Indie

Reviews

Festival Review

Homegrown Festival 2026

Apr 11 – 11, 2026 at The Hope & Ruin, Green Door Store, The Prince Albert, Folklore Rooms, The Pipeline, Revenge, Rossi Bar, Daltons & A L P H A B E T

Brighton’s first multi-venue festival of the year showcased the talent within the city’s vibrant scene

By Caspar Motley · April 15, 2026

Gig Review

Bombay Bicycle Club

March 21, 2026 at Nambucca

By Chris McGovern · March 27, 2026

Gig Review

Big Special

February 21, 2026 at O2 Institute Birmingham

A triumphant homecoming from a truly special duo · There’s no place like home. And for Black Country duo Big Special, composed of vocalist Joe Hicklin and drummer Callum Moloney, tonight will have felt the sweetest.

By Ali Al Hashimi · February 23, 2026

Gig Review

Magdalena Bay

February 8, 2026 at Manchester Apollo

Tour continues into second UK leg with sold-out Manchester date · LA synth-pop duo on the rise

By Willow · February 13, 2026

Gig Review

Miles Kane

February 7, 2026 at O2 Institute Birmingham

Even during winter, Miles’ sunlight brightens the darkest skies

By Ali Al Hashimi · February 8, 2026

Gig Review

Only The Poets

February 2, 2026 at Brixton Academy

A monumental performance on a history-defining night · Sold out £1 Brixton gig offers glimpse of what’s to come for Reading band

By Ali Al Hashimi · February 4, 2026

Gig Review

Mumford & Sons

December 7, 2025 at Utilita Arena Birmingham

Riding the waves of the 2020s folk revival, the band soar to new heights

By Ali Al Hashimi · December 11, 2025

Gig Review

The Wombats

December 6, 2025 at BP Pulse Live

Wombats on their biggest ever Arena tour · More than just 2000s landfill indie, these guys deliver a truly enjoyable show

By Ali Al Hashimi · December 10, 2025

Gig Review

Alessi Rose

November 28, 2025 at O2 Academy Birmingham

A future superstar in the making and her passionate fanbase are turning their pretty world into a reality

By Ali Al Hashimi · December 1, 2025

Gig Review

Westside Cowboy

November 19, 2025 at The Sunflower Lounge

You better believe the hype, because these are guys will be something great · Winners of the 2025 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition

By Ali Al Hashimi · November 21, 2025

Festival Review

Shiiine On Weekender 2025: Jesus and Mary Chain, Ash & Cast

Nov 14 – 16, 2025 at Butlin's Minehead Resort

Long-established Indoor Indie Music festival

By Jessica Jolly · November 20, 2025

Festival Review

Pitchfork London 2025: Destroyer

November 6, 2025 at Barbican Centre

Destroyer perform a life-infused set, supported by The Fiery Furnaces

By Dreams Burn Down · November 17, 2025

Festival Review

Live At Leeds In The City 2025

November 15, 2025

The most important festival in the country, and a really damn good festival at that.

By Ali Al Hashimi · November 17, 2025

Gig Review

Maruja

November 13, 2025 at Electric Ballroom

Turning pain and violence into love and affection · A post-punk symphony of chaotic virtuosity

By Ali Al Hashimi · November 14, 2025

Festival Review

Mutations 2025

Nov 7 – 8, 2025 at Brighton

Brighton came to life for a weekend of eclectic music. · The city’s last festival of the year showcased its incredible music scene.

By Caspar Motley · November 12, 2025

Gig Review

hard life

October 30, 2025 at Brixton Academy

A different name, but the tunes hit all the same · Band were forced to change name after corporate legal nonsense

By Ali Al Hashimi · November 1, 2025

Gig Review

Keo

October 25, 2025 at O2 Institute Birmingham

The most exciting thing to come out of Britain right now · Sky is the limit for indie upstarts

By Ali Al Hashimi · October 29, 2025

Gig Review

Gurriers

October 24, 2025 at O2 Academy2 Oxford

Gurriers bring a high-octane show to Oxford · Raw, compelling and exhilarating, they are a band that deserve to be heard live

By Ali Al Hashimi · October 25, 2025

Gig Review

The Royston Club

October 18, 2025 at O2 Institute Birmingham

Eclectic and electric, there’s no signs of slowing down for these Welsh hotshots.

By Ali Al Hashimi · October 20, 2025

Gig Review

Rose Gray

October 8, 2025 at O2 Institute3

Made for the nightclub dancefloor, but born to play the biggest of stages.

By Ali Al Hashimi · October 9, 2025

Festival Review

All Points East 2025: The Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Futureheads & The Cribs

August 24, 2025 at Victoria Park

Returning to the dust bowl for one last effort, a fantastically curated day of 00s Indie nostalgia is on the cards this time.

By Johnny Tightlips · September 1, 2025

Festival Review

Rock en Seine 2025: Vampire Weekend, Mk.Gee & Khruangbin

Aug 20 – 24, 2025 at Domaine National de Saint-Cloud

Many people will read the words Vampire Weekend and instantly think ‘A-Punk, 2008, Inbetweeners soundtrack landfill indie.’ This label haunts them unjustly - in the near 20 years since their debut, they have aggressively courted positive reviews with the hard-to-please Pitchfork, won several Grammys, and had numerous albums debut at number 1 on the Billboard 200.

