Following the 1979 dissolution of female punk trendsetters The Runaways, in which Jett played guitar and sang backing vocals, she found herself in England starting her journey as a solo artist. Here, she recorded three songs with the Sex Pistol’s Paul Cook and Steve Jones, one of which was a demo version of ‘I Love Rock ‘n Roll’, before recording a self-titled solo album at London’s Ramport Studios, which was owned by The Who. She then formed The Blackhearts, and later reissued the self-titled album as ‘Bad Reputation’ in 1981.

From there Joan Jett and The Blackhearts released their full debut LP as a group, 1981’s ‘I Love Rock ‘n Roll’, the title track of which topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for 7 successive weeks and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Jett established herself as one of the most important female trailblazers in rock, both as a singer and guitarist, going on to receive a Grammy nomination for 1989 single ‘I Hate Myself For Loving You’ and earn the induction of herself and The Blackhearts into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

Jett and the group have just completed a US tour with Iggy Pop, and were due to hit the UK this July supporting former-Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar on his star-studded ‘Best Of All Worlds’ tour. Hagar recently announced that these shows would be down-sizing venues to foster a more intimate atmosphere, which sees Joan Jett and The Blackhearts now missing from the current billing.

The vacuum from the Sammy Hagar tour has been filled by Jett’s first headlining UK shows since 2010, and her first trip across the pond since 2011’s Isle of Wight Festival. The tour will visit Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, and Wolverhampton before finishing at the brand-new British Airways ARC venue in London’s Olympia redevelopment project, which is due to open in June. Jett has said of the announcement “We can’t wait to be back on stage in the UK this Summer! I wrote and recorded Bad Reputation, my first solo LP in London. It’s been too long since we’ve been in the UK and we’re excited to see everyone!”

Tickets for Joan Jett and The Blackhearts solo dates go on sale at 10AM on Friday the 24th of April. Essex punk two-piece The Meffs are opening on all dates. Their UK shows conclude with one night supporting emo heroes My Chemical Romance on their Black Parade 20th anniversary tour, hitting Wembley Stadium on the 10th of July. Check the poster below for their headline run:

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Baltimore’s Turnstile have enjoyed a rather quick ascent to popularity in the last few years. Originally a fairly innovative hardcore punk band, the group saw their name break out from the scene with the monumental success from 2021 third album ‘Glow On’. On the release they experimented with shoegaze-esque guitar effects, dreamy pop synthesisers and major-label production quality, while still retaining a punk edge to the compositions.

They pushed this sound further on 2025’s ‘Never Enough’, with the atmospheric elements dialled up to 11. The album generated an unmissable buzz online, with fans declaring a “Turnstile Summer” due to its feel-good sound and popular appeal. The reach was so broad that it saw the band perform on Jimmy Fallon’s late night talk-show, while also raking in industry plaudits. ‘Never Enough’ was nominated for five Grammys this year, making Turnstile the first band to be considered for all three genres of rock, metal and alternative music. In the ceremony at the start of February, it won for Best Rock Album, and the LP’s heaviest cut ‘Birds’ won Best Metal Performance. Additionally, they were nominated for International Group of the Year at this weekend’s BRIT Awards, narrowly losing out to fellow US band Geese.

After attending the BRITs in Manchester last Saturday, Turnstile’s debut visit to Australian radio broadcaster Triple J was uploaded this morning. Their “Like A Version” show typically brings bands into their studio to perform one of their own songs as well as a cover of another artist in their style. These live cover versions tend to be the main attraction, having drawn wildly different sounds to originals, such as Billie Eillish’s acoustic take on Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ and Royal Otis’ viral indie reworking of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’.

For Turnstile’s appearance, they elected to rip through a wild playthrough of track ‘Sunshower’ taken from ‘Never Enough’, and an ambient, impassioned cover of The Stone Roses’ ‘I Wanna Be Adored’. Though the “Madchester” indie-rock band only released two albums in their careers, debut full-length ‘The Stone Roses’ has become a timeless classic and a defining example of Manchester’s musical exploits. Turnstile’s reimagining utilises their arsenal of guitar pedals and soaring vocals to create a very modern, clean ballad in place of the original’s brooding, rockier sound.

On the 25th of November 2025, The Stone Roses’ bassist for both albums, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield passed away aged 63. Well-regarded as both a musician and a personality, his passing was mourned by many around the world, with his funeral becoming an occasion unifying many of Manchester’s musical icons.

