While nowadays they make headlines more for their political activism, Massive Attack are still one of the most respected electronic acts in the UK, and they still love a good live show. The Bristol trip-hop duo have today announced a run of 5 live shows across Europe later this year on their “xLive 2026” tour, their first European solo excursion in 7 years.

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Formed in 1988, Massive Attack sprung from Bristol’s Wild Bunch sound-system collective, part of the city’s electronic music scene throughout the 80’s. The culture brought DJing, rapping, and graffiti art together to create an underground movement that transcended the music. Currently consisting of just two members, Robert “3D” Del Naja and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall, their sound is a shifting mix of slow, atmospheric electronic music, with influence from early hiphop and an assortment of diverse vocal features. Their success has included two UK Number One Albums with ‘Mezzanine’ in 1998 and ‘100th Window’ in 2003, as well as winning Best British Dance Act at the 1996 Brit Awards.

The collective have a reputation for speaking out on global issues, especially climate change, conflict and corporate greed. Their website is a testament to this, ditching the usual news and tour information in favour of displaying their mission statement on their crusade to reduce the environmental impact of live shows. One of their most high-profile cases was last year’s run in with music streaming giant Spotify. In September, they started by signing onto the protest movement “No Music For Genocide”, which requested that streaming services cease from allowing their music to be played in Israel, due to the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza. They then took things further by motioning that Spotify remove their full discography altogether, after it was revealed their billionaire CEO Daniel Ek was investing money in a weapons company linked to Israel.

After a five year break, Del Naja and Marshall returned to playing live in 2024, holding a “Climate Change Accelerator” show in their home city Bristol that August, where they worked with local businesses to reduce the carbon footprint of the event. On their website, they say “the Bristol show is widely predicted to be the lowest carbon show of its size ever staged”, and express intent to continue this ethos into all of their future shows.

Until this morning, their 2026 plans only consisted of appearances at Primavera Sound festivals in both Barcelona and Portugal this June. They announced the new European dates earlier in a post on social media, their first headline tour on the continent since 2019. Stopping over May and June in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Belgium, the full run of the tour looks like this:

• Veikkaus Arena, Helsinki – 27/05
• Dalhalla, Rättvik – 30/05
• Royal Arena, Copenhagen – 01/06
• Zitadelle, Berlin – 07/06
• Forest National, Brussels – 08/06

While there is no announcement for British shows, fans can still hope for at least something this year. Speaking to NME in 2024, when asked about future releases Del Naja said “We do have some new music which we’ve been sitting on for four years… dispute at the label – that’s a different article altogether.” Whatever the drama, there appears to have been a breakthrough since, as Massive Attack shared a post last November revealing their intent to release “a cache of work created in the recent past” at some point in 2026.

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77 has been purpose-built for sound and visuals. The venue features an advanced L-Acoustics sound system with powerful subwoofers to deliver deep, clear audio. On the visual side, the space will use lasers, LED screens and Robe lighting creating an exciting, club-quality atmosphere.

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The venue is built over two levels, with a mezzanine, VIP tables, and clear views of the stage. Guests can enjoy a close connection to the performers, while still getting the benefit of high-end production usually found in much larger clubs.

77 is also planning a distinct weekly schedule. Thursday nights will focus on live music, while weekends will highlight electronic DJs. Uniquely, the club will also host extended and all-night DJ sets, something not often offered in London. These longer performances will give artists more time to express themselves and let the audience dive deeper into the music.

The team behind 77 are experienced nightlife professionals. Jonathan Wade, who previously worked with Tao Group, brings global nightclub expertise. Eniz Hilmi, the Director of Music, has years of experience programming at Rinse FM, Mas Tiempo, and various UK festivals.

Together, they want to make 77 a venue that combines big-club sound and lighting with the intimacy of a smaller space. Speaking to MixMag, Hilmi explained that the goal is to provide “world-class production while keeping the connection between the artist and the audience at the center.” 

