs ripped in with their brand new single ‘Get A Life’ – released just the day before -setting the tone instantly. The energy never dipped once all night and the packed venue flaunted an abundance of fan merchandise, serving as a testament to the band’s skyrocketing popularity. As they gear up to release their highly anticipated debut album Wasted On Youth at the end of the month, The Molotovs are clearly positioned to dominate 2026. If tonight’s show is any indication of how the rest of their tour will go, I have no doubt that those lucky enough to bag a ticket will be in for a guaranteed unforgettable night of high energy and non-stop dancing!

Very limited (if any) final tickets can be found HERE.

Wasted On Youth will be released on 30th January via Marshall Records. You can pre-order the album NOW.