The North London troupe will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album at Oslo, Hackney, alongside a new generation of London artists.
Twenty years after emerging from London’s grassroots music scene, The Holloways are calling for continued support for the small venues that give new artists the space to experiment, develop and build an audience.
The band, whose debut album So This Is Great Britain? turns 20 this October, will mark the anniversary with a hometown London show at Oslo, Hackney on Friday 30 October 2026.
Joining them are Gemma Rogers and Hackney four-piece Martians Don’t Scare Me, bringing together different generations of London’s independent music scene on the same bill.
For The Holloways, the choice of a grassroots-sized venue and emerging support acts reflects the environment that created the band in the first place.
The Holloways formed at Nambucca on Holloway Road in the early 2000s, at a time when small London venues were places not only to perform, but to meet other musicians, test new material and discover new bands.
Bryn Fowler of The Holloways says:
“Small rooms are the proving ground. The experiment zone. Without grassroots venues you lose the next generation and the music lovers lose their connection to their next music love.
“They are where you hone your craft. The instant reaction from the crowd, good or bad, lets you know what’s really working and produces braver and better musicians.”
It is an experience The Holloways know first-hand. Their early years were built around the community surrounding Nambucca, where musicians met one another, formed bands, shared bills and developed their sound in front of live audiences.
Two decades later, their anniversary show will put that same principle into practice by sharing the stage with artists building audiences of their own.
Gemma Rogers has developed a reputation for sharp lyricism, big melodies and live performances with an unpredictable edge. Her music has received BBC Radio 6 Music playlisting and praise from CLASH and Louder Than War, while recent appearances include WOMAD.
Martians Don’t Scare Me formed in Hackney in 2023 and are made up of Liv on vocals and bass, Ezra on drums, and guitarists and vocalists George and Gael. With three members sharing vocal duties, the band move between indie rock, punk, emo and post-punk.
The date of the gig falls exactly 20 years after So This Is Great Britain? was released on 30 October 2006.
Featuring tracks including “Generator”, “Dancefloor” and “Two Left Feet”, the album became closely associated with Britain’s mid-2000s indie scene and introduced The Holloways to audiences across the country.
To mark the anniversary, So This Is Great Britain? is also being pressed on vinyl for the first time.
Every ticket holder attending the Oslo show will have the opportunity to purchase a signed, limited-edition vinyl copy at the venue, making available a format that was never produced during the album’s original release.
The Holloways will perform material from So This Is Great Britain? alongside favourites from across their catalogue.
For a band whose story began inside a North London music venue, the anniversary is not simply an opportunity to reminisce. It is also a reminder of what small venues make possible: somewhere for artists to experiment, somewhere for audiences to discover their next favourite band and somewhere for the next generation of British music to begin.
