Life Without Buildings to reform for one-off show to celebrate Rough Trade's 50th anniversary

After breaking up in 2002 after the release of the record, the legendary Glasgow art-rock band reissued their final song, “Love Trinity" last year. It was previously only available via a small Australian release after being unearthed by Glasgow label Errol’s Hot Wax. Singer Sue Tompkins recently collaborated with Sleaford Mods for their upcoming record The Demise of Planet X, released this Friday.

The band's sole reunion show will take place at London's KOKO on 20 November with tickets on sale from 16 January.

Talking to Best Fit earlier this month, in conversation with Jason Williamson, Tompkins recalled coming together with the band for the first time and hating the name: "Terrible name. I've got issues with it. Always have...the guys in the band, they were already a band. It was just a funny thing because when they said, 'The name of the band is Life Without Buildings,' I just remember thinking, oh, it's a bit of a mouthful. It doesn't really flow. But now I know the links - like Robert in the band was really into Japan and lots of links to David Sylvian and all these sort of other things that I honestly didn't know. I just remember thinking, Life Without Buildings?"

Other events planned for the Rough Trade anniversary include a rare London performance by Jim O’Rourke with Eiko Ishibashi at Union Chapel on 13 April as well as a series of limited vinyl releases – 50 albums from 1976 to 2025. The list includes works by Patti Smith, Aphex Twin, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The xx, and Rina Sawayama and will be released as Rough Trade Exclusive vinyl editions in five batches of ten titles, with the first set to arrive in February 2026 and the final batch in October.

The retailer is launching Rough Trade Club: Essential, a year-long vinyl subscription limited to 500 members. Subscribers will receive 12 of the anniversary titles, one per month, pressed on exclusive vinyl and accompanied by inserts with new liner notes. The subscription, priced at £395, also includes existing club benefits like free online shipping and event priority, plus anniversary-specific merchandise.

Lawrence Montgomery, Rough Trade's Managing Director, said the anniversary was "a proud moment," noting the company's founding principle as "a community space built on passion and a shared love of discovery."