LIVE FROM THE PIT

SIM have travelled six thousand miles over to the UK to play at Slam Dunk Festival, so while on their trip over, they surprised their London fans with a one off show! Taking place at the Signature Brew Blackhorse Road, the small venue was packed to the brim with their biggest fans. Their last show in London was in November 2024, so it is needless to say the fans have been waiting patiently. Supporting them was the UK’s own DEADWAX, coming over from Yorkshire. The band brings

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY have been a band that have been wowing audiences since 1998. For a band to have this much notoriety they must be doing something more than right, and their latest UK tour has solidified why they have evolved into the iconic band they are today. Opening the evening were DARK CHAPEL. Fronted by Dario Lorina from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, the band are fairly new in their formation, however played as though they had been doing this for decades. Opening with Afterg

Bearded Theory is a festival built upon the collective love of music. A true celebration of everything that makes festivals so magical. Everyone who attends seems to be there for the same reason: to see some great acts with a great crowd. Every hour you’re there, you will have another insightful conversation with a stranger. You can attend without knowing a single act on the bill, but you’ll end up with a list of people to see, recommended to you by anyone you run into. The

HAGGARD CAT are a band that are consistently pushing the boundaries of what it means to be creative. Having released their third album The Pain That Orbits Life, the Nottingham duo are on tour to celebrate not only the new release, but the fantastic work they have created up until now. Taking to the stage first was ARID WAVE, a Southampton based grunge metal three piece that had the prospect of warming up a crowd on one of the hottest weeks of the year. The band managed to s

DEAD PONY didn’t arrive so much as evolve into the scene. What began as a scrappy Glasgow project, found its shape in cramped rehearsal rooms and late‑night arguments about riffs, identity, and how heavy was “too heavy.” By the time they re‑emerged under their new name, the edges had sharpened: Anna Shields’ vocals carried more bite, the guitars more swagger, the rhythms more intent. Their sound became a kind of forward motion, restless, adrenalised, impossible to pin down.

One of the most renowned progressive rock instrumentalists, PLINI rose up high from Down Under, taking his third studio album An Unnameable Desire on tour right after its recent release last month. An almost entirely silent show, it still possesses the force to leave the visitors speechless, crushing them with the immense sound of electric guitars and layered melodies that create a mesmerising effect. Even when there is little movement across the room, this night is turned in

What better way to start a warm bank holiday weekend than with the first of several Slam Dunk side shows, headlined by the wonderful DRIVEWAYS, with support from Brighton-based alt rock duo HELL HOTEL. Manchester welcomed the Boston-based 2000s-inspired pop-punk band to the Rebellion stage with open arms for their first time performing in the city, ahead of their weekend performance at Slam Dunk Festival. HELL HOTEL were up first, with the dynamic duo Demi Jay Broadhead and T

Hopping across the pond for the first time since 2022, the Canadian singer-songwriter LIGHTS is bringing her sixth album A6 on a near sold-out UK tour. This body of work is LIGHTS in her truest form, produced and fully owned by the artist herself. The synth-pop star managed to pour her joy into the rest of us tonight, sharing this sacred moment with the London crowd. In her own words: "We’re humans, we’re not AI, so let’s get together and dance!" It’s a Friday night at the Ga

JOEY VALENCE & BRAE brought their unwavering positivity and energy to their biggest ever headline set at The Roundhouse. Opening the night was up and coming pop forward hip-hop group WHATMORE who got the crowd warmed up in a brief thirty-minute set showcasing all their influences. Opening with DJ led mixes whilst each member showcases their lyrical flow. The crowd started to dance and celebrate the joy that is live music. The group then transitioned into showcasing their inst

Rolling into Manchester for the highly anticipated God Forbid A Girl Goes On Tour, the night promised huge energy from three artists all bringing something completely different to the stage. Opening the night was Canadian indie-pop artist DAWSON GAMBLE, performing a more intimate solo set without the full band behind him. Even stripped back, his mix of catchy melodies, emotional vocals and guitar-driven indie pop instantly grabbed the crowd’s attention. By the final song, the

