Two Door Cinema Club

Biography

Two Door Cinema Club are a Northern Irish rock band formed in Bangor, County Down, in 2007. The band consists of Alex Trimble (vocals, rhythm guitar, beats, synths), Sam Halliday (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Kevin Baird (bass, synths, backing vocals).
The band's debut album, Tourist History×Tourist History17 February 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Cigarettes in the Theatre3:342Come Back Home3:243Do You Want It All?3:294This Is the Life3:315Something Good Can Work2:446I Can Talk2:577Undercover Martyn2:488What You Know3:119Eat That Up, It’s Good for You3:4510You’re Not Stubborn3:1011Kids3:0412Costume Party3:27, was released on 1 March 2010 by French independent record label Kitsuné Musique. In the United States, where the band are signed to Glassnote Records, the album was released on 27 April 2010. Tourist History was selected for the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year (2010) the following year.
The band's second album, Beacon×Beacon2 August 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 27 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Next Year4:112Handshake3:313Wake Up3:464Sun3:085Someday3:436Sleep Alone3:567The World Is Watching (with Valentina)3:368Settle3:529Spring3:2410Pyramid3:1011Beacon3:2912Sleep Alone (Giraffage remix)3:3713Sleep Alone (Poindexter remix)4:56Disc 21Cigarettes in the Theatre5:062Undercover Martyn3:053Do You Want It All?3:494This Is the Life3:205Something Good Can Work3:116Handshake4:057Costume Party3:408Youre Not Stubborn3:269Settle3:5910Eat That Up, It’s Good for You4:1211What You Know4:3712Sleep Alone3:5513Come Back Home4:1814I Can Talk3:37, was released on 3 September 2012, debuted at number one on the Irish Albums Chart and reached number two in the UK Albums Chart.
The band's third album, Gameshow×Gameshow14 October 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Are We Ready? (Wreck)3:522Bad Decisions4:573Ordinary4:584Gameshow3:525Lavender3:556Fever4:427Invincible4:298Good Morning3:569Surgery4:3610Je viens de là3:45Disc 21Gasoline3:412Sucker4:173Ordinary (Sam Holiday remix)4:274Bad Decisions (Kev’s Summer Time Madness remix)6:105Gameshow (live at Bonnaroo 2016)3:56, was released on 14 October 2016. The first single, "Are We Ready? (Wreck)×Are We Ready? (Wreck)15 June 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Are We Ready? (Wreck)3:50", was released on 14 June 2016 and was debuted on Annie Mac's Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1. Two more singles, "Bad Decisions×Bad Decisions29 August 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Bad Decisions4:58" and the title track, "Gameshow", were released prior to the album and are also included on the track list.
Their fourth album, False Alarm×False Alarm21 June 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Once3:212Talk4:263Satisfaction Guaranteed3:504So Many People4:435Think3:546Nice to See You6:157Break2:108Dirty Air4:069Satellite4:2110Already Gone3:44, was released on 21 June 2019 and featured the singles "Satellite×Satellite24 April 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Satellite3:21" and "Talk". In the following years, they have played regular slots at festivals such as Reading and Leeds Festival and Glastonbury.
Their fifth album, Keep On Smiling×Keep on Smiling2 September 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Messenger AD (intro)2:422Blue Light3:533Everybody’s Cool4:224Lucky3:395Little Piggy4:266Millionaire4:537High3:588Wonderful Life3:199Feeling Strange4:4410Won’t Do Nothing4:4311Messenger HD1:2812Disappearer4:52, was released on 2 September 2022 on Lower Third, their first album on an independent label. It featured the singles "Wonderful Life×Wonderful Life16 June 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Wonderful Life (edit)3:062Wonderful Life3:19", "Lucky×Lucky28 July 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Lucky (edit)3:172Lucky3:40" and "Everybody's Cool".

Formation

Trimble and Halliday first met while attending Bangor Grammar School; the pair later met Baird through mutual friends. The three first performed as a band at the age of 16 on ATL Rock School under the name Life Without Rory; the band finished in last place. Life Without Rory recorded some demos before disbanding; including "Safe in Silence" and "Conscripted By Choice" that are still on the band's inactive MySpace page. Another song, "You Missed the Point" exists in live version and can be viewed on YouTube.
After the demise of this first musical project, Trimble, Halliday and Baird decided to continue working together. In 2007, Two Door Cinema Club was established with the name inspired by Halliday's mispronunciation of the name of the local cinema, the Tudor Cinema. Following an increased interest in the band, the three members declined their university places and commenced work on studio material.

