Shadowlands was announced this July as an international festival for what Shadowlands’ promotion team calls the “adventurous listening category” of music. Former Head of Artistic Development at the Royal Festival Hall and South Bank Centre David Sefton, who founded London’s famous Meltdown Festival in 1993, is launching his first new event since then – he says “The idea is to bring something new to the festival landscape that is genuinely original.” Digging below the surface of the industry for the more untapped and enigmatic acts is at the heart of the project: “There are many great independent events in the UK, but all to an extent are tied into a ‘next big thing’ pattern. However, there are so many extraordinary artists out there who are as unique and exciting as the day they started, whether six months ago or forty years ago. Shadowlands is all about them.”

The major draw on next year’s bill looks to be the exclusive return of Foetus, brainchild of Australian avant-garde creative JG Thirlwell. After releasing his first album since 2013 with this year’s ‘Halt’, Thirlwell is playing his first UK date in over 25 years, and only his second-ever orchestral one at Shadowlands. He will be accompanied by what he has dubbed the “Foetus Orchestra”, which features strings, woodwind, and brass sections, as well as a harp, guitar, bass and drums.

Another exciting act is Welsh industrial pioneer Brian Williams, AKA Lustmord. Known for his collaborations with members of experimental US acts Tool and Melvins, as well as his unique video game scores, Lustmord will bring something unnervingly dark to proceedings. Other highlights from the first wave of acts include influential London industrial group Test Dept, plus the return of post-punk supergroup Githead after a 13-year hiatus.

The latest drop of 16 new acts to round out the bill came last week on September 10. Southend-on-Sea’s These New Puritans bring their genre-spanning sound, American duo Matmos will be there with their unpredictable electronic arsenal of samples as well as spin-off project The Soft Pink Truth, and Sheffield industrial funk band Hula are reforming for their first live show in nearly 40 years. JG Thirlwell has also confirmed another solo set across the festival, where he will revisit the score he wrote for Harry Smith’s 1962 cult classic film Heaven and Earth Magic.

So what else can you expect from Shadowlands? As co-founder David Sefton asks and answers, “Ultimately, it’s really about asking the question: “what is the most exciting line-up of the most adventurous music ever made?” And then booking it.” Alongside 35 huge acts, Shadowlands is set to hold talks, panel discussions, Q&As and a film programme across four days and 3 stages on the University of Kent campus and it’s Gulbenkian Arts Centre. Tickets are on sale now for £280 for all 4 days, with accommodation also available to book on-site at the university. The first ever Shadowlands festival arrives in Canterbury July 1-4 2027.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Somerset Sounds (@somerset_sounds)

Created from a partnership forged between Somerset County Cricket Club, who play their games at the ground, and award-winning live events company Full Fat 360, Somerset Sounds aims to develop a new annual live experience for the South West of England. The Cooper Associates County Ground has previously hosted shows from the likes of Elton John, Lionel Ritchie and Rod Stewart, but this will be a big rise in its profile as a music hotspot. In a statement published by local news site SomersetLive, Full Fat 360 founder Oli Bartlam says “The Cooper Associates County Ground already has an incredible legacy of hosting world-class live entertainment, and Somerset Sounds is the next ambitious step in that evolution.”

While the South West is seeing a resurgence in its live music scene through schemes like Powderham Castle’s summer events near Exeter and alternative music gathering Burn It Down in Torbay, both in Devon, this marks a new ambitious move forward for Taunton, where most of the largest cultural happenings tend to gravitate towards nearby Glastonbury or Bristol. Bartlam touches on this in the rest of his statement, saying “Taunton and the wider region have a massive appetite for major live music, and this partnership allows us to establish the region as a destination on the national touring circuit. We’re thrilled to be working with Somerset County Cricket Club to bring international acts to this iconic venue and build an event series the entire South West can be proud of. Summer 2027 is only the beginning.”

SomersetLive report that Somerset County Cricket Club is already a major part of Taunton’s economy, in 2025 providing over 200 jobs and bringing over £20 million to the city. Jamie Cox, CEO of the club said of the project “Somerset Sounds represents an important step in the evolution of the Club and the Cooper Associates County Ground. Cricket will always be at the heart of who we are, but we have a much wider ambition for the venue and for the role it can play within Somerset. We want to create experiences that bring new audiences to Taunton from across the South West and beyond, while generating meaningful economic and cultural benefits for the County.”

