The Young’uns © Michael Hughes 2024

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED TEESIDE FOLK TRIO

THE YOUNG'UNS

CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF LIFE-CHANGING MUSIC WITH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

WATCH THE MOVING VIDEO FOR “BE THE MAN” HERE

"The harmonies are glorious, the wit is waspish. The songs are powerful, the banter is relentless, and the audience is happy. What’s not to like?" ★★★★★  THE GUARDIAN

"Glorious... celebrating the uncelebrated with warmth, vigour and passion" ★★★★  MOJO

"The Teesside trio have captured hearts – and awards – with a magic combination of lusty acapella singing, memorable tunes and heart-on-sleeve storytelling with an unashamedly political cry for social justice." ★★★★  SONGLINES

The Young’uns, one of the UK’s best-loved folk groups, will celebrate two decades of singing together with a spring 2025 UK tour.

The much-loved trio – comprising Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes & David Eagle – will each celebrate their 40th birthdays during the tour in addition to the 20th anniversary of the band.

The group was founded in 2003, when the then teenage friends stumbled across folk music in the back room of The Sun Inn in their native Stockton-on-Tees. They heard people singing songs they’d never heard before. Songs without instruments. Songs in their own accents. Songs about places they knew. They joined in, became regulars and, as the youngest people in the room, were dubbed ‘The Young’uns’ – a name that, for better or worse, has stuck.

20 years since that fateful night, they’ve carried the name around the globe, from Sydney to Vancouver, Radio Tees to BBC Radio 4, won three coveted BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, played Glastonbury Festival and gained a reputation for singing life affirming songs of social conscience in immaculate three-part harmony.

In recent years they have touched audiences on both sides of the Atlantic via their acclaimed stage show (and album) The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff, based on the life of a Teesside local hero, and released the powerful, socially aware follow-up Tiny Notes in April 2023. Their narrative songs - often moving, never mawkish - cut through the noise and get straight to the heart of the matter, be they personal stories that triggered global headlines or more intimate tales of everyday heroes closer to home.  

Watch the moving video for The Young’uns’ heartbreaking single “Be The Man” here.    

With their strong songwriting, spellbinding harmonies and rapid fire humour (the band’s David Eagle is also an award-winning stand-up comedian), they have achieved one of the trickiest balancing acts – an ability to truly ‘make ‘em laugh and make ‘em cry.’

Talking about the 20th anniversary UK tour announcement, Sean Cooney said: “It’s been quite a journey. From the back room of a pub in Stockton to the Albert Hall. We’ll be paying tribute to the singers who’ve inspired us and the songs that have taken us around the world and back.“

The Young’uns 20th anniversary tour will stop at the following UK venues in spring 2025.

15 April                              Leeds City Varieties

16 April                              Settle Victoria Hall

17 April                              Glasgow Oran Mor

18 April                              Liverpool – The Tung Auditorium

19 April                              Lytham St Annes Lowther Pavilion

20 April                              Stroud Subscription Rooms

22 April                              Folkestone Quarterhouse

23 April                              London Union Chapel

24 April                              Southampton Turner Sims

25 April                              Lyme Regis Marine Theatre

26 April                              Pontardawe Arts Centre

23 May                               Buxton Arts Centre

24 May                               Snape Maltings

25 May                               Milton Keynes – The Stables

26 May                               Cardiff Acapela

27 May                               Frome Cheese & Grain

28 May                               Brighton Komedia

29 May                               Worcester Huntingdon Hall

30 May                               Shrewsbury Theatre Severn

31 May                               Scunthorpe Plowright Theatre

Tickets for all shows available now here

The Young'uns will also hold a mini festival day on Saturday 15th November 2025 at Middlesbrough Town Hall, with tickets on sale soon.

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