Your guide to what’s hot in London
Your guide to what’s hot in London
Still mourning the end of summer festival season? Us too, but there’s plenty of reason to be cheerful for London’s music fans.
With the year’s major music events now out of the way, artists are returning to their usual touring schedules, meaning the capital is alive with incredible gigs this month.
There’ll be shows from arena-sized pop titans, grime royalty, jazz experimentalists and more.
These are the gigs you need to know about over the next few weeks.
The best moments from London’s summer festival season – In pictures
1/8 Nile Rodgers led the celebrations at Meltdown
Meltdown is always a treat, and that was especially so with this year’s edition, curated by the inexorable Nile Rodgers. He showed just how far his musical radar spans with a hugely colourful line-up. SOPHIE paired avant-pop with expressive dance, KOKOROKO delivered a slice of afrobeat-flavoured joy and Brazil’s Anitta proved just why she poised to take over the world of pop. But the best was saved for the man himself, who treated an enraptured crowd to his irresistible disco favourites alongside his band Chic. It was a celebratory night, culminating in stage invasion by dozens of grooving fans.
Victor Frankowski
2/8 Christine and the Queens took her throne at All Points East
The first weekend of All Points East was hardly running smoothly. Friday night was a washout, and on Saturday, a buoyant crowd was deflated by persistent sound problems as the Strokes delivered their headline set. That meant it was all hinged on Sunday’s top name, Christine and the Queens. Her performance played out like an almighty battle of the elements — rain poured down again from the heavens, doing its best to dampen erupting pyrotechnics on stage. But it was the French pop supremo who proved the greatest force of nature, an electric presence who produced an enchanting, life-affirming set. Weekend saved.
AFP/Getty Images
3/8 Re-Textured found light in the shadows
Think of a London festival and your mind will likely conjure images of leafy parks and glorious sunshine. Re-Textured, which hid itself within the shadowy bowels of the city’s modernist and brutalist buildings, was something different entirely. Festivals like this one, based indoors and with a focus on experimental electronic music, are common in other countries but a rarity in London. With a line-up that veered from the pummeling techno of Nina Kraviz to the radical rhythms of Fatima Al Qadiri, along with some incredible light production, it felt like vital new tenet of the capital’s festival scene.
4/8 Honey Dijon battled through the rain at Gala
London wasn’t left wanting for dance music festivals this summer, with Junction 2, Art’s House, Eastern Electrics, and South West Four just a few of the highlights (Hospitality and Abode have their Finsbury Park blowouts still to come later in September). But Gala proved a particular gem. First appearing in 2016, it immediately won hearts with its small capacity, quality-over-quantity line-up and simple but superb production. This summer’s edition stayed true to that philosophy, and Honey Dijon’s set was a particular joy. Even when the rain came, the tunes stayed heavy and the crowd stayed dancing.
Khris Cowley
5/8 Chaka Khan headlined twice in one weekend
What’s better than one Chaka Khan headline set? Two Chaka Khan headline sets, of course. And that’s exactly what we were treated to on one glorious weekend in June, with the singer topping the bill of Mighty Hoopla on the Saturday, and then doing likewise the following night at Cross The Tracks. What’s more, both festivals were held in Brockwell Park, meaning that small patch of south London was graced by two renditions of I’m Every Woman, Ain’t Nobody and I Feel For You in less than 24 hours. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Getty Images
6/8 J Hus made a surprise appearance at Wireless
With A$AP Rocky otherwise engaged over in Sweden and therefore unable to play at Wireless, the festival was left scrambling around for a replacement. It must have been a sense of déjà vu for organisers, who were in a similar position last year after DJ Khaled pulled out last minute. In 2018 they got Drake — not bad — and this year they worked their magic again, with J Hus stepping in to save the day. It must have been pretty maddening for Lovebox, which was set to take place the following weekend and had been touting Hus as a UK festival exclusive, but for Wireless it was a massive coup. The east Londoner delivered an effortlessly headliner-worthy performance, gliding smoothly through a set with all of the tunes that have made him one of this country’s leading musical talents.
Sarah Koury
7/8 Field Day kept the party going
It’s a sad fact that the vast majority of London’s festivals have to shut up shop relatively early into the night — rarely will you get one running beyond 11pm. But Field Day changed that, making the most of its huge new warehouse site at the Drumsheds in north London to keep the party going right into the early hours. Maya Jane Coles, Leon Vynehall, Mella Dee and Denis Sulta were among the DJs spinning tracks until 3am. It made a welcome change from having to trudge home well before midnight, or scout around for another club night to trek to. Let’s hope other festivals can find a way to do likewise.
