What’s occurring, mun? After a six-year drought, A Thousand Horses are finally saddling up and galloping back into the UK — and they’re bringing along the bluesy riff beasts These Wicked Rivers for the ride. Tidy!
🎶 The Big Return
The Nashville-bred southern rockers haven’t played a proper UK headline show since 2019. Six long years of waiting, scrolling setlists from the States with envy, and muttering “when are they coming back, butt?” Well, the wait is over.
This summer, the lads will hit:
- Wednesday 30 July 2025 – Saint Luke’s, Glasgow
- Thursday 31 July 2025 – Manchester Academy, Manchester
- Friday 1 August 2025 – Islington Assembly Hall, London
All three nights will be backed up by These Wicked Rivers, Derby’s very own riff-slinging, harmonica-howling blues crew. Expect smoke, sweat, and maybe a soft lamp or two (if you’ve ever seen their stage set-up, you’ll know).
🎟️ Tickets & Pre-Sale
- Planet Rock Pre-Sale: Thursday 27 March, 10am
- General Sale: Friday 28 March, 10am
👉 Grab tickets here via Planet Rock
Be quick — these are hotter than a Greggs steak bake after the pub.
🐎 Who Are A Thousand Horses?
Known for their breakout smash “Smoke” and a sound that straddles country, rock, and soul, A Thousand Horses aren’t your average Nashville outfit. They’ve toured with Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker, and Kid Rock, but on UK soil they’ve built their own cult following thanks to their raw live energy.
Their latest record, The Outside (2024), shows the band firing on all cylinders — gritty anthems, emotional cuts, and the kind of swagger that makes you want to chuck your pint skywards mid-chorus.
🌊 These Wicked Rivers: The Perfect Support
If you’ve not yet been baptised in the River, you’re in for a treat. These Wicked Rivers are one of the UK’s most exciting modern blues-rock outfits. Heavy riffs, stomping rhythms, sing-along hooks, and yes, lampshades. They’re known for transforming gigs into living rooms of groove — warm, fuzzy, and dangerous all at once.
Songs like “Shine On” and “Testify” will get your head nodding before you’ve even clocked your second pint.
🎶 Setlist Predictions
We’re banking on these:
A Thousand Horses:
- Smoke
- A Song to Remember
- The Outside
- First Time
- Maybe even that cheeky Champagne Supernova jam they’ve been dropping 👀
These Wicked Rivers:
- Shine On
- Black Gold
- Horse to Water
- Don’t Pray for Me
🤘 Why This Tour Matters
For UK fans, this isn’t just another gig — it’s a homecoming party six years in the making. Both bands thrive on live energy, and pairing them up feels like a pub lock-in where someone handed out guitars.
Southern rock meets Derby blues. Cowboy boots meet battered Converse. Pints meet whiskey. It’s the kind of line-up that makes you say: “Proper job!”
👉 Will you be grabbing tickets for this one, butt? Or are you waiting for them to be announced at a festival slot too?
Diolch for reading — now saddle up, this is going to be lush. 🐎🔥🎸
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
Comments