In an accompanying interview posted by Triple J, frontman Brendan Yates explains ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ is “one of my favourite songs of all time. It’s unconventional and simple, and just very beautiful.” Guitarist Meg Mills, who joined the US band as their only British member in 2025, then speaks on their reasoning for selecting the song – “with the passing of Mani it felt like a really appropriate time to kind of like, pay homage to him. Definitely, as a Brit, Stone Roses were one of those bands that every kid that had any inkling towards anything alternative just knew from such an early age, just such an iconic band.” The cover was promoted on the band’s official Instagram account with the caption “RIP Mani”.

Turnstile brought their spectacular live show to the UK last year for both Glastonbury Festival and London’s Outbreak Festival, before capping the year off with their ‘Never Enough’ tour of Europe. This August they return with a set at London’s All Points East event on the 28th, as well as a special one-off solo show at The Piece Hall in Halifax on the 26th, with tickets available here. You can listen to their full Triple J Like A Version episode here.

Burn It Down has become a highlight of the alternative music scene in the Westcountry over recent years, with the novel concept of bringing some of the heaviest touring bands to a quaint seaside resort. Held in Torquay, Devon, it draws acts ranging from rock, hardcore punk, metal and acoustic music to a cluster of independent venues around a scenic harbour. The promoters announced the date of the festival and the first set of artists today, coinciding with the first day of the national Independent Venue Week initiative, which will see hundreds of performances held across the UK in support of our local music businesses.

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The first Burn It Down (BID) festival ran in 2018 as a one-day affair at the start of September, following years of independent venues shutting down in Devon’s cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Promoters BYP saw an opportunity to bring a different live music experience to the so-called “English Riviera” of Torbay, a pocket of towns on the Devon coast which is extremely popular with tourists. However, Torbay lacked any kind of indoor arena designed specifically for live music, so the festival was held in partnership with local pubs and nightclubs in Torquay.

The first event was a huge success, drawing attendees from across the UK, and shining a light on up-and-coming British talent in the nation’s underground scenes. In particular, Malevolence, who were one of the top bands on the inaugural bill, have since gone on to become one of the most exciting and popular hardcore bands both in the UK and beyond. Burn It Down continued to build up steam over the following years, before expanding into a two day format in 2022. They also managed to attract bands with higher profiles, such as English rockers Deaf Havana in 2022, and California post-hardcore band Being As An Ocean in 2023. 2025’s edition upped the ante again, adding a third day to work with Bob Vylan during the fallout from their controversial Glastonbury set.

The reveal for 2026 has a lot going on. With no formal headline act shown, BID-debutants As It Is, who label themselves as “transatlantic pop-punk” from Brighton are the first and perhaps biggest name on the poster. London hardcore unit TRC last played the festival in 2021, and will be looking to bring a bit of energy to the pits, alongside Burn It Down regulars Pintglass and Overpower. Two-piece Essex outfit The Meffs will also be bringing a dose of punky liveliness to the Southern coastline. Last on the list is Berlin-based Vianova, whose 2025 genre-bending album ‘Hit It!’ confused and intrigued listeners in equal measure.

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Burn It Down 2026 is booked in for the 3rd, 4th and 5th of September, being held across The Foundry, The Attic and The Apple And Parrot, three independent bars in Torquay. Tickets are available now from BYP’s website, with many more acts to be announced later in the year.

Speaking on the Turned Out A Punk podcast, the Generation X singer reflected on his time travelling with The Sex Pistols and Siouxsie and the Banshees throughout the 1970s.

Recalling a specific gig in 1976, Idol explained how a trip to Paris with the two bands almost led to a violent incident due to Sioux wearing a swastika.

The ‘Rebel Yell’ singer said: “Siouxsie was wearing her night porter gear, where she had the swastika on, and she was driving these left-wing French people crazy because they didn’t really get that it’s a performance art kind of thing.

“They just thought she was – because they were practically communists – they were thinking she was an anti-communist and they didn’t realise it’s part of punk performance art.”

Idol recalled how the audience members in Paris were “really upset by Sioux’s decision to wear the swastika as a fashion statement”, saying: “We sort of escaped across the stage. Pistols had come up across the stage and we went backstage to escape from the audience. They were getting really upset.”