Somerset Sounds was first announced yesterday, September 10, with a set of brand new social media accounts. So far, the latest information is a post on Instagram which claims their “first artist reveal is just around the corner”. You can sign up here for the latest reveals as they break before the festival makes its debut in August 2027.

As his manager, Sharon first devised Ozzfest in 1996 when legendary English metal singer Ozzy was spurned by the US festival circuit, creating a vehicle for him to perform as well as a large multi-city heavy metal event programme. The inaugural year saw Ozzy head up a bill alongside legendary acts like Slayer, Danzig and Sepultura across two shows in Phoenix, Arizona and San Bernardino, California.

From there, Ozzfest expanded into an empire, hosting a travelling run across the US, as well as shows in the UK, Europe and Japan. Ozzfest England debuted in 1998 at the Milton Keynes Bowl with a monster line-up including both Ozzy Osbourne and his group Black Sabbath, as well as Foo Fighters and Pantera. After returning in 2001 and 2002, Ozzfest did not come back to the UK again before the US festival as we know it stopped operating in 2018.

Last July, Ozzy Osbourne celebrated his career with one big final show named Back to the Beginning before retiring due to ill health. The event was held in his home city of Birmingham at the Villa Park football stadium with an attendance of 45,000 and millions of viewers online, and featured an all-star support bill before Ozzy played both his last set with Black Sabbath and his last solo performance. Three weeks later, he sadly passed away aged 76 from a heart attack in his home, surrounded by his family.

Following Ozzy’s passing and the triumphant success of Back to the Beginning, earlier this year Sharon Osbourne announced plans to bring Ozzfest back with the late Ozzy’s blessing, 30 years after its inception. NME reported this March that Sharon was looking to bring the event back to the UK with a proposal to use Villa Park again, saying “We wanna do two days in Aston Villa and then come to America.” In a conversation with her son Jack, she also added “We’ve got to find a lot of young, new talent, because that’s what’s your dad would want.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by OzzFest (@theozzfest)

In August, Sharon spoke to Metal Hammer about the concrete plans for Ozzfest, though there was uncertainty on the number of days it would cover – she said “It’s going to be at Villa Park again. Whether it’ll be two nights, that’s up for the fans to tell me.” This Monday, August 17, Ozzfest’s social media accounts broke the news that Ozzfest 2027 was booked in for Villa Park, with further information to come. The post shared an aerial shot taken of the football ground during Back to the Beginning, with the staging from the event clearly visible. Also speaking to Metal Hammer, Sharon was cautious when discussing potential acts for the event – “Of course we’re speaking to people. I can’t let that out yet, but it’ll be soon.”

While the wait for further developments on the return of Ozzfest to both the UK and US begins, the West Midlands continue to remember one of their most famous artists actively. Birmingham celebrated Ozzy Osbourne’s life and legacy this July with the first ever ‘Ozzy Day’, which saw events, activities and performances across the city in honour of the first anniversary of his passing.

The first iteration of Latitude was held at the Henham Park site near Southwold, Suffolk in 2006, with a billing that included Snow Patrol, The Zutons, Mogwai and Paolo Nutini. As it’s grown into a major festival, it’s hosted massive acts like Florence + The Machine, Pet Shop Boys, The 1975 and The Killers. The 20th anniversary event ran last weekend with around 40,000 attendees from July 23 to 26, and had  former Talking Heads’ maverick leader David Byrne, current US chart-topper Teddy Swims and loveable Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi as its main attractions.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Latitude Festival (@latitudefest)

This past Sunday, Melvin Benn, the founder and organiser of Latitude and Managing Director of Festival Republic, made the announcement that the festival had extended its lease at Henham Park for a further 20 years. He broke the news during an on-stage discussion with Professor George McKay of the University of East Anglia. According to NME he said “I have signed a new 20-year lease with the Rous family. Latitude will call Henham Park home until 2046. I could not be prouder to make that commitment, or to announce it in front of our audience on the festival’s 20th anniversary. Henham Park is not just where Latitude happens. It is part of what Latitude is. The lake, the woods, the parkland. You cannot separate the festival from the place.”

Permission to extend the lease was granted to Festival Republic by Hektor Rous, whose family owns the Henham Park estate. In a statement published by the BBC, Rous wrote “Latitude Festival has been an incredible and pivotal event for Henham Park and we couldn’t be more pleased to have agreed another 20 years with the brilliantly creative and passionate team at Festival Republic led by Melvin Benn.” He also spoke of the unique benefits of holding a festival at the estate, saying “Latitude has very much enabled us to continue the restoration and care of Henham Park which is not only my life’s work, but the work of generations before and after. It has supported the restoration of several at risk buildings and aided us in the catching up on many years of forestry and landscape recovery and maintenance works critical to maintaining an estate like this.”

