AHEAD OF UPCOMING DEBUT ALBUM, THE LILACS REVEAL NEW SINGLE
WHAT’S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN?
OUT NOW – LISTEN HERE
PRE-ORDER THE DEBUT ALBUM KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES HERE
OUT 2ND OCTOBER VIA SCRUFF OF THE NECK
BIGGEST EVER HEADLINE TOUR FOR 2027 ON SALE NOW HERE
Photo credit: Niall Lea
Hot on the heels of the irresistible Miss Behavin’, The Lilacs are back with another taste of their highly anticipated debut album, Keeping Up With The Joneses. The Wigan quartet will release their new single What’s The Worst That Can Happen?, out now via Manchester’s renowned independent label Scruff of the Neck. Listen to What’s The Worst That Can Happen? here.
Keeping Up With The Joneses has already announced itself as one of this year’s most exciting debut albums. With previous singles from the album already revealed including Miss Behavin’ and Girl Behind The Bar, the record showcases the high-energy performances and insistent melodies the band have made their trademark.
Speaking of the single, frontman Ollie Anglesea has said, “What’s The Worst That Can Happen? is the third single off our debut album and is probably as ‘poppy’ as the record gets. It’s a proper summer tune, heavily inspired by the feel-good, driving energy of tracks like Stereophonics’ ‘Have A Nice Day.’ We wanted something you could roll the windows down to.”
The four-piece have shot the official music video for What’s The Worst That Can Happen? earlier this week, teasing the first clip on their socials here. The full video was shot in Wigan, produced by Lauren Klair, directed by Shaolin Pete and filmed by Luca Rudlin and will be revealed on Wednesday 22nd July on the band’s YouTube channel.
As with the rest of the upcoming album, What’s The Worst That Can Happen? was produced by Joe Cross (Courteeners, Hurts) and recorded at sessions split between Manchester and Paris. It is one of eight brand new tracks on the album, which is completed by fresh recordings of fan favourites and live staples Grace and Vicarage Road.
Keeping Up With The Joneses is available to pre-order HERE. The band’s official store offers a CD, cream vinyl, and signed lilac galaxy vinyl with alternate black artwork. Meanwhile, select indie stores have an exclusive red cornetto vinyl with a signed obi strip, packaged in alternate red artwork.
Formed by vocalist Ollie Anglesea and Sam Birchall (guitar), The Lilacs are completed by Matt Johnson (bass) and Dave Gomersall (drums). They debuted early in 2019 with Vicarage Road and have been building a following of dedicated fans ever since, winning over more with single Grace in 2023 and scoring a Top 10 on the Independent Albums Chart with The 395 (To Forever) EP in 2025.
Known for their energetic live performances, they’ve played shows with Lottery Winners and The Lathums and hit countless festivals from Isle of Wight to Truck. And that has been rewarded with ever-bigger headline shows to date, with a sold-out 2700-capacity headline show in Manchester. The band’s run of live shows continues into this Summer, following their recent performance at Rock For People in the Czech Republic. The Lilacs will make their debut at Leeds Festival as well as hitting Latitude, Tramlines and Kendal Calling. 2027 will see them hit the road on their biggest headline tour to date, and will play venues including Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse. Full dates can be found here.
The road to the debut album hasn’t been without its challenges. Guitarist Sam Birchall recently received the all-clear from cancer following a year of treatment, a story covered by both ITV and BBC. But with Keeping Up With The Joneses landing later this year, The Lilacs are showing nothing can slow them down.
Catch The Lilacs live:
JULY
23rd – Cheshire, In It Together Festival
23rd-26th – Oxfordshire, Truck Festival
25th – Suffolk, Latitude
30th-Aug 2nd – Derbyshire, Y NOT? Festival
AUGUST
16th – Isle of Wight, Robin Hood Adventure Park (with Scouting For Girls)
21st – Blackpool, Winter Gardens (with The Fratellis)
30th – Leeds Festival
29th – Wakefield, Tileyard North (with Ocean Colour Scene)
FEBRUARY 2027 – Headline tour
26th – Belfast, Ireland – Voodoo
27th – Dublin – Academy 2
MARCH 2027
4th – Hull – The Welly Club
5th – Newcastle Upon Tyne – Digital
6th – Glasgow – Warehouse SWG3
11th – Sheffield – The Octagon Centre
12th – Birmingham – O2 Institute Birmingham
13th – Nottingham – The Level
17th – Southampton – The 1865
18th – London – Islington Assembly Hall
19th – Brighton – Brighton – Concorde 2
20th – Bristol – Thekla
April 2027
1st – Norwich – The Waterfront
2nd – Lincoln – Engine Shed
3rd – Manchester – O2 Victoria Warehouse
10th – Paris, France – Supersonic
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