By Sheils · August 27, 2025

Festival Review

Green Man 2025

Aug 14 – 17, 2025 at Glanusk Estate

Something for everyone at a scorching edition of Wales’ finest festival. · A music-loving community comes together every summer in Bannau Brycheiniog.

By Caspar Motley · August 24, 2025

Gig Review

Khruangbin

August 15, 2025 at Gunnersbury Park

On a beautifully sunny Friday afternoon, we headed down to London’s Gunnersbury Park to see Khruangbin and returning 00s legends TV on the Radio.

By Johnny Tightlips · August 22, 2025

Gig Review

Fontaines D.C.

August 15, 2025 at Wythenshawe Park

They may not speak much, but these future Glastonbury headliners let their music do the talking.

By Ali Al Hashimi · August 20, 2025

Gig Review

Radio Free Alice

August 14, 2025 at The Shacklewell Arms

Radio Free Alice, through the prism of Indie’s winners and losers. · Oblivious to the traumas of ‘landfill’, Indie™ has its latest buzz band.

By Dave Phelan · August 18, 2025

Gig Review

Catfish and the Bottlemen

August 3, 2025 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

A grand tale of “what if’s” and “what could’ve been’s” on a night where you’d rather be at the better gig next door

By Ali Al Hashimi · August 8, 2025

Festival Review

Camp Bestival 2025

Jul 31 –Aug 3, 2025 at Lulworth Castle

The premier family festival keeps on going · With new sponsorship and marketing, Camp Bestival is surviving and thriving

By Jessica Jolly · August 8, 2025

Festival Review

Y Not 2025

Jul 31 –Aug 3, 2025 at Pikehall

We’re back at Y Not!, held annually in Pikehall, Derbyshire.

By Harry · August 5, 2025

Festival Review

Tramlines 2025: Pulp

July 25, 2025 at Hillsborough Park

Pulp lead cathartic hometown singalong.

By Johnny Tightlips · July 30, 2025

Festival Review

Meltdown 2025: The Streets

June 12, 2025 at Southbank Centre

The Streets open the 2025 Meltdown Festival, as curated by Little Simz.

By Sisco · June 15, 2025

Festival Review

Live at Leeds in the Park 2025

May 24, 2025 at Temple Newsam Park

Live at Leeds’ expansion from the city to the park has been a great success. I was always a fan of the venue-crawl element, but it’s nice to be back in the beautiful rolling hills of Temple Newsam Park.

By Johnny Tightlips · May 31, 2025

Festival Review

Bearded Theory 2025

May 22 – 25, 2025 at Catton Park

The lineup is so good it’s kinda weird. · Three days of the most exciting, diverse rock-based lineup on the calendar, and a day school where you can drop off your kids. Hard to believe this festival is real.

By Jessica Jolly · May 30, 2025

Gig Review

WU LYF

May 21, 2025 at The Horse Hospital

A New Life Is Coming · WU LYF’s messianic return to London after 13 years.

By my windows were stars · May 27, 2025

Gig Review

The Flaming Lips

May 5, 2025 at Bristol Beacon

Yoshimi battles the pink robots.... and a lot more

By Jessica Jolly · May 9, 2025

Gig Review

Ocean Colour Scene

April 9, 2025 at Bristol Beacon

An unexposed American plunges into the murkier waters of 90s Britpop and comes out clean.

By Jessica Jolly · April 22, 2025

Festival Review

Pitchfork London 2024: Jessica Pratt & Alan Sparhawk

November 6, 2024 at Barbican Centre

Decked out in his trademark dungarees, Alan Sparhawk walks onstage at the Barbican, flanked by a trio of small vases and accompanied by his son on bass.

By Dreams Burn Down · November 12, 2024

Gig Review

ARXX

November 7, 2024 at The Fleece

“This is our last song,” said Hannah Pidduck, guitarist and powerful vocalist, hamming it up enormously for the appreciative Fleece crowd.

By Senator John Blutarsky · November 12, 2024

Festivals

All Indie Festivals

2000 Trees

Upcote Farm, England

All Points East

August 21, 2026

Victoria Park, England

Bearded Theory

Catton Park, England

Belladrum

Belladrum Estate, Scotland

Bestival

Ended after 2018

Lulworth Castle, England

Camden Rocks

End of the Road

Sept 3 – 6, 2026

Larmer Tree Gardens, England

Field Day

Brockwell Park, England

Green Man

Aug 20 – 23, 2026

Glanusk Estate, Wales

Kendal Calling

Lowther Deer Park, England

Reading

Aug 27 – 30, 2026

Richfield Avenue, England

Rock en Seine

Aug 26 – 30, 2026

Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, France

Shiiine On Weekender

Nov 13 – 15, 2026

Butlin's Minehead Resort, England

TRNSMT

Glasgow Green, Scotland

Wide Awake

Brockwell Park, England