Meet Poppy King, the 17-year-old gig promoter rewriting Liverpool’s music scene

At just 17, Poppy King is helping reshape Liverpool’s live music culture. As a young gig promoter, she’s bringing fresh ideas to the city’s do-it-yourself music scene and giving emerging artists the space to be heard.

Her journey began last autumn at The Jacaranda. After gigging around the city herself, Poppy approached the team with a proposal to host 16+ shows. With no prior experience but plenty of drive, she booked her first event, which sold out in just two weeks.

Since then, she has launched her own “Underground” series and become a recognisable name for grassroots gigs in the city. Her age, far from being a limitation, helps her connect with the younger crowd she is creating space for. She is part of the scene she is building.

This weekend marks a major step forward with her biggest event to date: a multi-band, multi-day festival at Jacaranda Baltic. The line-up features some of the most exciting young talent from the city’s underground, and for Poppy, it feels like more than just another gig. It is a moment that brings everything together: ambition, community and belief in her vision.

You get tickets to this weekend’s Underground Baltic Festival here, weekend tickets are just £15 and day tickets just £10

“I’d never done anything like this before, but I’d been around the scene enough to know there was space for something new. I wanted to put on gigs that people my age could actually go to and feel part of.” — Poppy King

Her taste blends 90s alt-rock with an eye for what is next. Dream bookings include The Breeders or Pixies, but she is just as excited by new acts no one has heard of yet. She curates line-ups based on sound, energy and opportunity, sometimes booking with strategy, sometimes simply to give people their first break.

She has had her share of challenges: last-minute cancellations, stressful turnarounds. But she is learning on the job and embracing every moment. While Liverpool’s music scene is full of community and creativity, she would love to see more all-female bands coming through.

Her advice is simple. Go to gigs, meet people, learn, and then just go for it. Message bands. Reach out to other promoters. The scene will not change unless someone new makes the first move. And Poppy King has already made hers.