For a band that only released their first single (‘Tired Boy’) in 2024, Sunday (1994) have quickly built a cult following in the UK. The band may be based in LA now, but founding member and guitarist Lee Newell hails from Slough – a blend of origins that helps them resonate on both sides of the Atlantic. Their dreamy, cinematic sound is woven together with a carefully crafted visual identity: vocalist Paige Turner is almost exclusively seen in black and white, and fans were encouraged to mirror this palette (plus the crushed pink that has become a signature of their EP artwork) throughout the band’s recent tour.
Sunday (1994) aren’t just selling music; they’re selling an aesthetic, a world, a way of belonging. At their shows, you’ll spot people with a small black cross drawn on their cheek, echoing Turner’s own. Prairie dresses drift through the crowd. It’s a community as much as it is a fanbase. And yet, the music holds its own completely – especially when Turner and Newell, who are not just bandmates but partners in real life, step onto the stage together.
This year alone, they’ve taken to UK stages more than most British bands: first with a headline tour in May, then for festival season (including Reading & Leeds), and finally for an autumn run, which marks their third transatlantic trip in 2025. Despite releasing no new music since spring, the demand for tickets only intensified, allowing them to take on larger venues with confidence. Their setlist barely changed from earlier in the year, not that anyone minded.
The band performed all 15 of their released songs – their entire catalogue. There were no surprise tracks or hints of what’s next, but these songs don’t need embellishment. Fans know every lyric, yet their enthusiasm hasn’t dimmed in the slightest. That Sunday (1994) have released 15 polished, fully realised tracks within a year is remarkable, but it is a result of Turner and Newell spending a decade writing together. Their partnership is the beating heart of the band, the engine that allowed them to hit the ground running and fill venues like Rescue Rooms so early in their career. There are no filler songs on either project; even the singles blend seamlessly into the wider bodies of work, each track holding equal weight.
The result is a live set with no lulls, and no dips in energy. Choosing a highlight feels almost impossible. Their tradition of unveiling a lyric sign continued with ‘Picking Flowers‘, the words “NOTHING STAYS THE SAME” emblazoned in stark black and white like a bold newspaper headline. Long-time fans also recognised the thoughtful pairing of songs, particularly the ‘Devotion’ tracks and their self-titled ‘sister songs’. ‘Stained Glass Window’ and ‘Silver Ford’, for example, were placed side by side to let the full narrative unfold, as Turner tells the story of going from a toxic relationship that was bad for her health to finding someone who she visions a future with.
The band even spoke about recognising faces from their Bodega show earlier this year – a touching acknowledgement of their rapidly growing community. And with other excellent bands such as English Teacher and Night Swimming playing in Nottingham on the same night, it would’ve been easy for fans to choose something new. But they didn’t. They came back to Sunday (1994). In a city overflowing with live music, drawing such a committed audience twice in six months is no small achievement and speaks volumes about the band’s magnetic pull.
Support came from Matt-Felix, whose blend of emotive lyricism and infectious indie-pop energy set the tone perfectly for the night – and by the time Sunday (1994) stepped back into the monochrome glow of the stage they’ve made entirely their own, it was clear: this band aren’t just building momentum; they’re building a movement. There’s still time to get on board, if you are yet to do so.
Photos: Gemma Cockrell