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The main idea behind 77 is to give people something they can’t always find in larger venues: an immersive environment where both artists and audiences feel truly connected. By mixing powerful sound and visuals with carefully curated music programming, 77 aims to stand out in London’s competitive nightlife scene.

More details on the opening lineup and events are to be shared soon. Clubbers who want to stay in the loop can visit 77london.com or follow the venue on Instagram.

Drumsheds is collaborating with some of the most respected entities in dance music. New season partners include Warp Records, Resistance, TRESOR, Terminal V, as well as long-time allies such as Defected, Worried About Henry and The Hydra.

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The lineup spans the full breadth of electronic and urban culture, artists range from Paul Kalkbrenner (live) and Peggy Gou to Ardent techno figures like Amelie Lens and Adam Beyer, mainstream heavyweights like DJ Snake, funk-house sensations such as Purple Disco Machine and dance music royalty, Leftfield. 

Previously, Drumheads have hosted some of the biggest names in the industry. On November 9 2024, Drumsheds welcomed the “30 Years of Bugged Out!” celebration, a landmark event that included a DJ set from The Chemical Brothers, performances by Modeselektor, Octave One live and Simian Mobile Disco. And in early 2025, Drumsheds hosted the Red Bull Culture Clash, featuring crews like WSTRN, Spice, Ghetts and Flowdan.

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Drumsheds have also used the summer period to bring in a number of changes to the venue space. One of the most significant improvements comes in the form of enhanced sound. A new d&b audiotechnik system has been installed, promising more consistent clarity throughout the building. Room X has been fitted with additional infra-bass units, enriching the low-end and delivering a more physical, immersive sound experience.

Another major focus has been room redesigns. Room X now benefits from upgraded acoustics, improving sound distribution and reducing reverb, while Room Y has been reconfigured to improve sightlines and audience circulation. These changes ensure that even in the busiest moments, both performance and crowd experience remain seamless.

To further improve logistics, the venue has introduced a 360-degree circulation path. This new flow system, supported by expanded entry lanes, significantly reduces queues and bottlenecks, something especially crucial for events with such big capacities.

These upgrades follow improvements unveiled earlier in May, including acoustic draping in the main hall, chill-out areas, and refined queuing systems. Each step reflects Drumsheds’ commitment to evolving with the needs of its audience, enhancing both comfort and spectacle.

This season, the venue is not only delivering world-class music – it’s shaping the future of nightlife, proving that scale and intimacy can exist side by side.

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This year will see the festival with 2 new stages (Electric Forest and HALO) plus the return of the Teletech Arena. That brings the number of major stages for this year’s festival up to 8, with a total of 30 stages across the entire festival. As well as more stages, Creamfields will debut their new area ‘Downtown’. This is their new entertainment village, including sports and wellness activities to refresh after visiting the stages. This includes football, basketball, mini-golf, bingo and karaoke. Theatre performances and quizzes will also feature at this new area. For the disciplined, the area will also include a fitness centre and a new ‘Culinary Quarter’, filled with healthy options. Creamfields are also introducing their new wellness centre ‘Freshfields’, including a spa, ice-bath, ‘pamper tent’ and hot showers, perfect for a 4 day festival.

Creamfields began as the world-famous Cream nightclub, based in Liverpool. Alongside the Hacienda in Manchester and the Ministry of Sound in London, Cream was a focal point of the 90’s rave scene, launching the careers of DJ’s such as Paul Oakenfeld, Carl Cox and Paul van Dyk. The club launched the first Creamfields festival in 1998 as a one-day festival and instantly became a hit with its lineup. Sadly, Cream closed it’s doors for the final time in 2002 but it’s legacy lives on with Creamfields, now in its 27th year strong.

‘Electric Forest’ is one of the new stages revealed this year. This stage is nestled within the forest (reminiscent of Boomtown) and will provide an intimate space surrounded by nature. This stage will feature sets from the likes of Eats Everything, JWAVE and special guest East End Dubs.