Francis Augusto
8/8 Jazz took centre stage at Naked City
There is a lot of buzz around the London jazz scene, and rightly so. Alongside grime and drill, it’s one of the most exciting new musical movements to emerge from the capital this decade. Naked City, the festival which made its debut in Beckenham Place Park in July, acted as a showcase of just why there’s so much hype around them. Moses Boyd Exodus, Ezra Collective and Kamaal Williams — three leaders of the pack — played consecutive sets on the main stage and tore the house down. Boundless energy, searing musicianship and the ability to have lots of fun — this lot have it in bucketloads.
Gavin Mills
1/8 Nile Rodgers led the celebrations at Meltdown
Meltdown is always a treat, and that was especially so with this year’s edition, curated by the inexorable Nile Rodgers. He showed just how far his musical radar spans with a hugely colourful line-up. SOPHIE paired avant-pop with expressive dance, KOKOROKO delivered a slice of afrobeat-flavoured joy and Brazil’s Anitta proved just why she poised to take over the world of pop. But the best was saved for the man himself, who treated an enraptured crowd to his irresistible disco favourites alongside his band Chic. It was a celebratory night, culminating in stage invasion by dozens of grooving fans.
Victor Frankowski
2/8 Christine and the Queens took her throne at All Points East
The first weekend of All Points East was hardly running smoothly. Friday night was a washout, and on Saturday, a buoyant crowd was deflated by persistent sound problems as the Strokes delivered their headline set. That meant it was all hinged on Sunday’s top name, Christine and the Queens. Her performance played out like an almighty battle of the elements — rain poured down again from the heavens, doing its best to dampen erupting pyrotechnics on stage. But it was the French pop supremo who proved the greatest force of nature, an electric presence who produced an enchanting, life-affirming set. Weekend saved.
AFP/Getty Images
3/8 Re-Textured found light in the shadows
Think of a London festival and your mind will likely conjure images of leafy parks and glorious sunshine. Re-Textured, which hid itself within the shadowy bowels of the city’s modernist and brutalist buildings, was something different entirely. Festivals like this one, based indoors and with a focus on experimental electronic music, are common in other countries but a rarity in London. With a line-up that veered from the pummeling techno of Nina Kraviz to the radical rhythms of Fatima Al Qadiri, along with some incredible light production, it felt like vital new tenet of the capital’s festival scene.
4/8 Honey Dijon battled through the rain at Gala
London wasn’t left wanting for dance music festivals this summer, with Junction 2, Art’s House, Eastern Electrics, and South West Four just a few of the highlights (Hospitality and Abode have their Finsbury Park blowouts still to come later in September). But Gala proved a particular gem. First appearing in 2016, it immediately won hearts with its small capacity, quality-over-quantity line-up and simple but superb production. This summer’s edition stayed true to that philosophy, and Honey Dijon’s set was a particular joy. Even when the rain came, the tunes stayed heavy and the crowd stayed dancing.
Khris Cowley
5/8 Chaka Khan headlined twice in one weekend
What’s better than one Chaka Khan headline set? Two Chaka Khan headline sets, of course. And that’s exactly what we were treated to on one glorious weekend in June, with the singer topping the bill of Mighty Hoopla on the Saturday, and then doing likewise the following night at Cross The Tracks. What’s more, both festivals were held in Brockwell Park, meaning that small patch of south London was graced by two renditions of I’m Every Woman, Ain’t Nobody and I Feel For You in less than 24 hours. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Getty Images
6/8 J Hus made a surprise appearance at Wireless
With A$AP Rocky otherwise engaged over in Sweden and therefore unable to play at Wireless, the festival was left scrambling around for a replacement. It must have been a sense of déjà vu for organisers, who were in a similar position last year after DJ Khaled pulled out last minute. In 2018 they got Drake — not bad — and this year they worked their magic again, with J Hus stepping in to save the day. It must have been pretty maddening for Lovebox, which was set to take place the following weekend and had been touting Hus as a UK festival exclusive, but for Wireless it was a massive coup. The east Londoner delivered an effortlessly headliner-worthy performance, gliding smoothly through a set with all of the tunes that have made him one of this country’s leading musical talents.
