Our Mutual Friend, Suggestions 27/11/25
Our Mutual Friend, Suggestions 27/11/25 A regular night of the best new alternative music in the whole damn land. Get Tickets Here Partner playlists by: Our Mutual Friend Instagram Alt Rock,Alternative,Indie,Indie Rock 15 December 2025 {{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }} {{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }} {{ options.labels.newReviewButton }} {{ userData.canReview.message }} You Might Also Like Recent Posts
Girls in Bands
Girls in Bands Hole, Blondie, The Cranberries, The White Stripes, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Paramore: so many of the best bands have been led by or feature female musicians. From vocalists to guitarists to drummers, this playlist features some of the best up & coming bands that include ultra talented women, all based here in the UK. People’s playlists by: Caitlin Taylor Instagram Alt Rock,Alternative,Indie {{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }} {{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }} {{ options.labels.newReviewButton }} {{ userData.canReview.message }} You Might Also Like Recent Posts
something something SHEFFIELD
something something SHEFFIELD Alternative,Emo,Indie,Indie Rock Banger UK acts from a range of places, the uncanny prevelance of Sheffield bands being purely coincidental (but also a testament to its powerhouse status in the emo scene). People’s playlists by: Lukas Lewthwaite Instagram {{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }} {{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }} {{ options.labels.newReviewButton }} {{ userData.canReview.message }} You Might Also Like Recent Posts
The Garden – NEW UK FOLK
The Garden – NEW UK FOLK Alt Rock,Alternative,Folk,Folk Rock,Indie,Indie Rock We’re happy you’re here. The Garden brings the best in new UK folk. Including Ugly, The New Eves, Truthpaste and more. Plucky strings, wandering vocal passages, take a walk and return to a summer daze. We hope to See You Around. People’s playlists by: Callum Lidington Instagram Instagram You Might Also Like Recent Posts
Big Long Sun 01.08.25 – I don’t normally start a gig with a drum in hand.
big long sun 01.08.25 – I don’t normally start a gig with a drum in hand. For one I can’t play an instrument, for two I’m medically exempt from hard work between 4pm and 11am. By Tom Freeman Contribution by Isla Mcrobbie 15 October 2025 This was no normal pub gig. We’d traipsed across London to see big long sun, but fresh out the Uber instrument cases coated across the street, cigarettes and glum faces meant something was off. Electrical complications during the main support left no option but for the bedroom-neo-psychedelia solo project of Jamie Broughton and his octensemble (or eight piece collective) to cancel their first London headline show. Displaced on a Friday evening in the middle of Camden Town, the devastation to the band was evident…but their determination to play was in no doubt commendable. Against time and the cabaret of penned events across the strip our hope was bleeding out. We kicked around whilst their promoter and our editor legged it across pubs, holding the phone on loudspeaker with hope of an update. While the band remained anchored by the equipment which could not be abandoned. How could we ever doubt that in the spirit of Camden Town, the show must go on. Cue the mad dash. 20 volunteers collected stands and pedals. My arms embraced in a kick drum while we belted 400 yards down the road to Lock Tavern. John (promoter) and I (bystander) made a mad dash back to the old pub to rally, cajole and convince gig-goers to trek down to the new stage. We even picked up a few extras who liked the craic of it. Three flights of stairs later, we pushed tables disrupting all peace set out by unsuspecting pint sippers, their space now pulsating with excited chatter of an evenings catharsis. Sound check? Doesn’t matter, Big Long Sun grabbed the mic, grabbed the tambourine and went for it. No stage, no problem. We had come to expect a lot from the Brighton band, each show on this tour seemingly a heel scraping stop before bolting off elsewhere in the UK to share their joy. Red hot from their second album whatever (whatever) on Miohmi records the band have seen modest, humble and underrated growth for the time being, reaching highlights such as support from Nathan Shepherd in session with BBC 6 Music. Core bedroom-rock performances included “a casual dance between friends” and “when the moods right”. The album’s feeling of free-spirited self-expression translated perfectly with the DIY nature of the situation. We had all found ourselves tightly knitted in. However a dearly noticeable gap was apparent with the absence of band member Ocean Groucher who classically handles the staple megaphone incursion their performances are becoming known for. Hand in hand this circle of talent is perplexing in its psych nostalgic trip carried by an intricate and youthful bunch. The team at TNAM.UK are proud to solidify ourselves within the “We were here first” department of big long sun’s fanbase. Great gig, great band and one really handsome fucker carrying a drum. You can catch big long sun back in London Wed, 29 Oct, 7:30 pm headlining the wonderful Sebright Arms. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FIND JOY. (@findjoy__) You Might Also Like Recent Posts
LIDO feat. Charlie XCX 2025 Review – Is Brat Summer Over?
