British rock band You Me At Six have announced they are splitting up “on the eve of our 20th anniversary as a band”.
Their final live shows will take place in 2024 and 2025 when they embark on a farewell world tour to say goodbye to fans.
The band from Surrey, led by frontman Josh Franceschi, formed in the mid noughties and are known for catchy rock tunes.
Announcing their split, singer Franceschi (33) said: “When we started YMAS we were kids.
“We only ever wanted longevity, to travel and to experience life as a group of friends.
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“We feel like on the eve of our 20th anniversary as a band, now is a good time to call time.
“We’re in a fortunate position where our fans still want to see us live and come celebrate the life of this band.
“So that is what we will do for 2024 and 2025. We can’t wait to see our fans on the road.”
The caption of a video posted to Instagram said: “2005-2025. This is the end. Thank you for being the heartbeat of this band.
“Final live shows taking place 2024/2025.”
The video montage included highlights from the band’s career, with clips showing the group’s members walking in a cemetery, dressed in black, as they arrive by the side of a grave to say “goodbye”.
In a voice-over, Franceschi says: “Time. Something we never have enough of but always need more of.
“Sometimes it goes by slowly. Sometimes it goes by fast. Some things are over quickly and some were built to last.
“Twenty years in the making, beyond our wildest dreams. Trips around the sun, we’ve lost count, one more for memories.
“People love stories with endings, page after page, year after year.
“We’ll give you a final chapter, because we’ve climbed our Everest, we’ve faced our fears.”
Looking down at a grave he reads from a book and adds: “It’s time. Time for the finish line, it’s time for goodbye.”
The band members watch as a VI symbol – number six in roman numerals, and the title of the band’s 2018 album – goes up in flames in front of them.
The video ends as the band’s name pops on to the screen alongside the dates 2005-2025.
A link on their website takes viewers to a page that shows a VI symbol in a coffin where users can sign up for information about the final dates.
The band’s highest charting song in the UK was Lived A Lie, which peaked at number 11 in 2013, according to the Official Charts Company.
The group have also had two number one albums – Cavalier Youth in 2014 and Suckapunch in 2021.
The band are performing across England and Scotland in February in cities including Bristol, Norwich and Aberdeen.