HALO, the other new stage, is an evolution of the Runway stage and provides an immersive, 360° experience. This stage shows the ambition that Creamfields have approached their 2025 festival with. The stage was created by renowned stage and show design studio ‘Lucid Creates’. In an interview with Creamfields, Chris Carr from Lucid states “Creamfields has never underestimated the importance of pushing boundaries with high-end production, keeping their dedicated audience excited and engaged with numerous site upgrades, as well as new arenas and stages year on year. We’re incredibly grateful to be given the space and the opportunity to create such ambitious structures and shows like RUNWAY and now HALO with Creamfields. It’s not an easy thing to pull off, but creating these groundbreaking experiences really is what drives us all”. This stage will feature sets from Jamie Jones, Patrick Topping, Four Tet and others.

Creamfields runs from Thursday, August 21 – Sunday, August 24 2025, tickets  are available here.

This year saw more debut performances than any other, with names like Aurora Halal, Jennifer Cardini and Objekt making their Houghton debut. These fresh faces joined a roster of returning artists such as Ricardo Villalobos, Ben UFO and Helena Hauff.

The second wave of announcements expanded the lineup even further with 80+ additional acts, including Joy Orbison, Saorise, Binh, Pearson Sound and Moxie.

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Houghton’s immersive experience is rooted in its outstanding audio setup: every stage featured d&b audiotechnik sound systems, including 360-degree soundscapes in the Warehouse and pristine playback in woodland glades. The commitment to sound quality and attention to space set a high standard of listening throughout the site.

Meanwhile, the festival’s scenic 1,000-acre estate doubled as an open-air art gallery. Attendees explored works by celebrated sculptors like Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor, and Henry Moore intertwined with new multimedia commissions unveiled this year.

 

 

 

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Houghton stands out with its intimate atmosphere; 13 stages tucked within woodland, lakesides, shipping-container nooks, and the enigmatic Terminus stage, where the music runs 24 hours a day.

Its rare 24-hour music license offers attendees a chance to immerse themselves in a weekend long musical journey that holds no boundaries.

Broke Magazine described it as “frequencies so transcendent, they’re nothing short of spiritual,” where attendees could reset in nature and let their ears guide them through spontaneous discovery.

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Houghton 2025 delivered an artistic and sonic journey that truly epitomised the vision of Craig Richards’ festival: a refined, immersive retreat where sound, setting, and community fused seamlessly. With landmark debuts, returning heroes, world-class sound design, and a deeply creative landscape, it proved once again that Houghton is not just a festival, but a unique pilgrimage for art enthusiasts of all kinds.

Launched in 2006, The Warehouse Project is known for transforming dark, industrial spaces into industry-leading electronic soundscapes, known for attracting some of the biggest names in various electronic music scenes, and the new shows are no exception.

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The first of which is the Concourse Takeover on September 12, where DJ Heartstring will take the headline slot. They’ll be joined by DJs Niamh, Peach and Spray.

The second of the four shows sees German producer, &ME, headline the Depot stage. Signed to iconic German electronic label, Keinemusik, this is a rare opportunity to see &ME in the UK. The full lineup is still yet to be announced.

October 11 is the much anticipated Defected x Glitterbox takeover. With two of the biggest names in the Ibiza scene coming together under one roof, this is set to be the most popular of the four new shows. Promising the best sounds in disco, house and soulful sounds, highlights include: Eats Everything, Ella Knight, Natasha Diggs b2b Melvo Baptiste and Dan Shake.

Finally, October 25 sees the return of the much loved South African DJ, Black Coffee. A regular at Mayfield Depot, Black Coffee has been a fan favourite for a long time; the Grammy Award winning producer is set to be one of the season’s highlights. Expect his signature deep-afro house grooves.

 

 

 

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These star-studded lineups will join acts such as: Barry Can’t Swim, Sammy Virji, Annie Mac, Dom Dolla and FISHER, who are all playing Warehouse Project this year.

Tickets went on sale on Thursday July 18 after a day of pre-sale, and with a capacity of around 10,000, Depot Mayfield remains one of the UK’s biggest club venues.

More information and tickets are available, here.