Sarah Koury
7/8 Field Day kept the party going
It’s a sad fact that the vast majority of London’s festivals have to shut up shop relatively early into the night — rarely will you get one running beyond 11pm. But Field Day changed that, making the most of its huge new warehouse site at the Drumsheds in north London to keep the party going right into the early hours. Maya Jane Coles, Leon Vynehall, Mella Dee and Denis Sulta were among the DJs spinning tracks until 3am. It made a welcome change from having to trudge home well before midnight, or scout around for another club night to trek to. Let’s hope other festivals can find a way to do likewise.
Francis Augusto
8/8 Jazz took centre stage at Naked City
There is a lot of buzz around the London jazz scene, and rightly so. Alongside grime and drill, it’s one of the most exciting new musical movements to emerge from the capital this decade. Naked City, the festival which made its debut in Beckenham Place Park in July, acted as a showcase of just why there’s so much hype around them. Moses Boyd Exodus, Ezra Collective and Kamaal Williams — three leaders of the pack — played consecutive sets on the main stage and tore the house down. Boundless energy, searing musicianship and the ability to have lots of fun — this lot have it in bucketloads.
Gavin Mills
October 3 — Yazz Ahmed, Rosie Turnton Quintet, Alina Bzhezhinska
Saxophones, trombone, harps and flugelhorns will come to the Jazz Cafe for this triple-header, led by three women representing the best of London jazz.
The Jazz Cafe, NW1, buy tickets here
October 4 — Daymé Arocena
One of the latest and greatest artists to continue Cuba’s rich musical legacy, vocalist Daymé Arocena presents her intoxicating new album, Sonocardiogram. Expect a blend of jazz, classical, soul and beyond.
Queen Elizabeth Hall, SE1, buy tickets here
October 4 — Rodrigo y Gabriela
This Mexican duo has been entrancing audiences for years with their fusion of heavy music and classically styled guitar work. Marvel at the two virtuosos as they visit Hammersmith.
Eventim Apollo, W6,
October 7 — Kano
Fresh from releasing his latest album and starring in the latest series of Top Boy, grime hero Kano takes his throne at the Royal Albert Hall.
Royal Albert Hall, SW7, buy tickets here
October 11 — Two Door Cinema Club
Indie-pop darlings of the early 2010s, Two Door Cinema Club are back and — if this headline show at the O2 is anything to go by — still as popular as ever.
The O2, buy tickets here
October 15, 16 — Ariana Grande
It seems like only yesterday that Grande was performing at the O2 — in fact, it was just two months ago. The pop sensation returns to London for these two shows.
The O2, SE10, buy tickets here
October 18 — Slowthai
Slowthai brings his tour — which was selling tickets for just a fiver — to London for a typically rowdy show celebrating his acclaimed debut album, Nothing Great About Britain.
O2 Academy Brixton, SW9, buy tickets here
October 18 — Novelist
It seems a long time since Novelist burst onto the scene with his stripped-back grime bangers. See what this multi-talented artist is up to now with a show that promises a number of special guests.
Royal Festival Hall, SE1, buy tickets here
October 19 — Wizkid
Nigerian megastar Wizkid invites some of his high-flying friends — Ms Banks, Nafe Smallz and Maleek Berry among them — for the inaugural Starboy Fest at the O2.
The O2, SE10, buy tickets here
October 20, 21 — Cher
No need to turn back time: the Goddess of Pop brings her glittering back catalogue to London for two huge shows. Expect some fabulous outfits and belting ballads.
The O2, SE10, buy tickets here
October 26 — Freddie Gibbs x Madlib
One of hip-hop’s best collaborations in recent times continues to deliver the goods, with the rapper and the producer coming to north London.
O2 Forum Kentish Town, NW5, buy tickets here
October 31 — Philip Glass and the Philip Glass Ensemble
Philip Glass, a giant of 20th century music, makes a rare on-stage appearance in the capital with his ensemble. They’ll play his masterful Music with Changing Parts, which gets a UK performance for the first time in almost 50 years.
Barbican, EC2Y, buy tickets here
October 31 — Charli XCX
You get the feeling Charli XCX could fill a venue three times the size of Brixton Academy, which makes this a rare opportunity to see one of pop music’s finest in relatively intimate settings.
O2 Academy Brixton, SW9, buy tickets here
October 31 — Happy Mondays
Madchester will take over north London on Halloween as these legendary ravers headline the Roundhouse.
Roundhouse, NW1,
October 31 — Skengdo x AM
The kingpins of drill haven’t had it easy so far, subjected to draconian censorship of their music, but it only makes this latest London show all the more unmissable.
O2 Forum Kentish Town, NW5, buy tickets here