PLUS – 2026 UK HEADLINE TOUR AND HEADLINE AT MANCHESTER O2 RITZ (1,600) COMPLETELY SOLD OUT!
As we steer closer to Arkayla’s forthcoming sold-out UK headline tour, the Manchester frontrunners have unveiled their highly anticipated EP, ‘BACK TO BELLE VUE’.
Continuing to capture British nostalgia through a contemporary lens, Arkayla have performed on a variety of big stages including Latitude, Truck, Kendal Calling, not to mention they will be performing at Leeds Fest on the Main Stage surrounding the release of the EP. Housing continued support from a plethora of credible tastemakers including BBC Radio 1, Dork, Clash, Wonderland, Notion, Rolling Stone UK, and many more. Closing out 2025 with their highly-acclaimed EP ‘DON’T LOOK FOR ANSWERS’, the boys have returned with their latest unmissable project.
Spread across 4 tracks including pre-released singles ‘Run Kid’ and ‘Doba’, the ‘BACK TO BELLE VUE’ artwork captures images of the old Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester, courtesy of Dylan’s great Grandfather who was the lead zookeeper. Centered around boys’ local stomping grounds we are gifted with yet another quality project from the trailblazers. Introduced with ‘Run Kid’ a punk-leaning track that’s bursting with energy, ‘Vivian’ and ‘My Number’ take a slightly somber route whilst seamlessly capturing the essence of summer. Anchored with their bold percussive undertones, the soft acoustic strings create the perfect contrast, reminiscent of the 90’s and 00’s soundscapes. Closing out with ‘Doba’ an up-beat release inspired by Aleksander Doba a ground-breaking explorer, Arkayla have continued to set the bar high with ‘BACK TO BELLE VUE’.
Speaking on the EP, drummer Dylan explains; “‘Vivian’ was written about my Great Grandad, Matt Kelly, who was Head Zookeeper at Belle Vue from 1945 to 1975. In 1946, after transporting snakes to the BBC to film an animal programme, Matt was bitten by one of the snakes – the day before his daughter, my Great Aunt, was born.Knowing his wife was heavily pregnant, Matt told the doctors not to tell her what had happened, fearing the shock might affect her or the baby. There was no antidote available in Manchester, and the only supply in the country was at London Zoo. As Matt became partially blind and paralysed from the venom, the police were sent down to London to retrieve it.
The doctor they needed to contact, Dr Viv, was on his day off and at the cinema with his wife, so the police had to enter the screening to find him. What followed was a race to get the antidote from London to Manchester in time to save Matt’s life.
After he was treated, Matt was finally able to visit his newborn daughter. In honour of the doctor who had saved his life, the family decided to name her Vivian.
It’s a mad story, and a day that will forever be etched into my family’s history, as will my Great Grandad’s role at Belle Vue.”
On the live side, the band have just completed their biggest UK headline tour so far, playing eight cities across the country. Every date sold out, with close to 1,400 tickets sold across the run. The tour was bridged by a huge moment at Neighbourhood Weekender, where the band played to a packed-out tent of around 8,000 people, please see here and here.
The band have already announced and sold-out their next UK headline tour for September 2026, moving an incredible number of tickets, just shy of 5,000, more than triple the size of their most recent run. Across 12 dates, the tour includes Manchester’s O2 Ritz, where they’ve sold nearly 1,500 tickets for a single headline show, more tickets than they sold across their entire previous headline tour.
About Arkayla
Since their debut in 2023, Arkayla have become known for their whirlwind live shows and sharp lyrical instincts, earning key early supporters across radio and press including BBC Radio 6 (Guy Garvey, Cerys Matthews), Radio X’s John Kennedy (X-Posure Hot One), BBC Radio 1 (Jess Iszatt), Virgin Radio, XS Manchester Record of the Week, Noctis Magazine, Wonderland, 1883 Magazine, BBC Radio London’s Gary Crowley, and many more. Having released their latest EP at the end of last year, DON’T LOOK FOR ANSWERS, the band marked another pivotal moment, winning over new fans and increasing their Instagram following to 58k, gaining over 96,000 monthly Spotify listeners.
Arkayla have already supported the likes of Andy Goodwin, Seb Lowe, The Lathums, The Royston Club and Blossoms. Alongside their headline tour across the UK, they’ve cultivated a loyal, ever-expanding fanbase through word-of-mouth and magnetic performances. Hitting a milestone few DIY bands their size achieve, the boys headlined the 900-capacity Manchester O2 Academy, a huge moment in a city known for its love of guitar bands.
While Manchester’s musical history looms large, Arkayla are determined to leave their own mark. Blending era-spanning guitar influences with emotional songwriting and unrivalled live presence, the band have committed to the traditional path, putting in the miles on stage and building a grassroots following that now spans far beyond their hometown.
Formed through a string of serendipitous connections, some made in school corridors, others in college rehearsal rooms, and even later down the line, Arkayla are a collision of different worlds and personalities, but a story rooted in fate and a shared, unwavering love for guitar music. Now gearing up for a sold-out UK tour and their latest ‘BACK TO BELLE SUE’ EP, Arkayla shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
LIVE DATES:
27th AUGUST – LEEDS FESTIVAL
28th AUGUST – VICTORIOUS FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER UK HEADLINE TOUR
[SOLD OUT]
17th SEPTEMBER – SOCIAL, HULL
18th SEPTEMBER – ROCKIN CHAI, WREXHAM
19th SEPTEMBER – THE SUGAR MILL, STOKE ON TRENT
24th SEPTEMBER – KING TUT’S WAH WAH HUT, GLASGOW
25th SEPTEMBER – INDEPENDENT, SUNDERLAND
26th SEPTEMBER – O2 RITZ, MANCHESTER
1st OCTOBER – CASTLE AND FALCON, BIRMINGHAM
2nd OCTOBER – THE WATERFRONT STUDIO, NORWICH
3rd OCTOBER – BRUDENELL, LEEDS
6th OCTOBER – DINGWALLS, LONDON
9th OCTOBER – GREEN DOOR STORE, BRIGHTON
10th OCTOBER – CLWB IFOR BACH, CARDIFF
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