HYPHEN’s rebel scum tour was the perfect start to the May bank holiday in Newcastle; a curated lineup of the best of contemporary punk and high energy sets making it a ninth birthday to remember for one attendee of Digital. Out of Rage favourite NATIVE JAMES began his set promptly at half seven, opening with lead Confessions of a Sinner single Fallen and quickly getting the crowd moving. The pit opened up for its follow up Hammer and the two steppers would keep their knees h

Despite the venue’s small size, the room is already busy before the first band even appears. There is a quiet anticipation building early on, with people squeezing closer to the stage as the night gets underway. Opening the evening were STEPOVER, making the trip over from the Isle of Wight. Their set begins slowly and atmospherically, easing the crowd in before crashing drums suddenly kick the room into life as they launch into their latest single. The drummer was easily the

Hailing from Bristol, alt-metal band MALLAVORA have come a long way in recent years. It was only fitting for their debut album What If Better Never Comes? (released March 2026) that the band revisited for a special homecoming at the Exchange Bristol to play their album in full, back in the city where they first made their mark in 2019. Out of Rage last caught up with MALLAVORA during their high energy set supporting BANSHEE at London’s The Dome just last month, seeing them no

Under the glittering disco balls adorning the ceiling of The Grace, London, fans eagerly gathered for LOVE RARELY’s hotly anticipated release show of their debut album Pain Travels, via Big Scary Monsters. The follow up to 2024’s EP Lonely People, Pain Travels has garnered critical acclaim for the band’s charged lyrics and volatile, amped up sound, signalling the next progressive step for them. Releasing between their incredible support slot for CALLOUS DAOBOYS in early 2026

Some gigs ease you in. This one didn’t bother. At Rough Trade Bristol, there’s always that split feeling — relaxed on the surface, something heavier underneath. Early on, it felt calm enough. Drinks moving, conversations going. But the room already felt loaded, like it was waiting to tip. The openers made sure it did. KNIFE BRIDE came in sharp and straight to the point. No slow build, no filler — just a set that knew exactly what it was doing. Controlled, aggressive, and prop

There are some shows that are just as unforgettable for bands as they are to the attending public, and this was the mutual feeling shared by Swedish electronic metalcore act SOLENCE and the packed Manchester academy 3 that showed up for a party unlike no other, with a show of non-stop, raw, energy and infectious, rhythm infused metalcore. The Swedish heroes did not come alone, as support came from one of the most exciting up and coming international bands WRITTEN BY WOLVES, a

Thursday night for a group of London metalheads was one of the most insane gigs in the alternative space this year. GRAPHIC NATURE played a sold out headline show at The Dome and the energy was electric. In the past year alone GRAPHIC NATURE have supported bands like THROWN and STRAY FROM THE PATH and played a multitude of festivals including Download, Slamdunk and 2000trees. Their momentum is far from slowing down with the start of a new era marked with the release of their

Nottingham’s Rock City was already spilling onto the streets on Saturday night. A sea of black stretched down the queue, wrapping around the block. A quiet signal that this was more than just another tour stop. By the time Florida’s DARK DIVINE took to the stage for their first ever Nottingham appearance, the room was still filling - yet the energy inside was already at full capacity. DARK DIVINE wasted no time establishing their presence. Opening with intensity, they leaned

KIM GORDON, the icon behind the cultural sensation that was SONIC YOUTH, has returned to London after two years. Bringing songs from her third studio album, Play Me, as well as her other work, the night was indeed a nostalgic leap in the past and a celebration of the present. Opening the night was LONNIE GUNN. The New Jersey-born and Brighton-based artist brought a full band with her to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, and from the beginning it was obvious the performance at the w

On paper, a three-band bill in a venue the size of Glasgow’s Slay might read like a fairly standard night out. In reality, April 24th delivered something that felt far bigger than the room could reasonably contain. With AD INFINITUM making their Glasgow debut alongside support from SKARLETT RIOT and SECRET RULE, this was a stacked lineup that never once dipped in energy. First up, SECRET RULE wasted absolutely no time setting the tone. From the first few moments, it was clear