We take a trip to The Palais - and down memory lane - for a very special album listening event with Aussie pop-rock four-piece Five Seconds of Summer...
Seeing Five Seconds of Summer in the flesh in Nottingham felt like two worlds colliding. Back in my teenage years in Portugal, the four-piece band — Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin — were the soundtrack to growing up. From She Looks So Perfect blasting through headphones to messy sing-alongs with friends, their songs meant youth, chaos and belonging.
Fast-forward to 2025, and here they were, just a few metres away at The Palais in Nottingham, the very venue that once soundtracked my own student nights out in Nottingham and where I hold so many memories (and the loss of them haha...)
Having never been to an album playback before, I have to admit it was a little strange. The fans stood scattered across the venue floor, listening intently to the music; yes, a privilege, but also oddly lonely. There was no stage presence, no flashing lights, no instruments, just the music playing through the speakers, knowing the band was somewhere in the building but not yet in the room. It felt intimate yet distant at the same time, like being let into a secret but through a slightly fogged window.
Still, the excitement was undeniable. Every track from the (on that night) yet-to-be-released Everyone’s a Star sparked quiet cheers, nods and exchanged smiles between everyone: a sense of community, a fan base. Some swayed, some closed their eyes to soak in the sound. Even in silence, the sense of shared anticipation made the moment special.
A few minutes after the album finished playing, with a few excited cheers and some voices waiting to scream, Luke, Michael, Calum and Ashton finally appeared for the Q&A. They were goofy and endearing, entering wearing sunglasses indoors — classic pop-star behaviour, even in the dark. But somehow, they pulled it off. Sitting casually on a sofa, they chatted, laughed and bounced off each other’s energy.
Fans’ questions ranged from heartfelt to downright funny. Asked about their favourite things about being in the UK, the answers were both predictable and endearing: “Since being in the UK, I have had Nandos four times,” Michael said without hesitation, but refusing to admit his regular order. Despite not making the top favourite UK things list, Greggs and Wetherspoons, two very British classics, made their way into conversation.
Having had just four hours to explore Nottingham before the event, the band proudly shared that they’d visited the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, ticking off a local landmark.
When the talk turned more reflective, Ashton spoke about their connection to UK fans. “I feel actual passion here,” he said. “From our perspective, the way our band has grown, and some people may have seen us at our first gigs in the UK, it is astonishing to us.
“To see how much of a romance we have with the UK, and how good things have been for both fans and the band. The UK culture and the UK way of accepting and following bands is just such a blessing to us.”
Luke shared the same thoughts, adding, “I know every time we play gigs here, the crowds are going to be amazing.
“You’ve loved our musical journey, you’ve loved our live journey, and every time we come here, I know that whatever we release and whatever we play live, it’s going to be received well.”
There were also plenty of laughs as the band mentioned each others’ solo careers and lives outside the fame as some of them are now married and with children. But the band all echoed the same feeling that, despite exploring their own creative paths, their “big dream was to never break up and be creatively free,” as Ashton put it.
Luke reflected on how this new record marks a turning point for them: “This is the most confident about an album I have ever felt,” he admitted, a statement that drew cheers from the room.
Yet for all the insight and fun, the Q&A felt over far too soon — it was roughly 30 minutes in total. Part of me secretly hoped they’d surprise us with a live performance, maybe a stripped-back version of one of the new tracks, or a throwback hit... But instead, they left almost as quickly as they arrived. But not before Ashton tried to get the crowd to form a circle pit — a hilariously doomed idea, as most fans were too busy filming and staring in awe to move. The result? A chaotic, endearing flop that somehow made the night even more memorable.
Musically, Everyone’s a Star feels like a new era for Five Seconds of Summer. It’s more mature, more textured and reflective of how far they’ve come since those pop-punk beginnings. They’re no longer the teenagers I grew up listening to and admiring, they’re men with depth, perspective and new stories to tell, and the record mirrors that evolution — confident, nostalgic, and experimental in all the right ways, matching perfectly their newly alternative looks.
For those who grew up with the band, the event felt like a full-circle moment. It was a chance to see the evolution of both the music and the people behind it. And for newer fans, it offered a glimpse into a band that’s still pushing boundaries, still redefining themselves a decade on.
As the night wrapped up and the crowd spilt back into the Nottingham streets, the event felt like more than just an album preview. It was a reminder of how music grows with us; how a band that once sound-tracked adolescence can still find ways to connect, evolve and surprise.
The new album Everyone’s a Star is now available on streaming services
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