Live Review: The Molotovs & The Dream Machine – The Sugarmill, Stoke
23/01/2026
Me with Matt Cartlidge (The Molotovs) | The Sugarmill – Stoke | Photo by: Steve Adams
Well, we up Hanley, me ducks (if you know, you know), braving the cold, to see if one of the hottest bands at the minute, The Molotovs can “do it“, on a cold, wet Friday night in Stoke.
After a couple of pre-gig beers in town, it was the all too familiar five-minute wander to The Sugarmill, a venue that’s soaked up more than its fair share of guitar history.
On the way, we bumped into frontman Matt Cartlidge, one shout and he was over, greeting us like old mates rather than fans. We chatted venues, Stoke’s music past and I told him I’d spent a fair chunk of my youth up here watching iconic bands roll through. He seemed genuinely interested which is always a good sign.
We were inside early enough to catch soundcheck, the band wasted no time either, thirty seconds in and they were already tearing through covers by The Housemartins, The Clash, and even a soul track Matt had written himself. Plenty of back-and-forth with the crowd too. Somebody asked bass player and vocalist Issey Cartlidge what new bands she was listening to, I was eager to hear her reply as i’m a huge supporter of the grassroots scene, The Cases got a namecheck, the girl definitely has good taste there. She later described The Sugarmill as looking like “a scene from a Prince video,” all purple lighting and smoke, she wasn’t wrong, it’s a great venue.
After a quick wander out back to catch up with friends, we were back in just in time for support band The Dream Machine, a five-piece indie rock outfit from New Brighton, Merseyside.
They opened with ‘Fort Perch Rock‘, the title track from their upcoming third album due in February. Frontman Zak McDonnell powered through an eight-song set, ending with a harmonica flourish that bled into the final track. Solid tunes and decent energy, I thought the vocals could do with pushing a bit more but a likeable band all the same.
The Molotovs | The Sugarmill – Stoke | Photo by: Steve Adams
By the time The Molotovs hit the stage, The Sugarmill was rammed! A sold-out crowd of around 500. Kicking off with ‘Johnny Don’t Be Scared‘, the B-side to new single ‘Rhythm of Yourself‘, Matt strode out in a sharp silver suit, channeling The Jam, Sex Pistols, The Clash, and Dexys all rolled into one. Influences worn proudly, but never lazily.
What stood out was the crowd, no mosh pit but plenty of tapping feet, nodding heads and curious faces, it felt like a room full of people discovering something in real time. Talking to a few punters around me, most hadn’t been listening long but they were very much on board, there is something so infectious about this band.
The Molotovs | The Sugarmill – Stoke | Photo by: Steve Adams
Izzy was magnetic all night, her facial expressions doing as much talking as the lyrics. Dressed in a black Charleston-style outfit with red knee-high boots, she owned the stage.
Fast, sharp three-minute songs came thick and fast, barely a breath between them. ‘My Metallic Wife‘, ‘Newsflash‘, and a blistering cover of ‘Suffragette City‘ by David Bowie kept the pace relentless.
During ‘Daydreaming‘, Matt jumped into the crowd, hugging a fan mid-song, a proper moment. Nine of the eleven tracks played came from the upcoming album (out 30 January), which Matt reminded us more than once is gunning for a Top 10 chart spot and available to pre-order at the merch stand, proudly run by their mum, a full on family unit.
‘More More More‘ signalled the end of the main set, with Matt sitting at the front snapping photos before disappearing briefly.
The encore saw drummer Noah step forward with a cracking drum solo before they launched into ‘Get A Life‘, the opening track of the new album was the closing tune to a tight 1 hour 15 minute set tonight.
Big applause, big smiles and plenty of people hanging around afterward hoping for a glimpse of the band.
The Molotovs didn’t just “do it” in Stoke… They owned it.
The Molotovs | The Sugarmill – Stoke | Photo by: Steve Adams