Although live music events rising with ticket platforms like Skiddle reporting record-breaking sales of £163 million, and electronic music accounting for the majority, the live music scene remains under pressure.

In 2024, the UK lost a grassroots music venue every fortnight, totalling 25 closures of vital spaces that develop emerging talent.

Plea to save UK’s grassroots music venues as hundreds face closure: ‘We’ll all be poorer for it’ https://t.co/H3a9QGNhmV

— Big Issue (@BigIssue) January 31, 2025

The decline in club culture is also concerning. Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) recently released a report highlighting the number of clubs in the UK dropped from 874 to 851 in 2024 with a 10 million drop in electronic-based club nights.

Speaking to Mixmag about this report, CEO of NTIA Michael Kill, “Electronic music is one of the UK’s most significant cultural exports, contributing an estimated £2.4 billion to the economy in 2024 alone. Yet, despite its undeniable influence and growth, it remains hidden and marginalised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). This report reinforces the importance of electronic music having a seat at the table – DCMS must recognise this sector as a truly valuable commodity, not an afterthought.”

“For too long, the electronic music industry has been overlooked when it comes to policy and support,” Kill said, demanding for more government invtervention. “It is time for the government to engage meaningfully, acknowledging its vast economic and cultural impact. This is not just about music – it is about jobs, communities, and the UK’s standing on the global stage.”

In response to mounting pressure, the UK government announced a new policy in November 2024 aimed at supporting grassroots venues. Under this initiative, every ticket sold for arena or stadium shows must include a financial contribution to grassroots venues, promoters, and artists. The Music Venue Trust hailed this as “the single most significant shift in over fifty years of British music.”

 

 

 

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While the economic impact of music in the UK is undeniable, ensuring long-term sustainability requires urgent policy changes and greater recognition of the industry’s most vulnerable sectors. If grassroots venues and club culture continue to decline, the country risks undermining the very foundation that made it a global music powerhouse.

Although Orbison hasn’t produced anything with Doldrums Recordings since 2010, his second startup, Hingefinger, has seen more activity. Hingefinger, was a joint venture between O’Grady and DJ/designer Will Bankhead. Under Hingefinger, Joy Orbison released ‘Ellipsis’ in 2012. Since Orbison’s early days, Hingefinger has turned dormant, with Bankhead focusing on his music and fashion label Trilogy Tapes, and Joy Orbison focusing on his making, rather than publishing, music.

Orbison kept a relatively low profile online, often dropping some of his tracks on exclusively physical formats. However, over the last few years, the producer has released a steady stream of work online. Last year, he released ‘Freedom 2’ with Peckham rapper Kwengface and electronic music duo Overmono. This was part of a continued collaboration between Overmono’s Tom and Ed Russell and Joy Orbison. The three artists have been collaborating since 2019 on dance tracks, predominantly, under the label XL Recordings.

Making a return to XL Recordings, Orbison took to Instagram to announce the release of ‘Flight FM’. The track marks a divergence from Orbison’s usual upbeat dance tracks, moving in a more subdued and droning direction. Speaking on Instagram, Orbison said: “I’m always wary of playing new ideas cos you run the risk of completely losing faith in it before you really make sense of it. But luckily it went down well which spurred me on to finish it”. The track’s name is in reference to a pirate radio station that Orbison tuned into as a child. Established in 1998, Flight FM permeated south London’s airwaves with underground dance music until 2008. Since its physical end, Flight FM has moved with the times and has found a space online. However, the station’s twitter hasn’t seen activity since February of 2018, making Orbison’s track a call back to a now-dead age in music.

As of today, ‘Flight FM’ can be found on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Since 2016, Vegyn has been a prominent producer, working with alternative Hip-Hop artists like JPEG MAFIA, featuring production on his third studio album All My Heroes Are Cornballs. Vegyn’s talents have also touched the mainstream, collaborating with Travis Scott on the wildly successful 2018 album Astroworld.