In preparation for Latitude 2027, the organisers have opened a loyalty scheme, which will reward returning attendees with money off their tickets for next year. Registration for the scheme is open now, before it closes on Sunday August 2 at 11:59pm. The loyalty tickets will then go on sale at 10am on Wednesday August 5, while early bird tickets hit the market at 10am on Thursday August 13.

2000Trees is one of the UK’s most exciting and diverse rock festivals, bringing a cohort of the rock world’s finest acts to a picturesque site among the trees in Upcote Farm, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. It’s set to start this Wednesday, July 8, and run 3 huge days of music until Saturday July 11. Coming into last week, 2000Trees had booked an outstanding line-up including Welsh emo legends Funeral For A Friend, US post-hardcore innovators Glassjaw, and Welsh pop punk fun from Neck Deep, with Chicago punk royalty Alkaline Trio headlining the opening Thursday night.

Alkaline Trio suddenly announced the full cancellation of their English headliner shows including 2000Trees on Friday July 3, the same day the tour was due to begin with a night at Birmingham’s O2 Institute. The tour would also have visited London, Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester before culminating in the 2000Trees set. In the post, they explained that the cancellation was due to medical issues that frontman Matt Skiba had been experiencing, following shows in Germany where he was pictured seated while on stage.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alkaline Trio (@alkaline_trio)

In a video post from London Heathrow airport on his Instagram account, Skiba thanked British fans for their understanding and patience over the matter, saying “you guys deserve a better show than I can throw right now. I’ve got numbness in my feet, numbness in my hands, as you can tell I’m losing my voice. So I can’t really talk, walk, play or sing, but I’m okay.”

With a significant vacuum on the bill and less than a week to sort a replacement, 2000Trees’ organisers frantically worked to find a substitute. They broke the news the same day, confirming that they had booked Bedford alt-rock heavyweight’s Don Broco for the Thursday slot. In the post, they wrote “It’s been a whirlwind of a day but we’re buzzing to have these guys return to the Main Stage next week. This band are total heroes for stepping in at the 11th hour to help us out”, before adding “two years ago they put on one of the biggest headline sets Upcote has ever seen, and now they’re gonna one up it. This will be one helluva show.” The organisers also spoke of the drama of booking such a late replacement with some mirth, writing “Now please excuse us while we go and have a lay down and a stiff drink – we found out about Alkaline Trio literally a few hours ago, and we pulled out all the stops to sort out your Thursday headliner as soon as possible, from the middle of a field no less. Thanks for bearing with + let’s get the party started!!”  

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

A post shared by 2000trees Festival (@2000trees_festival)

Since headlining the festival in 2024, Don Broco have enjoyed a wild ride in the last 12 months, shifting their ever-evolving sound into a blistering nu metal throwback style with their latest singles from album ‘Nightmare Tripping’, which released this March. The album features major collaborations with Nickelback on the title track, and a vocal feature from Architects frontman Sam Carter on the fierce single ‘True Believers’. Last Friday, when the news of the booking broke, they were supporting Biffy Clyro at their massive Finsbury Park bash to a crowd of over 45,000. The band have celebrated on Instagram, writing “Honoured to be returning to 2000 Trees to headline Thursday night! We’ll be filling in for Alkaline Trio, sending big love to Matt, we hope you feel better soon. Trees we love you. See you in a few days.”

2000Trees starts this week, running July 8 to 11 at Upcote Farm, Gloucestershire. Catch Don Broco, Funeral For A Friend and Neck Deep headlining, with limited tickets still available here. Don Broco are also on tour this Autumn supporting 2026 album ‘Nightmare Tripping’ at these dates:

SEPTEMBER

27 – Colosseum, Watford
28 – Engine Shed, Lincoln, 
29 – Octagon, Sheffield, 

OCTOBER

1 – Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, 
2 – Academy, Manchester,
3 – Guild of Students, Liverpool, 
4 – City Hall, Newcastle,
6 – Corn Exchange, Cambridge
7 – O2 Academy, Birmingham,
8 – Guildhall, Portsmouth
10 – University of East Anglia, Norwich, 
11 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkstone
12 – Here At Outernet, London
14 – The Prospect Building, Bristol,

