LIVE FROM THE PIT

As lightning lit up the sky over the iconic Digbeth area of Birmingham, five bands descended upon the Subside bar, intent on rivalling the roar of the thunder with their own might, led by UK based pop-punk four-piece DOWNCAST on their UK summer tour. This free gig was a must-see endeavour for pop-punk enthusiasts, which is why it was a shame to see the floor of the dim, warmly lit pub somewhat quiet for the first act, alt artist LENNOX, who were certainly a promising sound to

It’s been almost a decade since Californian four-piece AFI has graced the UK with their presence, and sixteen years since they last embarked on a headline tour here. In that time they have released four new albums – including 2025’s synthwave and post-punk tinged Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... – signed two separate record deals and constantly evolved their sound. Now, fans pack into Birmingham’s O2 Institute to see how those sixteen years have worn on them. But first, the sta

Walking into HECK’s last ever (but one) show at Signature Brew Haggerston, the room is packed and full of energy from doors - friendly and familiar faces in all corners. There’s a feeling of enthusiastic anticipation - it’s clear from the vibe that it’s not this crowd's first rodeo with HECK and they know exactly what they have got themselves in for. The gig kicked off with RUENA who, fresh off of her first tour where she cycled cross country from gig to gig, you’d think she

“200 STAB WOUNDS?” A passerby smiles tentatively at the name as excited fans gathered to see the death metal legends, the band gaining such acclaim they've been upgraded to the upper floor of The Dome, London, all the better for people to lose their shit on a night guaranteed to give us whiplash. MUTAGENIC HOST didn't ease us in, they grabbed us by the throat and hauled us around, Swarm thundering out across an already full room. By Genestealer, there's a sizeable pit collidi

Fresh off their appearance at Bloodstock Festival, CASTLE RAT swapped gigantic stages for the smaller, sold out 1865. From the moment the doors opened the anticipation seemed to be building with an almost full crowd from the get-go ready for a theatrical night of music ahead of them. Opening the show were Birmingham based Meatdripper. Bringing the perfect fusion of sludge and doom rock, this band seemed other-worldly and truly set the scene for the night ahead. Han Al-Shemerr

In the centre of London, up a staircase below a neon sign blazing the venue’s name into the sky, is Scala - and for one night only, in the height of summer, it became the home of the most uplifting prog band in music, PROTEST THE HERO. With two bands opening for them, there were mere hours between arriving and the time to finally witness their glorious live show - but first, the supports. OBEYER took to the stage first - with a sound that landed somewhere in the djent/deathco

After a monumental main stage show at Bloodstock Festival, BATTLESNAKE journeyed back to London the next day for a show that pulled from all elements of rock in its lineup to make one epic show you don’t often get Downstairs At The Dome; here’s how that sweaty gig went down. Opening up the night saw Sydney natives LIQUID ZOO set the bar for the energy on the stage. Their high-voltage Garage Rock was really astonishing, though taking from many other genres, they had a really

There is something immediately different about a gig when the support bands are already playing as the doors open. At Manchester Club Academy, the room may have been relatively empty at the start of the evening, but the energy certainly was not. The fans who had made it in early were clearly the die-hards, and every band that followed managed to build on that atmosphere. CUT THROAT were already on stage when the evening got underway, bringing a theatrical and entertaining per

In the midst of their grand festival summer, in between major stops like Lollapalooza in the US and various European appearances, CHALK have blessed London with a one-off, but no less thought-through, headline show. The band brought along a well-curated line-up, including the Welsh post-punk collective SLATE and Brighton’s blistering four-piece LEMONSUCKR. Altogether, they lit up and packed out Electric Ballroom, leaving the audience with no room to stand still, but only to s

After their big cover in April, PINKSHIFT were back in the UK! And together with HEART ATTACK MAN were ecstatic for their final show at the Signature Brew in London. Both American bands are quite familiar with UK crowds and have built a devoted fanbase eager for more shows. Since forming in 2013, pop-punk band HEART ATTACK MAN has made consistent efforts to perform in the UK, particularly from 2023 onward. PINKSHIFT has been performing pop punk and post hardcore music since 2