Outside of his collaborations with big-name American hip-hop and R&B artists, Vegyn has released a steady stream of solo albums, EPs, and singles. Since the release of his latest album, The Head Hurts but the Heart Knows the Truth, in May of 2023, Vegyn has released three singles, the most recent of which was released today (January 16). ‘The Path Less Travelled’ is a laid-back bouncy track that features Vegyn’s signature digital glitchy soundscape layered on top of melodic piano chords, and snappy drum rhythms.

‘The Path Less Travelled’ is the third single released in the run up to his sixth full album THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS. Posting on Instagram, Vegyn announced THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS, along with the full thirteen-song track list.

Speaking with Gadfly Magazine about his creative process in June of 2023, Thornally said “I like electronic music because there aren’t as many tethers to conventional structures—it’s so much more fluid.” This approach to music production has led to the development of Vegyn’s unique, genre-defying, electronic compositions. Thornalley continues to prove himself as one of the most creative and distinctive producers in the UK electronic scene. With the release of ‘The Path Less Travelled’, ‘Halo Flip’, and ‘Makeshift Tourniquet’, Thornalley’s upcoming album is gearing up to be one of his best so far.

The new single from @chembros is here! Listen now to ‘Live Again’ featuring @HALOMAUD: https://t.co/y29Bsf069K #LiveAgain #NewMusic @eddychemical #thechemicalbrothers pic.twitter.com/jRc7fOxACS

— The Chemical Brothers (@ChemBros) June 28, 2023

Both tracks will feature in The Chemical Brothers’ upcoming tenth studio album, as yet unnamed, that is due to be released later this year. The album announcement was made back in April, 2 days before their performance at this year’s edition of Coachella.

Listen to “Live Again” below:

“Live Again”, according to an affiliated press release, “begins simply with a descending, filtered riff and a pair of contrasting vocal lines – one razor spliced to pieces and reconstructed, the other an angel’s sigh. And then it all kicks off. What follows is a speeding rollercoaster of skittering rhythm, monolithic noise and blissful harmony, of ping-ponging analogue noise and cascading voices. It’s a perfect Chemical Brothers track – unstoppable, resolutely hopeful and, once heard, utterly unshakeable“.

Quite the introduction, and quite accurate too. The classic Chemical Brothers big beat sound does meet with blissful harmony the wonderful vocal performance of Halo Maud; indeed, her ever present vocals send the pulsating electro walls of music into overdrive, the track in essence a locomotive of noise and splendour.

Big beat pioneers The Chemical Brothers, made up of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, formed in Manchester in 1989. Formerly known as The Dust Brothers, they changed their name prior to the release of their debut album, Exit Planet Dust, in 1995. This initial release proved successful, entering the UK Albums Chart at number 9 and going on to sell over a million copies. Signing with Virgin Records soon followed, as did supporting Oasis at Knebworth in 1996.

Their next album, Dig Your Own Hole, released in 1997, furthered the duo’s success, topping the UK Album Charts and cementing their place amongst the best in the UK dance music scene. The Chemical Brothers have gone on to release nine albums in total, six of which have reached number 1 in the UK. Their tenth, scheduled for release later this year, will undoubtedly prove just as popular.

Watch the music video for “Hey Boy Hey Girl” below:

The Chemical Brothers will also be commencing a summer tour, including a headline show at this year’s Glastonbury.

See below for tour date:

06/07/2023 – Bilbao BBK Live – Bilbao
08/07 – AMA Music Festival – Romano D’Ezzelino
21/07 – Electric Castle – Cluj
23/07 – Lucca Summer Festival – Lucca
04/08 – Wilderness Festival – Oxfordshire
12/08 – FEST Festival – Chorzów
18/08 – Caberet Vert – Charleville-Mézières
26/08 – Rock En Seine – Saint-Cloud
09/09 – The Bay Series – Cardiff
26/10 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow
27/10 – AO Arena – Manchester
28/10 – First Direct Arena – Leeds
01/11 – 3Arena – Dublin
03/11 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham
04/11 – The O2 – London

Purchase tickets here.