The use of controversial symbolism was a constant theme throughout the punk scene, with Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols most notably often wearing swastikas as a statement against authority, as well as fashionista Vivienne Westwood including inverted crucifixes in her designs.

Although this symbolism was big in the UK scene that Siouxsie Sioux and co. were used to, Idol explained how cultural differences between London and Paris at the time led to the anger: “They just didn’t understand the sort of London fashion performance art aspect of punk. We were reflecting back on the British society what they were doing to us by wearing these sort of political symbols.”

He concluded by saying: “It was kind of a reflection back on the powers that be. ‘This is what you want us to be? You want us to be fascist? Oh, how about we dress like that to frighten you?’ And it worked.”

Speaking in the 1991 Jon Savage book ‘England’s Dreaming’, Siouxsie Sioux explained her personal reasoning for the use of swastikas in the punk movement, saying: “It was always very much an anti-mums-and-dads thing.

“We hated older people. Not across the board, but generally the suburban thing, always harping on about Hitler, and, ‘We showed him’, and that smug pride. It was a way of saying, ‘Well, I think Hitler was very good, actually’; a way of watching someone like that go completely red-faced.”

Billy Idol, who turns 70 this November, recently released his first album in over a decade. Hitting the shelves last month, ‘Dream Into It’ includes collaborations with Avril Lavigne and Joan Jett. Check out the full album below.

The hardcore and punk venue was forced to close its doors in March after struggling to survive throughout the Covid pandemic. The landlord decided to terminate the lease and turn the building into flats and shops… a story becoming all too prominent in this country.

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However, after a string of benefit gigs and crowdfunding campaigns, Boom is now ready to reopen its doors at a beautiful canalside location on Armley Road.

Next door to the 1,000 capacity Project House, the new venue will become a hub of music and culture which, when complete, will boast a live music space, rehearsal rooms, a recording studio, extra event rooms, and education and community facilities.

The first show will take place on May 21 as Leeds hardcore band Bodyweb headline with support from Long Goodbye, imissyoualready, Crowquil and Monroe.

The news of a venue re-opening after being forced to shut comes as a glimmer of hope to grassroots venues up and down the country.

Mxdwn has extensively covered the growing problems that independent venues are facing in this country, with a new survey finding that over half of the British population have witnessed the closure of a locally important venue since 2020.

Work is being done to tackle this by many groups including the Music Venue Trust and Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace And Justice Project, with the latter recently announcing the new campaign ‘A Summer To Save Live Music’.

Now, fans of punk in Leeds can rejoice at the reopening of the legendary venue. Posting on Instagram, the Boom team said: “Thanks to six months of fundraising, merch projects and countless volunteer hours, we’ve already started to transform the space and can’t wait to welcome you all back later this month.

“There’s still plenty to do, and it’s definitely a work in progress, opening for gigs is our next big step in raising the funds we need.”

 

 

 

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After the opening night on May 21, the venue will then be headlined the next day by Inhuman Nature with support from Grief Ritual, Sidewinder and Hard Stare.

One band that cut their teeth at Boom was Static Dress. Speaking in January 2024, frontman Oli Appleyard spoke of the importance of the venue, telling NME: “It’s a home of so much culture and not just one specific genre – punk, metal, hardcore, grindcore – all the stuff which wouldn’t normally have a place.

“It’s a place which allows international artists to come through and play shows, and it allows a safe place for all these things to exist.”

Tickets for the launch gigs are available now from here with the opening night costing only £12 plus booking fee.

You can also support the venue by donating to their crowdfunder which has already raised over £3,500, or by heading to their merch store here where a selection of posters and clothes are available.

The Swedish punk band will be heading to Europe for four months from June, including UK dates in the first week of October, as they promise an ‘epic finale’.

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The announcement of their split comes almost 30 years after they initially went their separate ways in 1998, whilst touring their heavily acclaimed album ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’. They eventually reconciled in 2012 before going on to release two new albums, 2015’s ‘Freedom’ and 2019’s ‘War Music’.

However, they promise that this time it is truly the end for the ‘New Noise’ rockers, after their planned 2024 breakup was initially delayed following lead singer Dennis Lyxzén suffering a ‘massive heart attack’ last summer.

