Barns Courtney has never been the type to file down his edges for anyone, and his latest release makes that abundantly clear. The British rock firebrand just dropped a blistering live version of fan-favorite anthem “The Kids,” out now via Avenue A/Virgin Records, alongside the announcement of a brand-new live album, Live and Wired, arriving June 19th.

Watch the official music video for “The Kids” here: https://youtu.be/eiSgMz97vL8

Recorded during his co-headline UK/EU run with The Struts, Live and Wired strips away studio polish in favor of sweat, grit, and the kind of crowd-sung catharsis you can’t fake. Where the original “The Kids” carried a defiant, youthful pulse, this live cut leans headfirst into the chaos — Courtney’s vocals pushed to the brink, a crowd hollering back just as loud. The accompanying music video, pieced together from multiple tours, feels less like a promo clip and more like a highlight reel of controlled combustion.

Melodic Magazine, which premiered the track, described the record as “a fiery, passionate live album that gives a raw, authentic voice and soul to Courtney’s songs that fans already know and love.” It’s a fitting description for an artist whose reputation has always hinged on live shows that teeter gloriously on the brink of collapse.

The timing couldn’t be better. Courtney is currently crisscrossing North America on his Unplugged Solo Acoustic Sessions Tour — a 25-city run offering a rare, stripped-back look at one of rock’s most volatile performers before the full-volume chapter detonates. Standout dates include Brooklyn’s Sultan Room, Los Angeles’ Moroccan Lounge on May 3rd, and a European leg that runs through Dublin, London, Paris, Berlin, and beyond, wrapping up in Warsaw on June 12th.

For anyone who’s followed Courtney’s story — the label collapses, the sofa-surfing years, the platinum single recorded in an abandoned care home with filing cabinets for drums — Live and Wired isn’t a comeback. It’s just proof that the chaos never actually stopped. Pre-order the album, grab a ticket while the rooms are still standing, and turn it up loud.

Pre-Order Live and Wired: https://futures.ffm.to/liveandwired
Stream “The Kids”: https://futures.ffm.to/thekids