LIDO feat. Charlie XCX 2025 Review – Is Brat Summer Over? This was the day most people seemed hyped for in the LIDO lineup: Charli XCX was curating her own ‘partygirl’ festival on a Saturday in Victoria Park. By Caitlin Taylor It was sold out, incredibly busy and once again, way way too hot. At times, it felt reminiscent of an immersive theatre experience – many of the attendees were kitted in neon green clothing with various phrases in the classic brat font. We kept crossing paths with one group in particular, who were all wearing matching neon green mini bob wigs. It was truly surreal. We knew to avoid the Club stage after Outbreak the day previously, and it was a good idea as here the queues were even longer. It’s a shame, as we were excited to catch Rose Gray, who’s having a super interesting rise to fame at the moment, but we weren’t willing to miss any of the artists in a queue that looked like it would take an hour. Stage 2 was our favourite of the day. We’d kept pretty far from at Outbreak the day before as I bruise too easily to handle a mosh pit. Our first taste was Magdalena Bay, who could honestly be considered one of THE bands of 2024. Their album Imaginal Disk was a smash hit, and it was a treat to see them live despite the fact that we were so far back they looked like little insects to us, but to have such a large audience at such an early slot is to be admired. 070 Shake was next for us, and it’s rare to see someone so chill while performing on a festival’s main stage. She kept a smile on her face, strolling down the runway, joking around with the crowd. “I see you girl!” She shouted to everyone who got on someone else’s shoulders, encouraging others to do the same. She ended with a modified version of ‘Ghost Town’, which seemed to have the entire crowd singing along. Throwing her microphone into the crowd, she allowed her band to close out. Without exaggerating, it’s one of the best experiences I’ve had at a festival. After that was Kelly Lee Owens, a producer and electronic musician from Wales, a recent discovery for us, but one who is now firmly on our playlists. She held the crowd in the palm of her hand, equally as impressive vocally and on her synth. I would’ve been perfectly happy dancing to her all day; she managed to turn a circus tent in Victoria Park into a sweaty underground club. Over on the main stage, The Japanese House provided a much more relaxed moment in the day. It was a good time to grab some food and sit a little further back while listening to some gorgeous dreampop. She mentions that she is properly performing on home turf here, as she lived close enough to cycle. The next day, while scrolling TikTok, I discovered there was some drama about overcrowding during The Dare, meaning that half the crowd was stopped from coming in by security. However, as we’d arrived about 15 minutes early to his set, we remained blissfully unaware of this as we stood near the front of the stage. People were jumping up and down, getting off, eyes wide, singing along. His heavier songs hit better than his slower ones, which is to be expected at a ‘partygirl’ festival. ‘It girl’ of the last couple of years, PinkPantheress, appeared at the end to sing her new ‘American Boy’ inspired hit ‘Stateside’, which The Dare produced. He kindly held her bag during her set – what a gentleman. We stayed firmly planted here for Bladee, who came onto the stage with his hood up and a massive flag in his hand. As someone who’s been surrounded by drainers since moving to London, it felt a little bizarre that many had no idea who he was, but to loyal fans, it was clear this was a special moment as he closed his set by bringing out Ecco2k to perform their new song. And then finally, of course, Charli XCX was on the main stage. Providing a theatrical performance full of flashy visuals, choreographed dance pieces and even rain, the crowd were fixated on her every move. It became clear that most were newer fans as the audience was surprisingly quiet during her older hit ‘Vroom Vroom’, but the energy was at an all-time high during her brat tracks and the Barbie movie hit ‘Speed Drive’. She brought AG Cook and Bladee out as guests, and once again, the crowd seemed a little lost. We ended up having to explain who they were to the group next to us, but hopefully, it does something to spread hyperpop awareness to the masses. As she’s done previously, she finished by allowing her visuals to speak for her. “I want this to last forever”, they read, “it wasn’t just a summer thing… it’s a forever thing xx” and so far, with Charli’s shows only rising in popularity, it seems like that may be the case.