The festival has been running at the South Downs site since 2011, located just outside Winchester in Hampshire. It stands out from other festivals with its curated storylines and lore which tells of aliens and dystopian megacorporations, the unique design of its stages and festival grounds, and its culture of inclusiveness. They draw all manner of alternative acts, primarily electronic, ska and reggae, with past headlining alumni including Gorillaz, Wu Tang Clan and The Specials.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Boomtown (@boomtownfairofficial)

 
The atmosphere can only exist within the beautiful scenery of the South Downs woodland, which was designated national park status in 2010 and has been an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty since the 1960s. As such, the environmental impacts of a large-scale annual music festival in the region has attracted widespread criticism from conservation groups, as well as local residents who suffer from the noise pollution and traffic congestion.

 
The BBC heard from local Alisson Mathews, who lives 2 miles from the festival grounds, about her experience every August. She said she could hear the pounding bass and drum beats from Boomtown “almost constantly in our house and garden” and added “by Sunday night we are exhausted from the lack of sleep. I find it particularly disappointing to see the park authority failing its residents by ignoring its first purpose and doing nothing to encourage Boomtown to find an alternative venue outside the protected landscape.” The BBC’s article also quotes complaints from Christopher Langford, who objects to the use of the national park for the purpose, saying “national parks should be havens for nature, not environments damaged by large-scale music festivals.”

 
In order to continue their activity, Boomtown’s organisers have had to pledge to several new rules to protect the environment. A new meadow spanning 4.2 acres must be created to foster biodiversity at the site by South Downs Way, with protection for bats, barn owls, and other bird species native to the area. Additionally, they will be subject to independent ecological surveys every year to monitor impacts on wildlife like badgers, butterflies, birds and reptiles. NME referenced Councillor Janet Duncton, who spoke positively of Boomtown’s footprint in the region, saying “I’ve visited the site before, during and after the festival, and in my view it has been well managed. A lot of people get a great deal of pleasure from this, and don’t we all need a bit of that? I think five years is a perfectly reasonable time to allow them to continue.” Boomtown’s Director Shula Rael says “The people behind the festival understand the purpose of this park. We take those responsibilities seriously, and we deliver against them.”  

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Boomtown (@boomtownfairofficial)

Permission to hold the festival in its current state until 2030 was granted by South Downs National Park Authority, the body responsible for the park. It allows one Boomtown Festival event a year at Matterley Estate, up to a maximum of 75,999 attendants, and a further 1,000 for their Sunday. Boomtown’s co-founder Luke Mitchell has described this year’s festival as one that will “encapsulate everything we love: intricate film-set worlds, twisting storylines, bouncing dancefloors, and diverse expressions of music and art”

Boomtown Festival: Chapter Five runs from the 12th to the 16th of August 2026 in the South Downs National Park, with top-billing acts Kneecap, Scissor Sisters, Madness and Skrillex. Tickets are sold out, but fear not – the festival will return in 2027.

Burn It Down is an annual three-day event in the South West, transforming the harbour of Devon seaside resort Torquay into a hub for alternative music fans. The west of England has suffered the loss of many of its live music venues and typically struggles to draw talent to the region, but through initiatives like Burn It Down more international acts than ever visit the so-called “English Riviera” of Torbay. The shows take place across The Foundry, The Attic, and The Apple and Parrot, three of the most important independent bars in Torquay’s nightlife centre. Previous iterations of the fest have welcomed prolific artists ranging from UK hardcore juggernauts Malevolence to breakthrough metalcore starlets Static Dress.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BYP (@byp.live)

  The initial lineup was announced in January, featuring the upbeat pop punk of As It Is, the weighty hardcore of TRC, and the rebellious punk of The Meffs. A second wave of bands came at the start of March, revealing the Friday night headliner as US post-hardcore outfit Drug Church, alongside St Albans’ Your Demise, who were trendsetters for British alternative music in the 2000s and 2010s. The organisers also broke the news that the entire set of Friday performances would have no barrier in front of the stage, a key feature in energetic hardcore punk shows that allows fans to be part of the action and stage dive to their heart’s content. Today’s update only brought one band, but that band’s presence has drawn significant attention from beyond the Westcountry. Australia’s Speed have grown to be one of the most talked-about hardcore collectives in the world – their aggressive beatdowns and the unique addition of frontman Jem Siow’s flute trills has forged an identity that sets them apart from the pack. Official debut EP ‘Gang Called Speed’ hit number 5 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)’s Australian Album Chart, and debut LP ‘Only One Mode’ earned Speed the ARIA Award for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album in 2024.  