Early releases and Four Words to Stand On (2007–2009)

An EP entitled Four Words to Stand On×Four Words to Stand On26 March 2008 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Cigarettes in the Theatre2:382Do You Want It All?3:263New Houses3:194Undercover Martyn2:545Standing on Ghosts3:31 was released on 26 March 2008 and received attention on a number of websites. The EP was self-recorded and produced and was mixed and mastered by Ryan Mitchell. For the tenth anniversary of the EP, the band publicly released it in March 2018.

Tourist History (2009–2011)

In July 2009, Two Door Cinema Club began recording its debut album at Eastcote Studios in London, with Eliot James. In September 2009, the band began mixing the record with Phillipe Zdar at Motorbass, Zdar's studio in Paris.
In January 2010, Two Door Cinema Club announced the track listing and details of the band's debut album in an interview with NME. The album, entitled Tourist History×Tourist History17 February 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Cigarettes in the Theatre3:342Come Back Home3:243Do You Want It All?3:294This Is the Life3:315Something Good Can Work2:446I Can Talk2:577Undercover Martyn2:488What You Know3:119Eat That Up, It’s Good for You3:4510You’re Not Stubborn3:1011Kids3:0412Costume Party3:27, was released on 26 February 2010 in the Republic of Ireland, 1 March 2010 in the United Kingdom and 27 April 2010 in the U.S. The album was also preceded by the singles "Something Good Can Work×Something Good Can Work30 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASomething Good Can Work2:47BDo You Want It All?3:25", "I Can Talk×I Can Talk20 November 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAI Can Talk2:55BCostume Party3:30".
On 18 January 2011, Two Door Cinema Club appeared on the American late night talk show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing the song, "What You Know", which later became their biggest hit of the record.

Beacon (2011–2013)

In April 2012, the band's official account revealed that a second album was near completion. On 20 June 2012, the band announced Beacon as the title of their second studio album, along with a release date of 3 September 2012 in the UK and 4 September elsewhere. Jacknife Lee, responsible for producing artists such as U2, R.E.M., Snow Patrol and Bloc Party, produced the album.
On 19 July 2012, "Sleep Alone×Sleep Alone20 July 2012 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sleep Alone3:58" was selected as the lead single from Beacon and a "Sleep Alone" SoundCloud player was embedded on the NME site, allowing readers to listen to the single on 19 July 2012; however, the single was not officially released until 21 July. The accompanying music video for the single was uploaded to the band's YouTube channel on 8 August. "Sleep Alone" was also featured in the EA Sports game, FIFA 13.
In early October 2012, it was announced that the second single to be released from Beacon was to be "Sun"; which was released on 18 November. The video for "Sun" had made its debut on the band's YouTube channel on 11 October 2012.
Following the release of Beacon, the band released a four-part tour documentary entitled What We See. Filmed by Gregg Houston from Babysweet Sessions, a company that is friends with the band, the documentary accompanies the band members as they undertake a 2012 European summer tour prior to the release of the second album. Bassist Baird explained, in relation to the film: "Our good friends at Babysweet followed us around for a few weeks so our fans could get an idea of what life is really like for us on the road. Take a peek inside our average day."
Two Door Cinema Club announced in December 2012 that they were playing at the Scottish music festival, T in the Park 2013 in July 2013.

Changing of the Seasons EP (2013–2016)

On 8 August 2013, the band announced that a new EP entitled Changing of the Seasons×Changing of the Seasons1 January 2013 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Changing of the Seasons3:432Crystal3:223Golden Veins4:164Changing of the Seasons - Monsieur Adi Remix6:23 was to be released. Along with the news came a 30-second clip of the title track, which was set for release on 20 August and is the first single taken from the EP. On 15 August, BBC Radio 1 premiered the single. In an interview with the BBC on 18 July 2013, Trimble stated that the band had started work on its third studio album. He also mentioned that the band was aiming to release the album by early 2015. Trimble also announced that the band had left Kitsuné and signed with former EMI subsidiary Parlophone Records.

