Marsupials in Motion: The Wombats Light Up Minneapolis
October 30, 2025 - Minneapolis, MN
An increase in marsupial stuffed animals and costumes floating around the city are how you know The Wombats are in town. The Wombats brought their latest tour to The Fillmore in Minneapolis on October 30th. The English indie rock band has been a band for over twenty years and delivered a show fit for true pros.
All acts hailing from the United Kingdom, Red Rum Club was the first to start off the night. They had previously opened for The Wombats back in 2023, so if you saw them on that tour, then they were a familiar name. Being at the show in Minneapolis in 2023, I was excited to see Red Rum Club again. They gave off such great energy last time, and it was even more elevated with two years under their belt.
My favorite part of Red Rum Club is their trumpet player, lovingly nicknamed Joe the Blow. He is one of the most expressive and passionate trumpet players I’ve ever seen and really puts his all into his instrument. The fans in the crowd loved every time he played. They had a great setlist with songs “American Nights & English Mornings,” “Would You Rather Be Lonely,” and “Kids Addicted.” The lead singer, Fran Doran, moved around the stage like he owned it. He spent time interacting with his bandmates and the crowd, constantly garnering chants from them. They closed out their set with “Vanilla.” In my opinion, this was their most fun song of the night. The beat and lyrics made it so easy to vibe to, and the repetition of the word “vanilla” made it easier for crowd participation.
Next up on the docket was Only The Poets. The four-piece English rock band formed in 2017 and has started to build up a name for themselves. Previously opening for Louis Tomlinson’s UK and Europe leg of the tour in 2022, this tour with The Wombats was their first opportunity to be in the United States. Seizing their opportunity, Only The Poets started off strongly with “JUMP!”
After getting the crowd hyped up and ready for the rest of their set, Only The Poets captivated the crowd with their Britpop sound (think Oasis and The Cure). Promoting their first album, set to release in January 2026, the band played a majority of the already-released songs. My favorite song from their set was “Emotionally Hungover,” followed by their final song, “I Keep On Messing It Up.” They heavily emphasized the late summer night driving vibes, which I found quite appealing.
The Wombats stepped out onstage about two minutes late, which I have to wonder if it was on purpose given that their first song was “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come.” Lead singer Matthew Murphy felt the good energy immediately. After a brief nod to the new album, the band transcended into four of their hits, “Moving to New York,” “Cheetah Tongue,” and “Techno Fan.” These songs sent fans into a full spiral of never-ending cheers the entire time.
Their newest album, Oh! The Ocean, came out earlier this year, and one of my favorites off that record after the first listen was “Kate Moss.” The line “It’s a beautiful day in my neighborhood. We've got sorrow behind our eyes, but we look so good” feels like a witty twist on “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which was what initially drew me into it. It played off this feeling of taking off the rose-colored glasses when looking back at nostalgic memories. Seeing the song performed live only further cemented it as my top song from the album.
The band’s versatility continued throughout the night. One moment we were jamming out to “Pink Lemonade” and “Kill the Director,” then Murphy pulled out an acoustic version of “Lethal Combination.” All the while, Murphy interjected with his banter and stories about each song.
The Wombats show wouldn’t be complete without a visit from someone (or multiple people) in a wombat suit. At the show, wombats came out two separate times. Once with a trumpet in hand, and at the end of the show, two wombats came out to dance with the band and close out the show. It’s a nice tradition and always manages to get the crowd excited.
To no surprise, “Greek Tragedy” and “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” were the two encore songs. The smiles spread through the crowd as friends danced and jumped around together. The Wombats always leave me in high spirits. Even the venue staff were noting how this was their favorite show of the year, which should be taken as high praise from people who are at concerts for a living.
