LIVE FROM THE PIT

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

While visiting the UK for the Download Festival, MAGNOLIA PARK decided to add a London date to their trip, playing O2 Academy Islington with THE PRETTY WILD supporting them. Coming all the way from Florida, they made their trip across the ocean worth it with festival dates across Europe such as Rock Am Ring, Nova Rock, Rock For People and many more! Their packed out 2026 is just beginning, with the later half of the year taking them around the US supporting BEARTOOTH along wi

When DIE SPITZ released their second album, Something to Consume, last September, it was obvious they were about to have a massive moment. Returning to the UK for a run of shows around major festival slots, we caught the Texan Punks at their Bristol headline. After the release of their second album, Labyrinthine, in September 2025, FAETOOTH are another band having an incredible year, and the combination of these bands on the lineup is the perfect match. FAETOOTH’s Doomgaze

Stood beneath a glittering disco ball shining lights on the excited faces of those in attendance, fans waited in anticipation for what was to be an epic night. BLACK VEIL BRIDES brings their completely sold out three date tour, ‘The Unveiling’, to the UK. A “one of a kind fan interactive experience and show”, only days after having played on the monumental main stage of Download Festival. Proving the hard rock five piece are still just as loved as they have been from the st

“We’re not here to roast some marshmallows around a fire… we’re here to party!” LZZY HALE shouted to an already ecstatic crowd. The Garage in Glasgow was a far cry from the arenas that she and JOE HOTTINGER were used to filling with their band HALESTORM, especially having headlined the Opus Stage at Download just two days earlier. With countless hits and a legacy already firmly cemented in modern rock, a more intimate approach was looking to be a welcome break. Judging by the

Some bands clearly need no introduction. VOIVOD are clearly progressive thrash metal legends, and are definitely capable of selling clubs wherever they go. Pair them with blackened thrash heroes MIDNIGHT, and an appetising yet bizarre menu is set. Unusually, Rebellion hosted this co-headline monolith which is strange as the iconic Manchester venue rarely hosts shows where more than one headliner is involved in, so not only is the lineup slightly random, with having blackened

June 2026 marks the first Bulletproof Festival, a three-day event placing grassroots music culture at the centre of its mission. As part of the Music For The Many campaign, Bulletproof has spotlighted the importance of grassroots venues. Recognising their role in showcasing emerging talent and providing accessible, affordable live music within local communities. Across four grassroots venues in Hackney, presenting over thirty bands, festival-goers were invited to explore some

This was to be a night of firsts. First tours, first time touching down on UK soil, first live experience of already loved bands, but what was familiar was the energy in the room buzzing as five-hundred people filed in, every inch of the venue filled shoulder to shoulder with excited gig goers, the electrifying anticipation of a night to remember hanging in the atmosphere. Taking to the modest sized stage that seemed as if it wouldn’t be big enough to house this five piece gr

Walking into Deaf Institute, the first thing that stood out was how little space there was on stage. With two drum kits already set up and equipment squeezed into every available corner, it felt like all three bands would have a challenge on their hands before a note had even been played. As the venue slowly filled, a selection of DAVID BOWIE tracks played over the speakers before ROBBIE WILLIAMS' Let Me Entertain You welcomed the first support act to the stage. Opening the n