Gameshow (2016–2019)

In January 2016, the band stated that new material, presumably its third album, would be released in 2016.
On 4 April 2016, the band announced the completion of its third studio album, Gameshow×Gameshow14 October 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Are We Ready? (Wreck)3:522Bad Decisions4:573Ordinary4:584Gameshow3:525Lavender3:556Fever4:427Invincible4:298Good Morning3:569Surgery4:3610Je viens de là3:45Disc 21Gasoline3:412Sucker4:173Ordinary (Sam Holiday remix)4:274Bad Decisions (Kev’s Summer Time Madness remix)6:105Gameshow (live at Bonnaroo 2016)3:56, via Twitter after announcing previously that it would be at Glastonbury in the summer. Prior to the completion of the album, Two Door Cinema Club had played one of the songs named "Gameshow" from the album at a concert in Boston.
On 14 June 2016, the album artwork was revealed. On the same day, BBC Radio 1 debuted a new song from the album called "Are We Ready? (Wreck)×Are We Ready? (Wreck)15 June 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Are We Ready? (Wreck)3:50". Prior to that, the band put the album up for pre-order. Two Door Cinema Club then released "Bad Decisions×Bad Decisions29 August 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Bad Decisions4:58" as the second single off of the album, followed by the third and final single "Gameshow". On 6 July 2016, the band released a music video for "Are We Ready? (Wreck)", the song was also featured in the EA Sports game, FIFA 17. On 14 October 2016, the band released their third studio album, Gameshow.

False Alarm (2019)

In February 2019, the band released a teaser video on their social media, hinting to an upcoming release of a fourth album.
On 18 March 2019, Two Door Cinema Club released "Talk", their first single from the fourth album.
On 24 April 2019, the band released "Satellite×Satellite24 April 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Satellite3:21" and announced the new album, False Alarm×False Alarm21 June 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Once3:212Talk4:263Satisfaction Guaranteed3:504So Many People4:435Think3:546Nice to See You6:157Break2:108Dirty Air4:069Satellite4:2110Already Gone3:44.
Over the course of two months the band released two more singles from the album titled "Dirty Air×Dirty Air2019 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Dirty Air4:042Satellite (single edit)3:213Talk (single edit)3:37" and "Once" before releasing the album on 21 June 2019.

Keep On Smiling (2022)

During the band's May 2022 tour dates in Brazil, Two Door Cinema Club performed with unknown folk singer David Clements as the group's vocalist instead of Trimble. Trimble was not allowed to enter Brazil because he was unable to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons.
On 16 June 2022, Two Door Cinema Club released the first single, "Wonderful Life×Wonderful Life16 June 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Wonderful Life (edit)3:062Wonderful Life3:19" from their forthcoming fifth album, Keep On Smiling×Keep on Smiling2 September 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Messenger AD (intro)2:422Blue Light3:533Everybody’s Cool4:224Lucky3:395Little Piggy4:266Millionaire4:537High3:588Wonderful Life3:199Feeling Strange4:4410Won’t Do Nothing4:4311Messenger HD1:2812Disappearer4:52.
On 28 July, after using lottery scratcher-themed posts to reveal the date, "Lucky×Lucky28 July 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Lucky (edit)3:172Lucky3:40" was released as the second single.
The album was released digitally by Lower Third Records/Prolifica Inc. on 2 September 2022, with a limited edition run of 5,000 vinyl albums being released on 4 November 2022 (in association with PIAS in Europe and Glassnote in North America). As a protest to multi-format releases and album bundles, which has seen many indie acts such as The Wombats, Sea Power and Maximo Park drop out of the top 5 of the UK Albums Chart in their second week of release, the band decided to destroy their latest album's masters in a furnace, so it could never be issued on CD or re-issued in the future.
In September 2023, the group released a new single, "Sure Enough×Sure Enough27 September 2023 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sure Enough2:51".
In March 2024, the group released another new single, "Happy Customers×Happy Customers6 March 2024 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Happy Customers2:50". Alongside the release, the band confirmed that the recent singles aren't currently a part of a larger album, as the format of album "feels very dated" according to Halliday.

Other projects

In July 2012, Trimble participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, singing "Caliban's Dream", a song written by Underworld's Rick Smith. Trimble revealed in an interview that filmmaker Danny Boyle, who had been commissioned as the event's "ceremony chief", had selected the singer for the role to sing at the ceremony.
Alex Trimble has also worked with Anteros on the making of their debut album as the second producer.
In December 2023, Trimble co-wrote Ariel Pink's song "Rudolph's Laptop", about the Hunter Biden laptop controversy, with Pink and ex-Mumford & Sons guitarist/banjoist Winston Marshall.

