Scouting For Girls 'Everybody Wants To Be On TV' 15th Anniversary Tour
Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge - 12/03/26
In 2010, Scouting For Girls released their sophomore album 'Everybody Wants To Be on TV', a record that has since received Platinum certification. Packed with some of the band’s most recognisable songs, it quickly became one of the defining indie-pop albums of its era. Now, almost sixteen years on, the band are back out on the road celebrating the record with a special anniversary tour that mixes those album tracks with the biggest hits from across their career.
Last night the tour arrived at Cambridge Corn Exchange, a venue in a city that has become something of a second home for the band over the years. It was clear that feeling of home was mutual. The sold-out crowd packed into the room early, turning out in force for the support acts and ensuring the atmosphere was already buzzing long before the headline set began. When the lights finally dropped, a large TV screen at the back of the stage flickered to life alongside two smaller box TVs, immediately transporting the room back to the era and the of the album.
With the night celebrating Everybody Wants To Be on TV, opening with ‘Famous’ felt like the perfect choice, given the song featuring the lyric that inspired the album’s title. Within seconds of the intro starting, lead singer Roy Stride had the crowd up bouncing. ‘Little Miss Naughty’ followed, perhaps not one of the band’s most widely known singles but still greeted with huge enthusiasm from the capacity crowd who were more than up for the night of indie-pop brilliance waiting for them. However, it was the classic ‘This Ain’t a Love Song’ that really kicked the night into full gear. After declaring that the audience were the band’s “fifth member” for the night, Stride stepped back and allowed the room to take over the introduction. Hundreds of voices lifting the intro, and shortly after the chorus, into some of the evening’s most harmonious singalongs.
While the anniversary focus meant plenty of crowd favourites, the band also mixed in deeper cuts that clearly delighted the more devoted fans. ‘Gotta Keep Smiling’ and a playful ‘Come On Eileen’ moment added a lighter touch, before crowd favourite ‘1+1’ and cult classic ‘Silly Song’ kept the album run rolling along.
One of the night’s most memorable moments came with ‘Posh Girls’, a song that highlighted not only Roy Stride's stage presence (and off-stage presence), but also his fitness. After leading the crowd through the first verse and chorus, the vocalist would make his way around the backstage of the venue and up onto the venue's balcony, serenading fans from above whilst dancing amongst those sat up there.
The album celebration was rounded off with ‘Take a Chance on Us’, charmingly reworked into “Sing Along With Us Cambridge”. As Roy listed the many local venues the band have played over the years, it became a reminder of just how long their relationship with the city has lasted.
Despite the album's anniversary being the focus of the night, there was still plenty of time for the four-piece to dive into their other hits and best-bits. ‘It’s Not About You’ sparked one of the loudest singalongs of the night before being somehow topped by the explosive response to ‘I Wish I Was James Bond’.
On a night built around nostalgia, it would have been easy for the band to rely solely on the past. Instead, newer material slotted seamlessly into the set. ‘The Missing Part’ from their recent album The Place We Used To Meet proved that Scouting For Girls are far from a nostalgia act, with the song fitting naturally alongside the older hits and hinting that some of their strongest writing may still be ahead of them.
From there, the night surged towards its finale with a run of huge crowd pleasers including ‘Heartbeat’ and ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’, each one greeted with the same enthusiasm as the last. Finally, the inevitable closing moment arrived as ‘She’s So Lovely’ rang out, sending the Corn Exchange into one final wave of dancing and voices at full volume.
A setlist this strong set the stage, but it’s the way the songs were performed that truly made the night, with the band remaining as tight and energetic as ever. Roy Stride rarely stood still, roaming not just the stage but the venue itself while delivering every lyric with the same infectious enthusiasm that has defined the band from the start. Bassist Greg Churchouse’s backing vocals frequently steered the crowd through the biggest singalong moments, while Peter Ellard’s steady pop-fuelled drumming anchored the blissful chaos. New guitarist Connor McDonald has slotted into the lineup effortlessly, adding fresh energy while fitting naturally alongside the three long-standing members.
More than anything, the night served as a reminder of what makes Scouting For Girls such a joyous live band. Their shows have always been built on connection and energy, and the Cambridge crowd gave as much back as they received. Nights like this feel less like a typical gig and more like a shared celebration between band and audience. Sixteen years on from the album’s release, the crowd still knows every word, every chorus still hits and Scouting For Girls continue to prove they could make even the greyest of days brighter.