The band’s drummer David Sandström shared details of the scary ordeal, saying “We hung out afterwards, I had a few beers and me and Dennis [Lyxzén], still vegan and basically straight edge, traded stupid stories about bands we love.

“It was a fine evening. Next morning I get a call from Dennis’ wife and a couple of tumultuous hours later it’s confirmed that he’s had a heart attack at the hotel.”

The health scare led to Refused cancelling their final ever performance in Sweden at Stockholm’s Rosendal Garden Party. Lyxzén took to Instagram to share that the cancellation was “a complete bummer as I was really looking forward to it. But hopefully I/we will be able to make it up to you soon.”

 

 

 

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That promise of making up for the cancellation has now been fulfilled as they will head on tour throughout Europe to say a final goodbye to their devoted fans.

They are currently finishing up their final ever American shows which have been running throughout March and April before heading out to Europe for their opening show in Berlin on June 15.

Fans have been sharing what it means to see Refused for one last time, with reddit user ‘ThisIsGoingToBeCool’ sharing a video of their recent final performance in LA.

Refused farewell in LA, 3/28/25
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The UK and Ireland leg of the farewell tour kicks off in Glasgow on October 1st, before heading to Manchester, London and Dublin. They will return to Germany to play their final ever European show in Leipzig on October 11.

Whilst announcing their American dates late last year, the band also released details of the 25th limited edition version of ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’. Available to listen now, the 25th anniversary release, titled ‘The Sound Of Punk To Come Obliterated’, is a 12-song tribute album including covers and remixes from bands such as Quicksand, Touche Amore and English rockers IDLES.

As well as their farewell tour, the band will also feature on the lineup for numerous festivals this summer, including Rock For People and Oslo’s ØYA.

Tickets for their final European and UK tour go on sale on April 9, with details regarding the UK and Ireland dates being available here.

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 The ‘library’ is made up of tens of thousands of items from Jones’ personal collection, gathered over his lifetime. This includes stage-worn clothing, original posters for his shows, and musical equipment from his time in The Clash, as well as a variety of physical media which audiences are encouraged to engage with.   

Alongside the new exhibition, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Public Library are launching a magazine to act as a portable version or the archive. Their first issue is DIY-themed, paying homage to the self-sufficient spirit of the early punk movement, and acts as a parallel to the zine, which were written, designed, and printed by fans.

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 DIY culture was a central pillar of punk, with bands releasing their own music through independent labels, and choosing to make their own unique clothing, all in an effort to be self-sufficient, and not rely on the music industry. The Clash emerged from this world, but quickly signed to CBS records for £100,000, prompting accusations of selling out. Mark Perry, founder of influential punk zine Sniffin’ Glue, declared, “Punk died the day The Clash signed to CBS.”  

Kirk Lane, one part of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Public Library Team, describes the collection as charting the journey of an imaginary figure as they meander through childhood into art and music. “This [current] exhibition expands on and complements the first issue of the magazine which is a general overview of the archive,” said Lake.  

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The exhibition’s immersive style, ranging from rooms resembling a mid-century living room to books of handwritten notes that guests are free to browse, will feel familiar to visitors of Davd Bowie Is and The Beatles Story. This project is more hands-on, however, actively encouraging visitors to handle many of the items, and read the hundreds of books that make up the archive. 

Jones has expressed a desire to find a permanent home for the ever-changing exhibition, saying at one of the very first exhibitions in 2009, “I’d like to have a permanent place to exhibit the whole collection… like a library where you can come and see the stuff and maybe get a copy or sit there and read it.”

Though many fans of Jones and The Clash will want to visit the exhibition, the limited duration and location will leave many relying on the magazine to get their fill. Described as a “ragged map to aid further exploration and inspire creation,” it will initially be sold exclusively at the exhibition before becoming available online and in selected shops. 

 With each issue exploring a new theme, the project invites readers into Jones’ obsession with pop culture, a physical link between today and a world that has almost entirely disappeared. The exhibition is open until 16 March and is free to all visitors.

Support acts have yet to be announced; however fans will be delighted to know that Smith will be joined by two of the musicians who played on the original recordings. Guitarist Lenny Kaye and keyboard player and bassist Jay Lee Daugherty have played with Smith throughout her live career. They will be joined by Tony Shanahan, who joined the group in 1996, and Jackson Smith, who joined in 2016.

