Nothing But Thieves have always been a band built on connection — the kind forged in sweat‑fogged rooms, in the shared catharsis of a chorus, in the strange electricity that passes between strangers who suddenly feel like family. With their fifth album Stray Dogs, released today via RCA/Sony Music, that instinct isn’t just present; it’s the entire thesis.
“Stray Dogs is about finding your people… connecting through live music. The album is for the community we’ve built over the last decade,” the band say. And for once, that’s not press‑release sentiment — it’s the lived reality of a group who’ve spent ten years building one of the most fiercely loyal fanbases in modern alt‑rock.
The Southend five‑piece didn’t chase reinvention this time. Instead, they went home — back to Angelic Studios, where their debut took shape, and back to the DIY spirit that defined their earliest days. Rather than writing on the road, they locked in for five months and created the album together, in real time, as a unit.
The result is their most cohesive work yet: a record that feels like a live set captured in amber. Songs rise and fall like the arc of a night on stage, blurring the line between studio precision and the communal chaos of a Nothing But Thieves show.
Last year marked ten years of NBT — four albums, billions of streams, global tours, and a fanbase that treats the band less like a brand and more like a home. Stray Dogs arrives after a run of singles that hinted at the album’s emotional range: the euphoric Evolution, the title track’s rallying cry, the 90s‑leaning Baby Kool (Evelyn), and the fragile beauty of A Different Kind of Happiness.
Produced entirely by Dom Craik for the first time, and engineered by Mark Rankin (QOTSA, Iggy Pop), the album’s 12 tracks include the towering focus track #5 — a song that feels built for arenas, yet rooted in intimacy.
NBT’s rollout for Stray Dogs has been pure fan‑service in the best way: guerilla posters, cryptic YouTube drops, a secret Newcastle gig, and — in a move that feels almost mythic — three shows in three countries in 24 hours. Utrecht, Brussels, London. No pyro, no spectacle. Just connection.
It’s the same ethos behind their September out‑store tour, already sold out, bringing stripped‑back sets, Q&As, and signings to the fans who’ve carried them from tiny clubs to global arenas.
Fresh off supporting Biffy Clyro at Finsbury Park and headlining festivals across Europe, the band now look toward their biggest headline tour to date. Kicking off January 2027, it spans the UK, Ireland, Europe, the US and Canada — including Manchester’s Co‑Op Live, London’s O2 Arena, and two instantly sold‑out nights at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome.
It’s a tour built for a band who’ve quietly become one of the UK’s most impactful modern rock exports: 1.2 million album sales, 2 billion streams, multiple gold and platinum records, and a reputation for live shows that feel less like performances and more like gatherings.
For Nothing But Thieves, Stray Dogs isn’t just album five. It’s a statement of identity — a celebration of the misfits, the outsiders, the people who found each other through this band. It’s a reminder that belonging doesn’t have to be loud or dramatic; sometimes it’s just the feeling of being in a room with people who get it.
And after a decade of evolution, experimentation, and relentless touring, NBT have made something rare: a record that feels both expansive and deeply personal. A record that understands its audience because it was built with them in mind.
Out-store Tour Dates (all dates sold out):
Fri 25th Sept – London – HMV Oxford Street (signing only)
Sun 27th Sept – Trowbridge – The Civic (Sound Knowledge)
Mon 28th Sept – Kingston – Circuit (Banquet Records) – 6pm & 8pm
Thurs 8th Oct – Norwich – UEA (Rough Trade)
Wed 14th Oct – Liverpool – Content (Jacaranda)
Thurs 15th – Bristol – Prospect (Rough Trade)
Headline 2027 Tour Dates:
January 2027:
Tues 12th – Paris – Zénith
Weds 13th – Cologne – Lanxess Arena
Fri 15th – Amsterdam – Ziggo Dome *sold out*
Sat 16th – Amsterdam – Ziggo Dome *sold out*
Mon 18th – Zurich – The Hall
Wed 20th – Munich – Olympiahalle
Thurs 21st – Lodz – Atlas Arena
Fri 22nd – Prague – O2 Universum
Sun 24th – Milan – Unipol Forum
Mon 25th – Vienna - Gasometer
Wed 27th – Ludwigsburg – MHP Arena
Fri 29th – Berlin - Max-Schmeling-Halle
Sat 30th – Hamburg - Sporthalle
Sun 31st – Antwerp – AFAS Dome
February 2027:
Tues 2nd – Dublin – 3Arena
Thurs 4th – Nottingham – Motorpoint Arena
Fri 5th – London – The O2
Mon 8th – Cardiff – Utilita Arena
Wed 10th – Glasgow – OVO Hydro
Fri 12th – Manchester – Co-Op Live
Sat 13th – Birmingham – bp pulse LIVE
March 2027:
Tues 30th – Vancouver – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Wed 31st – Seattle – Paramount Theatre
April 2027:
Thurs 1st – Portland – Crystal Ballroom
Sat 3rd – Oakland – Fox Theatre
Sun 4th – Los Angeles – Hollywood Palladium
Tues 6th – San Diego – SOMA
Wed 7th – Phoenix – The Van Buren
Fri 9th – Denver – Mission Ballroom
Sun 11th – Minneapolis – The Fillmore
Mon 12th – Chicago – The Salt Shed
Tues 13th – Detroit – The Fillmore
Thurs 15th – McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania – Roxian Theatre
Fri 16th – Philadelphia – The Fillmore
Sat 17th – New York – Brooklyn Paramount
Mon 19th – Boston – House of Blues
Tues 20th – Montreal – Mtelus
Wed 21st – Toronto – Massey Hall