OUTBREAK 2025 Review – Hot Sticky Hardcore
OUTBREAK 2025 Review – Hot Sticky Hardcore It was a swelteringly hot Friday, not ideal weather for heavy cotton band shirts and mosh pits, but that wasn’t going to deter any of the attendees of Outbreak festival. 2 July 2025 By Caitlin Taylor Momma was the first band we encountered on the main stage. They’re straight out of a 00s teen film soundtrack, accentuated by the duo’s strong American twang. Like most of the American acts who came over for the day, they were shocked by the heat but still managed to provide a fun set. Fleshwater followed, more on the hardcore side, with heavy guitars and bold vocals. “I want the biggest circle in the world!’ yelled a member of the band, which the British audience were initially hesitant to do, maybe due to the heat, but they eventually caught the drift. The one criticism we really had was the capacity of The Club Stage, as we didn’t manage to get in at all. We were incredibly keen to catch both feeble little horse and Jane Remover, but due to being faced with a queue that seemed to curl back around itself endlessly, we ended up just standing near the entrance and trying desperately to catch what we could. Next, we had Julie, who was our highlight of the day. They began by playing a video of someone playing the cello, which broke down as the band walked onstage. We likened them to Bar Italia’s little American cousins, lacking the nonchalance of the European indie darlings, which isn’t a negative. At times reminiscent of Nirvana, their drum work was particularly impressive. Definitely one to check out. Closing out there was a characteristically excellent set from lo-fi indie king Alex G, which featured some deep cuts and mental instrumentation we were big fans of, followed by Turnstile, a band who’ve blown up massively over the past year. A momentous ending full of moshing and jumping around, insane that most had energy after the 30-degree temperatures. It was an impressive London launch for Outbreak, with a really great selection of both hardcore and shoegaze artists. We’re already excited for next year! You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
LIDO 2025 – Weekend 2 Ones to Watch
OUTBREAK 2025 Ones to Watch – LIDO Weekend 2 Weekend one was a success, and weekend two looks to be even greater. 15 June 2025 By Caitlin Taylor We missed LIDO weekend one, don’t remind us. The Jamie XX and Skrillex B2B out the sound desk and Massive Attack’s statements have been the talk of the town for the last week so there was no way we were missing this coming weekend. With 3 days of drastically different sounds, there’s truly something here for everyone. FRIDAY 13th JUNE – OUTBREAK Kumo 99 2:35pm @ Stage 2 Starting off strong, Kumo 99 are the first to take the stage at Outbreak. They’re high energy, a brilliant blend of punk and electronic. Check out their Coachella set from earlier this year if you want a taster. My only complaint is that they’re on way too early, but you can catch them later at Colour Factory too. feeble little horse 3:40pm @ The Club If you’ve not heard of this indie rock group, they just gave a banging performance at Primavera and have been backed by So Young so you know they’re cool. Perfect for fans of Pavement or Pixies. Jane Remover 4:40pm @ The Club Hyper and intense, Jane’s music is perfect to get you ready for the hardcore stuff happening later on. If you’ve been enjoying 2Hollis’s recent releases, this is one for you. SATURDAY 14th JUNE – PARTY GIRL The Japanese House 5:45pm @ Main Stage A veteran of queer indie music, she hit the mainstream last year after appearing as a feature on Charli XCX’s Brat remix album and collaborating with Fred Again. Her solo stuff is where she truly shines though, give her last album ‘In The End It Always Does’ a proper listen. Rose Gray 6pm @ The Club Well on her way to being the new it girl, Rose Gray just released her debut album this past January. She’s 2025’s answer to Kylie Minogue with super fun, catchy beats that’ll get stuck in your head. Not one to miss. SUNDAY 15th JUNE Pip Millett I have loved Pip Millett since 2018, she’s truly a special artist. Smooth RnB with cheeky lyrics, her latest single ‘Tell Jimmy I’m Fine’ is a perfect example. Clementine Douglas A truly brilliant dance vocalist who’s featured on tracks with juggernauts including David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and Chase and Status. If you love a strong voice and catchy hooks, Clementine is definitely one to add to your must-sees. Wasia Project This sibling duo started making music in their teens and have now grown as artists, making thoughtful and delicate tracks with a focus on instrumentation. They’re still early in their careers, and one to check out if you’re a fan of music that feels genuine. You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
EP Review: Freak Slug ‘Freak Slug on Audiotree Live’
EP Review: Freak Slug ‘Freak Slug on Audiotree Live’ “Freak Slug on Audiotree Live” is one of the first times in a while that I’ve had to stop and listen to a whole project. By Ricardo Labrada Currently Listening to: When on the lookout for new tracks to review, I always wait for something to catch my attention. There are usually good tracks and some occasional bad tracks that catch your attention in the wrong ways, but normally just middling songs that go in one ear and out the other only to be forgotten immediately. This EP is the furthest thing from these examples. “Freak Slug on Audio Tree” is one of the first times in a while that I’ve had to stop and listen to a whole project. Indie, Rock and Pop rock are some of the genres that I’m extremely picky and pretentious about, yet after listening to their Audio Tree set I immediately looked it up on YouTube to re-listen with the interview. The last time I was left this impressed was Viji’s track “Karaoke”. Before that, it was over seven years ago with Soccer Mommy on Audio Tree as well. In other words, I was left very impressed by Freak Slug. The short set is nearly 23 minutes long, yet it remained in my head a lot longer than that currently being played on repeat as I write this review. It’s a work that instantly catches your attention. The first track “Ya Ready’’draws you in with slick guitar work that quickly gets loud when the band joins in. The drum and guitar work just flow so well together taking the spotlight for this track. The track is just an infectious work with the finale living in my head as singer Xenya Genovese repeats “Ye I’m ready” and finishes off with a flurry of perfect “ooooo’s.” Meanwhile “Sexy Lemon”, arguably my favourite track, brings out Genovese’s northern accent with the distorted guitars almost drowning her lovely voice. The track’s use of the quiet verse, loud chorus, and song structure popularised by the Pixies and Nirvana further illustrates their throwback style mixed with touches of modern. Following this are “Friday” and “Hello”, two tracks that bring a calmer vibe toning down the heavier sound some of the choruses contained. In particular “Hello” exemplifies this with the sound being accompanied by relatable lyrics: “Today’s the day I say hello Today’s the day I let you know” Hinting at building up the courage to speak to someone you have a crush on nor find attractive for a long time. While not a completely accurate representation of their sound, they are reminiscent of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, particularly with this song reminding me of the track “Maps”. The final track “Killer” is another track that leaves an impression with Genovese’s soothing vocals mixed with distorted and loud backing instruments. They border on drowning her voice out yet, they do not. They honestly are the most fun aspects of the songs seemingly getting louder as the tracks continue. I can only imagine how fun these loud, almost deafening, choruses must be in concert. Overall this EP is one I checked out over a week ago and kept being drawn back into, feeling the need to praise and discuss Freak Slug here. The lyrics’ themes are subjects that are really relatable from “Hello” hinting at the courage to go say hello to someone while “Killer” deals with accountability for negative actions. I highly recommend checking out this live Audio Tree set as it leaves a great first impression on the group. Furthermore, I recommend the full Audio Tree YouTube video as the interviews give you a deeper understanding of Xenya and her group. The combination of the raw yet soothing vocals and slick guitar work leaves a sound reminiscent of the late 90s and early 2000s alternative and is very much welcome in what I perceive to be a bland alternative scene at the moment. You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Wide Awake 2025 Review – A Political Celebration of Music and Community:
Wide Awake 2025 Review – A Political Celebration of Music and Community: No surprises here – Wide Awake was brilliant. By Caitlin Taylor It was a shaky start – news of legal action against the festival for not following regulations meant rumours swirled that it would be cancelled just days before but Wide Awake brushed this off and carried on. After sadly missing out last year, I was determined to drag our founder Isla along to experience the best of London Day festivals and it was well worth it. Daniel Avery did an amazing job at curating the Dazed stage which took place inside a giant big top tent. The first act we caught there was Chanel Beads who were, as always, captivating and incredibly cool. As he did at their Pitchfork show last year, Shane Lavenders requested that the lights facing that band be shut off so that they were backlit, leaving the audience with a shadow puppet-esque view. Maya McGrory (who recently released her own solo album as Colle) was particularly enchanting whenever she was on the mic. They were also joined by regular King Krule collaborator Gal Go on sax. Shout out to Hello Mary who we unfortunately missed but heard great things about from others, they’re definitely on our radar for the future. A horrible timing clash meant that while I planted myself firmly at Fcuckers, Isla made a mad dash across the park to catch parts of deBasement, Mannequin Pussy and English Teacher – but I was told they were all definitely worth the sprint. Fcuckers were just insanely fun, they had the entire crowd jumping and dancing around, particularly to their opening and closing songs ‘Homie Don’t Shake’ and ‘Bon Bon’. We also caught Nadine Shah who was a powerhouse with bellowing vocals and a crazy stage presence. She even brought out Spider from the Pogues to perform ‘Boys from the County Hell’ which prompted certain people to join arms and dance around in drunken circles – no naming names. CMAT was the penultimate act on the main stage, riding the high of her recent TikTok virality. Everyone with an embarrassingly high screen time could be seen dancing along to ‘Take A Sexy Picture of Me’. After a while, I ran off to catch Cobrah who ended up being pretty late. I wasn’t complaining though as it meant Sega Bodega (who I’d sadly resigned myself to not seeing) had extended his set past his designated time. Her eventual appearance was worth the wait, however, giving the sexiest performance of the day even featuring a very brief Cou Cou Chloe appearance/lap-dance that left everyone in the big top tent hot and bothered. Wide Awake is an undeniably political festival as shown by their refusal to give into the campaign against their headliners Kneecap which was kicked off by their divisive Coachella set earlier this year and culminated in a terrorism charge against member Mo Chara. We caught whispers of a secret set which turned out to be a speech from Jeremy Corbyn on the main stage mid-way through. He championed grassroots music venues, the power of community, and Palestine. Headliners Kneecap reinforced similar messages during their set, really hammering into the audience the importance of standing up for what you know is right despite the consequences. The support Wide Awake provides to grassroots venues should also be championed, with them providing stages for MOTH Club and The Shacklewell Arms as well as the South East London DIY skate spot The Grove. The world feels like a scary place at the moment and it’s beautiful to see so much community still remains. Walking around the festival we encountered so many fellow journalists, local musicians, and industry people all of whom were keen to chat and share thoughts/cigarettes. Afterwards, Isla texted me to say she had “the bloody best day ever” and I wholeheartedly agree. You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