The shows will see the album played in its entirety. The studio album comes in at a little over 43 minutes, with reissues including a cover of The Who’s ‘My Generation’, taking it beyond three-quarters of an hour. Smith’s shows tend to last around 80 minutes. When she toured ‘Horses’ in 2005, she performed additional tracks taking her shows closer to the typical runtime. Some of those that found their way onto the setlists included ‘Are You Experienced?’ by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and ‘Because The Night’, the Springsteen-penned ballad that was originally recorded by Smith in 1977. 

Produced by Welsh musician and Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale, ‘Horses’ was like nothing that had come before it. The album was a mélange of musical styles, all carried by Smith’s beat-esque prose, sometimes spoken, sometimes sung. UK critics were split on its releases, with Charles Shaar Murray of NME calling it “one in a thousand”, while its detractors called it “amateurish”.

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The album would influence some of the most iconic figures in and around music for the next 15 years. Among them, Morrissey and Johnny Marr, the two guiding hands in The Smiths. Morrissey would also record a live cover of ‘Redondo Beach’ in 2004, released the following year. Michael Stipe of R.E.M. cited the album as an influence, and John Cooper Clarke, who opened for acts like The Clash, The Sex Pistols and The Fall, said “Lyrics became important for a while in the late Seventies. Patti Smith was a poet and a rock star, as much one as the other, the distinctions were a bit blurred and then you get swept up in it.”  

Smith recently made headlines when she collapsed on stage. Performing alongside the Soundwalk Collective, Smith suffered a migraine and was taken backstage in a wheelchair. She later reemerged to perform more songs. The singer later posted on Instagram asking fans not to believe “a grossly exaggerated account being spread by the press and social media.”

 

 

 

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The tagline for the show is: “Please join us to help celebrate the final ride of our irreverent thoroughbred.” Fans lucky enough to snag a ticket to this show will be witnessing history as Smith appears to be winding down, whether that be celebrations of ‘Horses’, or touring as a whole. For those wanting to join in on the final ride, tickets can be purchased here.

‘Extraordinary Wings’ is an eerily atmospheric, post-punk masterpiece that blends moody basslines and layered instrumentation with her ethereal vocals. The track explores themes of personal transformation and resilience, drawing on Heartworms’ fascination with flight and military imagery. Inspired particularly by Spitfires and the broader world of aviation, these motifs serve as metaphors for strength and transcendence. The “wings” in the track represent both literal and symbolic freedom, imbuing the song with emotional depth. 

The accompanying music video, directed by Gilbert Trejo, amplifies this mood with stark, striking visuals captured in black-and-white film. A sense of isolation is heightened through the use of forest scenery, creating a narrative that is both haunting and beautiful. The video introduces one of its protagonists as “one of the many souls unjustly sacrificed in the name of war,” pulling viewers into Heartworms’ intricately crafted gothic world. 

Her 2023 EP, ‘A Comforting Notion’, firmly established Heartworms as a rising talent in modern alternative music. The EP features a collection of tracks that highlight her signature punky style, blending raw energy with atmospheric soundscapes and deeply poetic lyricism. Songs like ‘Consistent Dedication‘ showcase her ability to craft sharp, dynamic arrangements, while tracks such as ‘Retributions of an Awful Life‘ delve into darker, introspective themes, reflecting her fascination with the tension between control and chaos. This is exemplified in lyrics like, “So much blood, the grass just glosses / Ready flags with crooked crosses.” Each track provides an immersive listening experience, pairing haunting melodies with richly textured instrumentation. 

Heartworms, the stage name of musician Jojo Orme, has quickly emerged as one of the most exciting artists in the post-punk revival. Drawing inspiration from genre-defining acts like Joy Division and Bauhaus, she brings a contemporary edge to her music, making it feel both timeless and distinctively her own. Her gothic tones are complimented by her focus on real-life storytelling which has earned her a dedicated and loyal fanbase. 

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As she gears up to release ‘Glutton for Punishment’, Heartworms is also preparing for an extensive UK and European tour, including a major headline show at London’s iconic Electric Ballroom. With ‘Extraordinary Wings’ already garnering attention for its gothic beauty and raw emotion, it’s clear this is just the beginning of a remarkable journey. Heartworms is set to leave a unique mark on the music industry, and her new single stands as a testament to her creative vision and boundless potential which is something that feels fresh for this generation of artists. 

Ticket information can be found here.