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Burn It Down Festival (@burnitdownfestival)

After supporting Baltimore icons Turnstile on their 2024 European tour, the group last brought their frenetic live show to the UK in June last year, playing at Outbreak Festival in both Manchester and London, as well as shows in Dublin and Belfast. With their Saturday headline slot at Burn It Down also announced to be a no-barrier set, attendees can expect a ton of unbridled mayhem and a busy night for the venue’s security team.

Burn It Down 2026 takes place across Torquay from Friday the 3rd of September to Sunday the 5th, with day and weekend tickets available from promoter BYP’s store. Speed will also be on tour across the UK this April, with tickets available for select shows. The full list of dates for their tour with Whispers, Bodyweb and additional support looks like this:

• April 15 – Chalk, Brighton w/ No Relief
• April 16 – XOYO Birmingham w/ Killing Me Softly
• April 17 – Electric Bristol w/ Dambuster
• April 18 – Digital, Newcastle w/ Hellbound
• April 19 – Project House, Leeds w/ Hellbound
• April 20 – Slay, Glasgow w/ Nothin’ But Enemies & Hellbound
• April 22 – Electric Ballroom, London w/ Impunity & SOV

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ms. Lauryn Hill (@mslaurynhill)

Set to take place at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, Diaspora Calling! is Hill’s only scheduled performance for 2026 so far. Fans of The Fugees in particular will revel in the fact that the upcoming festival will see Hill and Jean on stage together for the first time since their appearance at the Global Citizen Festival in New York in September 2023. Fans of Hill in particular have been waiting for a performance from the eight time Grammy winner since April 2024 where she performed at Coachella alongside YG Marley.

The inaugrual Diaspora Calling festival took place in Brooklyn, New York in April 2016. Ten years later, the cultural celebration will make its way over to England. Currently, there is only one date available, however the initial execution of the idea spanned over a three day festival. It included performances from Stephen Marley as well as African drumming and dancing, before Hill took to the stage. Described as a woman on fire, Hill performed an acoustic set as well as covers and renditions of the infamous ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ which was released in August 1998. Infamous for its longevity, honestly and cultural relevance, Hill’s debut album propelled her into superstardom. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, going on to break the record for most nominations (10) and wins (5) at the Grammy Awards in 1999.

Moving away from the festival template, Diaspora Calling! later pivoted to a tour format. During its run between 2016 and 2017, it helped to platform artists such as Noname, Little Simz and Kehlani aswell as including appearances from rapper Nas. Fans attending the UK edition of the festival will be expectantly waiting for the next release of guests.

Tickets will be released on Tuesday March 31st and fans can sign up now to join a waiting list.

On The Beach is a series of summer day concerts run with British station Radio X, all set on a giant stage on Brighton Beach. Past iterations have brought the likes of Royal Blood and Noel Gallagher in 2023, The Kooks and The Libertines in 2024, and both Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party last year. For this July, the other events cover ska and electronic music, with Madness on the 24th and Moby on the 26th, while Fatboy Slim is booked for three shows in his spiritual home across the 17th, 18th and 19th. The Maccabees, who play the biggest night of music in this years event on the 25th of July, chose to split and send the band off with a farewell tour in 2017, but returned for live shows starting with Glastonbury and a headline set at All Points East last year.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Radio X (@radiox)

The full lineup was announced yesterday on Dan O’Connell’s Evening Show on Radio X, as he sat down to chat with co-host Felix White, guitarist for The Maccabees. Under its former name XFM London, the station was the first to promote the group before their breakthrough, and Brighton was the place where they initially rose to prominence. Prior to the news, White was asked whether there might be new music in the pipeline for the band, to which he responded cautiously “it’s not a no at the moment.”

The day opens with local indie quartet Lime Garden, before singer-songwriter Damon Gough, better known as Badly Drawn Boy plays. Northern Irish cult classic rock band Ash take to the stage third, before the incredibly talented singer-songwriter Anna Calvi makes her appearance. Miles Kane is next up, bringing his captivating solo show, and Editors fill the penultimate set with their brand of darker post-punk. Finally The Maccabees close the night with what will most definitely be another emotional, long-awaited headline set.