Pulling up to the O2 Academy Brixton, you would be forgiven for shuddering at the extremely long snake protruding out of the entrance. But slithery bastard it is not, those are the attendees. The sheer number of people lining up outside the venue is actually staggering (in fact we measured it, by the time we got to the back of the line we were half a mile from the entrance). There’s a very, very good reason for the volume of attendees tonight; the ever-elusive BREAKING BENJAM

There’s a particular kind of gravity to FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND. It’s the kind that straight back to the first time Juneau blew the speakers off your bedroom wall, or when Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation felt less like a debut and more like an invitation into a world where post‑hardcore could be serrated one second and soft‑spoken the next. They were the band you found on your friend’s headphones in the middle of maths class, or buried on a compilation CD you got with a

Tucked into the iconic North Wales venue, Llangollen rocked on Friday night as Texan pop-punk legends BOWLING FOR SOUP joined forces with folk-punk favourite FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS for a huge co-headline show, bringing their Bowl My Bones Tour to TK Maxx presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion. Thousands of fans attended for an evening packed with pop-punk, folk and alternative rock, complete with massive singalongs, plenty of laughs and a setlist full of crowd favo

The heat inside Foundry feels less like weather and more like the kind of pressure that builds in a room when everyone knows they’re about to be hit square in the chest. PUP (an acronym for Pathetic Use of Potential) has that effect on people. Before they even step out, the crowd is already vibrating: people clinging to the barrier, older fans grinning like they’ve survived this chaos before, everyone braced for the kind of night where catharsis comes loud and fast. Opening

This weekend saw London packed to the brim thanks to METALLICA’s final tour dates, colour-bursting London Pride, and the continuing beautiful weather (or as we like to call it, Satan’s holiday home) - this heated, vibrant energy of London was felt at full force in the Electric Ballroom, Camden, with a crowd spilling out all the way to the entranceway to see Nashville emo band FREE THROW on their immense world tour for all-hits-no-misses album Moments Before The Wind. Gig-goer

The world has woken up to Outbreak. Like it or not, at last year's London edition of the festival, we found ourselves in a place where TURNSTILE could headline the same weekend as CHARLI XCX. Now, she’s gone one step further in releasing her own “rock music”. We’re in a reality in which KNOCKED LOOSE could create a song with DENZEL CURRY, and Kim K is about to follow daughter NORTH WEST on a fourteen-date tour of her metal-tinged hyperpop across America. The same kind that Ha

In the midst of one of the hottest weeks in Britain, it’s quite ironic that EMPIRE OF THE SUN would be headlining the legendary Alexandra Palace for three nights, with a show of extravagance, gravitas and style. Covered in sweat but nonetheless feeling the vibes, the ten thousand strong crowd of Ally Pally were treated not only to the talent of this band but the effort of their production design. Starting off the night were SKYSCRAPER who with the lighting of incense, took th

After nearly a decade away THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN return to London for a triumphant show of chaos and power showcasing why they are the reigning monarchs of mathcore. The weather outside is boiling, the venue working as a sanctuary from the blistering heat. The crowd, already sweaty, lacked any of the lethargy you would expect. Opening tonight was FRONTIERER, who managed to get the crowd moving from the moment they played their first note. Crowd surfers within a band’s fi

Manchester’s Deaf Institute played host to one of the hottest alternative bills of the summer as Florida genre-benders NEVERTEL brought their UK and European headline tour to the city, also accompanied by Australia’s rapidly rising metal-core outfit OCEAN SLEEPER. With NEVERTEL following the momentum of their recent single Otherside as well as OCEAN SLEEPER doing the same with the release of Peace When I’m Dead and Break the Cycle, this was a tour that felt significant well b

On one of the hottest days the UK has experienced this year, with temperatures soaring into the mid-30s, three of post-hardcore and alternative rock’s most influential bands arrived at OVO Arena Wembley to celebrate landmark albums that helped define a generation. What unfolded was far more than a nostalgia tour. It was a celebration of perseverance, friendship and community, delivered by artists who continue to perform with the same passion that built their reputations over