Members

Alex Trimble – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, piano, drums, percussion
Sam Halliday – lead guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals
Kevin Baird – bass guitar, synthesizers, keyboards, backing vocals

Current touring musicians

Benjamin Thompson – drums (2010–present)
Andrew Lindsay – keyboards, rhythm guitar, saxophone (2024–present)

Former touring musicians

Jacob Berry – rhythm guitar, synthesizers, keyboards, backing vocals (2016–2023)

Film and television

"Something Good Can Work×Something Good Can Work30 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASomething Good Can Work2:47BDo You Want It All?3:25" and "Do You Want It All" were used in the 2011 film Chalet Girl.
"This is the Life" was featured in the 2011 film Soul Surfer.
"Do You Want It All?" was featured in an episode of Teen Wolf.
"What You Know" was featured in an episode of Dynamo: Magician Impossible.
"What You Know", "Something Good Can Work" and "Settle" were used in the 2012 sitcom Pramface.
Jesse Marco's remix of "Sun" was used in the 2013 film Now You See Me.
"Bad Decisions×Bad Decisions29 August 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Bad Decisions4:58" was used in the 2016 film The Edge of Seventeen.
"Something Good Can Work" appeared in The Inbetweeners, season 3, episode 5.
The instrumental of "What You Know" was used in Extra Gear, season 1, episode 1.
"Bad Decisions" and "What You Know" appeared in My Kitchen Rules, season 8, episode 10.
"What You Know" was featured in The Vampire Diaries, season 3, episode 1.
"You're Not Stubborn" was featured in Grey's Anatomy, season 6, episode 19.
"Come Back Home×Come Back Home12 July 2010 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Come Back Home3:242Come Back Home (Myd remix)5:063Come Back Home (Keith & Supabeatz remix)5:304Come Back Home (live at the FM4 Birthday Festival)3:275Come Back Home (Is Tropical Chilla Black edit)4:21" and "I Can Talk×I Can Talk20 November 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAI Can Talk2:55BCostume Party3:30" featured in The Russell Howard Hour, season 1, episode 1.
"What You Know" was used as the backing track for the weather section of the Chilean Newscast Ahora Noticias (later renamed Meganoticias Alerta) from early 2015 to early 2020.
"Something Good Can Work" featured in Series 7, episode 2 of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing screened in September 2024.

Commercial

"Something Good Can Work×Something Good Can Work30 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASomething Good Can Work2:47BDo You Want It All?3:25" and "Undercover Martyn×Undercover Martyn21 February 2010 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Undercover Martyn2:482Undercover Martyn (Passion Pit remix)4:013Undercover Martyn (Jupiter remix)3:434Undercover Martyn (Softwar remix)6:375Undercover Martyn (Whatever/Whatever remix)8:276Undercover Martyn (Telonius remix)5:057Undercover Martyn (Skellington remix)5:33" featured on television advertisements for Vodafone and Meteor.
"Sleep Alone×Sleep Alone20 July 2012 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sleep Alone3:58" and "Next Year×Next YearFebruary 2013 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Next Year4:112Next Year (RAC mix)4:463Next Year (Superpoze remix)4:034Next Year (Pyramid remix)4:45" were featured on the playlist of the clothing retailer Hollister Co. during the autumn season of 2012.
"This Is The Life" was featured on a television commercial for Debenhams, in which designers Henry Holland, Jasper Conran and Julien Macdonald displayed their new season range for Autumn 2012. The song had been used in previous Debenhams advertisements.
"Something Good Can Work" featured on television advertisements for Fat Face. In 2021, it featured in Northern Ireland Executive television and radio advertisements about remaining responsible after the lifting of coronavirus restrictions.

Video games

"Undercover Martyn×Undercover Martyn21 February 2010 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Undercover Martyn2:482Undercover Martyn (Passion Pit remix)4:013Undercover Martyn (Jupiter remix)3:434Undercover Martyn (Softwar remix)6:375Undercover Martyn (Whatever/Whatever remix)8:276Undercover Martyn (Telonius remix)5:057Undercover Martyn (Skellington remix)5:33" was featured on the soundtrack of Gran Turismo 5.
On 25 November 2010, the track "What You Know" was released as a free download on Tap Tap Revenge 3, and has also appeared in Tap Tap Revenge and Tap Tap Revenge 4. This song was also covered in EA’s College Football 2026.
The song "I Can Talk×I Can Talk20 November 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAI Can Talk2:55BCostume Party3:30" appears as soundtrack on EA Sports game, FIFA 11
The song "Sleep Alone×Sleep Alone20 July 2012 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sleep Alone3:58" appears as soundtrack on EA Sports game, FIFA 13.
The Twelves remix of "Something Good Can Work×Something Good Can Work30 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASomething Good Can Work2:47BDo You Want It All?3:25" were featured in SSX and Forza Horizon.
"Are We Ready? (Wreck)×Are We Ready? (Wreck)15 June 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Are We Ready? (Wreck)3:50" is featured on the soundtrack of FIFA 17.