Radio X On The Beach with The Maccabees runs from 1PM to 10:30PM on Saturday the 25th of July at Brighton Beach. The new wave of tickets go on pre-sale on Tuesday the 31st of March, with a sign-up link here. The Maccabees play On The Beach as part of a UK tour with tickets for other dates here. You can find the full tour dates below:

• 06/07 – Corn Exchange, Edinburgh
• 07/07 – O2 City Hall, Newcastle
• 09/07 – Alexandra Palace Park, London
• 11/07 – Eden Project, St Austell
• 23/07 – Bristol Amphitheatre & Waterfront Square, Bristol
• 23/07-26/07 – Truck Festival 2026, Abingdon
• 25/07 – Brighton Beach, Brighton
• 31/07 – Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds

The original SXSW festival has run in the US since 1987, and while it also serves as an exposition of emerging technology, scientific discovery and a showcase for independent films, it’s best known for its musical component. Crossing the pond for the first time last year, SXSW London’s organisers describe it as “a festival where innovation meets imagination, blending business, tech, music and culture in one place”.

Serving as a springboard for up-and-comers and unsigned artists, the 2025 list of names saw established acts like iconic guitarist Nile Rogers rub shoulders with over 500 talents from both the UK and afar. Held in the culture-rich East London region of Shoreditch, SXSW London operates across venues, clubs and many other important sites around the area. The roster of acts involved are just as diverse as London itself – as they put it “the programme reflects the diversity of sound and community that defines the UK music landscape, while connecting it to global talent and audiences”.

The first wave of 10 acts for 2026 continues the mission to bring the sounds of the world to East London, with an international contingent headed up by two of Africa’s leading lights. Tiwa Savage is one of the biggest names in Nigeria’s Afrobeats scene, having made history as the first female to win the Best African Act award at the MTV European Music Awards in 2018. Also that year, she became the first African female to sell out London’s IndigO2 venue, and she was personally selected by Coldplay’s Chris Martin to perform at the Global Citizen Festival in Johannesburg in front of 70,000. ODUMODUBLVCK is another of Nigeria’s great success stories – his mixture of drill rap with Grime, Afrobeat and R&B which he named “Okporoko Rhythms” has made him a hero of his scene since his 2017 breakthrough.

Next up is American rapper and producer Earl Sweatshirt, a former member of bizarre hiphop collective “Odd Future” alongside Tyler, The Creator. Since going alone, his unique lyrics and style have led him to become a cult hero. He’s joined on the lineup by New York soft rock band Infinity Song, who consist of 4 siblings, bringing beautiful vibes with their family-driven harmonies.

Also there is Amaria BB, a Hackney-based, Jamaican-Guyanese singer-songwriter, who since starting her full career in 2020 has gained a large fan base for her deep themes and mixture of R&B, pop and soul music. Rachel Chinouriri, a London-born, Zimbabwean-British singer-songwriter, will be bringing her exciting indie-pop tunes too, which saw her hit the Top 20 charts with debut album ‘What a Devastating Turn of Events’ and has earned her 2 BRIT Awards nominations. An interesting inclusion is Sega Bodega, whose jouney saw him travel from Ireland, to Glasgow, settling in London to build a foothold in music, fashion and film.

South-London is represented by Shame, a post-punk band known for their live reputation and confrontational lyrical content. They’re supporting their 2025 album ‘Cutthroat’. Liverpool’s Circa Waves are familiar with the top of the charts, having scored a Top Ten album with 2015 debut ‘Young Chasers’ and its hit indie-rock singles ‘T-Shirt Weather’ and ‘Stuck in My Teeth’. English multi-award winning producer and songwriter Fraser T Smith, who had success with his involvement on Adele’s ‘Set Fire To The Rain’ and Tinchy Stryder’s ‘Number 1’ will be in attendance, and finally we have Pete Tong, one of the UK’s best-known and most beloved DJ’s, who will bring his internationally-recognised dance set to Shoreditch.

In the official press release, Adem Holness, the Head of Music at SXSW says “At a moment when technology can generate endless music, what really shapes the future are the communities and scenes where artists push culture forward in their own contexts. SXSW London brings those global scenes together in one place. From artists like Sega Bodega reimagining live electronic performance, to bands like Shame building careers on their own terms, and artists like ODUMODUBLVCK bypassing genre and fusing his cultural influences into something entirely his own. The future of music isn’t uniform.”

SXSW London Music is held across Shoreditch from the 1st to the 6th of June, with wristbands available here ranging from £25 for one-day or £79 for the full experience. For the day-by-day breakdown of the event’s schedule, as well as further information and updates, visit their website here.