Meet Millichamp: Southampton’s Rising Indie-Pop Duo Bringing DIY Spirit to the Stage
There is something rather special about discovering an emerging band just as they begin to find their feet — before the venues get bigger, the crowds get larger and the songs become familiar to thousands of people.
For Southampton-based duo Millichamp, that journey is already gathering pace.
Formed in 2025, Millichamp brings together lead singer and songwriter Tom Millichamp and drummer Connor Osgood, two musicians who have spent much of their lives dreaming about playing stages around the world. Now, that dream is beginning to become a reality.
And what makes their story particularly interesting is the way they are building it.
Two musicians, one band and a very DIY approach
Rather than going it alone in what they describe as a brutal music industry, Tom and Connor decided to form a band — combining their experience, creativity and different influences to create something together.
Between them, they have decades of songwriting, touring and playing experience. That has given Millichamp the confidence to take a genuinely hands-on approach to almost every aspect of the band.
From writing and recording music to social media, touring and bookings, much of Millichamp is managed by the two of them.
Naturally, when two people are responsible for virtually everything, there are going to be disagreements along the way. But the pair have a simple way of bringing things back into focus:
What’s best for the band?
And increasingly, there is another question at the heart of their decisions:
What’s best for the fans?
That fan-first mentality runs through much of what Millichamp are creating — from their music and live shows to their approach to touring and even the merchandise they produce.
It is a wonderfully human approach to making music in an increasingly digital world.
A lifetime of music in the making
Both Tom and Connor began learning their instruments when they were around six years old. For them, music has therefore never really been something that suddenly appeared in adulthood — it has been part of their lives for as long as they can remember.
Growing up on the south coast of England, they also developed a strong connection to the unique atmosphere of the region.
There is a certain calmness to the seaside mindset, and hometown shows hold a particular significance. But while Southampton remains home, the pair are discovering that their happiest place may actually be somewhere rather further away:
out on the road.
Travelling to new cities, meeting new people and sharing their music with audiences they have never met before is becoming an increasingly important part of the Millichamp experience.
And, as they put it, the fact that some of those people actually like their music is “soooo cool”.
We rather love that attitude.
Where indie meets pop
Musically, Millichamp sit within the indie-pop world, drawing inspiration from a broad mix of mainstream and alternative artists.
Their influences include Sam Fender, Harry Styles and Paolo Nutini, among others — a combination that gives plenty of room for experimentation.
The result is a songwriting process where almost anything can happen.
A song might begin in one direction and suddenly take an unexpected turn, creating something quite different from what was originally imagined. Rather than resisting that unpredictability, Tom and Connor embrace it.
And that sense of freedom extends beyond the songs themselves.
Their influences can be felt in decisions about where they tour, how they construct their live show, what merchandise they create and even how their visual content comes together.
At the heart of it all is an idea they describe as “by the people, for the people” — a philosophy they believe is particularly important in live music.
From Southampton to Europe
For a band formed only in 2025, Millichamp are already moving at an impressive pace.
This autumn sees the duo heading out on the road as support for talented singer-songwriter Ben Ellis, joining his Time Slows On Tour 2026 across Europe and the UK.
The tour begins in Cologne on 30 September, followed by dates in Hamburg, Brussels and Paris before returning to the UK for shows in Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and London.
Millichamp are confirmed as support on several of the UK dates, including Thekla in Bristol on 8 October, O2 Institute2 Birmingham on 9 October, Manchester Club Academy on 12 October and Scala London on 13 October.
The London show at Scala will be a particularly exciting stop, with Millichamp joining Ben Ellis on the bill on 13 October 2026.
For an emerging band with their sights firmly set on bigger stages, it is an exciting opportunity to introduce their music to new audiences across the UK and Europe.
Coming home to The Joiners
But perhaps the most exciting date in Millichamp's calendar is still to come.
On Thursday 22 October 2026, Tom and Connor will take to the stage for their debut UK headline show at one of Southampton's most famous and beloved music venues:
The Joiners.
There could hardly be a more fitting place.
The Joiners has been a fixture of Southampton's live music scene since 1968 and has become renowned for giving emerging artists a place to play, grow and connect directly with audiences.
The intimate venue has welcomed artists including Oasis, Coldplay, Green Day, Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran and Muse during their careers, while NME named it Britain's Best Small Venue in 2013.
Today, The Joiners continues to describe itself as the home of independent live music, celebrating 58 years of the venue and its place in the city's musical heritage.
For two musicians who grew up on the south coast, playing their first UK headline show at The Joiners is therefore about much more than simply having another date in the diary.
It is a homecoming.
It is a milestone.
And it is the beginning of what could be a very exciting chapter for Millichamp.
Go and see Millichamp while they're still discovering their next chapter
There is something wonderfully exciting about seeing an emerging band in an intimate venue.
You are not simply watching an established act perform songs you already know. You are witnessing a band developing its sound, building its audience and discovering exactly where its music can take it.
Millichamp's story is still being written — and their first UK headline show at The Joiners is a perfect opportunity to become part of it.
If you're in or around Southampton on 22 October 2026, head to The Joiners, discover Tom and Connor for yourself and support a talented young band at an important moment in their journey.
Millichamp live at The Joiners
Thursday 22 October 2026
Southampton
And if you want to follow their journey, you can find Millichamp on Instagram.
From Southampton to Europe and back home again, Millichamp are proving that you don't necessarily need a huge team behind you to start building something meaningful.
Sometimes, all you need are two musicians, a collection of songs, a shared vision — and the determination to get out there and play them.
We can't wait to see where they go next.
Collection: The Art of Digital Presence
