London's music scene: highlights and news
Explore the latest music news unfolding in London, from festival announcements and classical music programmes to venue updates.
French electro pioneers Justice announced as headliners for Field Day 2024
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The Chemical Brothers. Field Day 2022. Photo by Eric Aydin Barberini.
Electro legends Justice have been announced as headliners for Field Day Festival's 17th edition, alongside PinkPantheress, Charlotte DeWitte. Due to take place in Victoria Park in August 2024, the iconic festival event promises a diverse lineup spanning electronic genres.
Date: 24th August 2024. Location: Victoria Park, East London. Price: Early birds from £50. Book now. Instagram: @fielddayfestivals
La Linea Festival Announces Second Wave of Artists
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La Linea London Latin Music Festival. Ana Tijoux.
La Linea, London's Latin Music Festival, unveils its second wave of shows for the 24th edition in April. The festival will feature specially curated performances across the capital. Highlights include Desta French & Friends at the Jazz Café, Domenico Lancellotti and Ricardo Dias Gomes at Cafe Oto, and Nacao Zumbi at the Jazz Café.
Date: 12 - 22 April 2024. Website: la-linea. Instagram: @lalineafestival.
Brand New All-Dayer Event Set to Take Place at Crystal Palace Bowl
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Grace Jones . Photo by Lawrence Watson.
Get ready for an electrifying addition to the summer festival calendar with Love Motion, a brand new all-dayer event set to ignite Crystal Palace Bowl on 26 July, as part of the South Facing festival. Headlining this exhilarating affair is the legendary Grace Jones, alongside Irish sensation Róisín Murphy, disco icons Horse Meat Disco, and a stellar lineup of DJs including Dimitri from Paris, Oli Keens, and J-Felix. With its historic setting and vibrant lineup, Love Motion promises to be a highlight of the season, offering a day filled with infectious beats, incredible performances, and unforgettable memories.
Date: Friday 26 July 2024. Location: Crystal Palace Bowl. Price: from £43.70. Book now.
Chaka Khan to Curate Meltdown 2024 Festival at Southbank Centre
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Chaka Khan. © Jo Metson Scott.
Iconic musician Chaka Khan has been announced as the curator for the upcoming Meltdown 2024 festival, hosted by the Southbank Centre. Celebrating her legendary 50-year career, Khan will infuse the 10-day summer event with her incredible voice and global influence, promising a celebration like no other in June.
Date: 14 - 23 June 2024. Location: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Website: southbankcentre.co.uk.
Cassie Kinoshi's will celebrate Women in Music at the Barbican
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Casse Kinoshi. © Aurore Fouchez.
Cassie Kinoshi will present her largest show yet at the Barbican in March, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Joined by her ensemble seed, turntablist NikNak, and the London Contemporary Orchestra, Kinoshi will revisit her acclaimed 2023 piece 'gratitude' and premiere a new composition inspired by women's role in British music history.
Date: 7 March 2024. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Barbican Centre. Price: £10-£15. Book now.
Collect Art Fair · The Market at Elephant Park announces ‘Latino Weekends: Flavours and Finds’ · Flavour&Some X Control Room A · Highsnobiety’s Not In London · Paavo Järvi Conducts Stravinsky’s The Firebird · Young Barbican Takeover Festival 2025 · Winter Sculpture Park · Leigh Bowery! · Claudia Pagès Rabal · Ella Kruglyanskaya · Dada Khanyisa · The Arts Society…
The timing of this exhibition could not be better. At the end of a long winter, and egging on London’s reluctant spring, the Saatchi Gallery brings us FLOWERS in full bloom…
Little Simz, one of the UK’s most innovative and celebrated artists, has been announced as the curator for the 30th edition of the Southbank Centre’s Meltdown Festival, set to take place in June 2025…
David Ottone is a Founding Member of Award-winning Spanish theatre company Yllana and has been the Artistic Director of the company since 1991. David has created and directed many theatrical productions which have been seen by more than two million spectators across 44 countries…
Darren Appiagyei is a London-based woodturner whose practice embraces the intrinsic beauty of wood, including its knots, cracks, bark, and grain. Highly inspired by Ghanaian wood carving, Darren explores raw textures and new woods in his work…
Huimin Zhang is an artist specialising in 22K gold, known for her innovative craftsmanship. She combines various cultural techniques, including filigree, engraving, and European gold and silver thread embroidery, to create unique works…
Photo London returns to Somerset House from 15-18 May 2025 to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a special edition that honours both London and its long-standing photographic traditions…
babirye bukilwa’s debut play is an unflinching expose of psychosis and manic depression, and the impact it can have on our relationships, love and identity…
Late at Tate: 80s Valentine’s Special · Valentine’s Day at the Natural History Museum · A Royal Valentine at the Queen’s House · St Valentine’s Day at the National Gallery · Twilight Tour at Sir John Soane’s Museum · Saatchi Lates: FLOWERS – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture
Art of London’s Art After Dark is set to light up London’s West End from 6th to 8th March 2025, bringing a free, immersive cosmic art experience by award-winning eco-feminist artist and experience designer, Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian.
Akinola Davies Jr. is a BAFTA-nominated British-Nigerian filmmaker, artist, and storyteller whose work explores identity, community, and cultural heritage. Straddling both West Africa and the UK, his films examine the impact of colonial history while championing indigenous narratives. As part of the global diaspora, he seeks to highlight the often overlooked stories of Black life across these two worlds.
Hannah Drakeford is a London-based interior designer known for her bold and colourful interiors. She transitioned from a 21-year retail design career to interior design, and has gained popularity on social media where she now shares creative upcycling tutorials and encourages individuality in home decor…
Tate has expanded its collection with the acquisition of Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo’s striking painting Blank Stare (2021) at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in Marrakec…
Body & Soul - Joan Snyder • Hew Locke: What Have We Here? • Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence, c. 1504 • Turner Prize 2024 • Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 • Letizia Battaglia: Life, Love and Death in Sicily • Silk Roads • Matthias Groebel: Skull Fuck • Later Works - Jack Jubb • Greg Carideo: groundwork & 00:00:01
Serpentine Galleries has announced that Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum and her firm, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), have been selected to design the Serpentine Pavilion 2025. Titled A Capsule in Time, the Pavilion will be unveiled on 6 June 2025 at Serpentine South…
In 2025, Somerset House celebrates its 25th anniversary as a leading cultural and creative hub in London. This guide highlights the exhibitions and art fairs to look out for during this landmark year-long celebration.…
Shula Carter is an East London-based creative with a background in contemporary, ballet, and modern dance. She trained at the Vestry School of Dance and later at LMA London, where she developed skills in commercial, hip hop, and tap dance, alongside stage and screen performance…
Sadler’s Wells East in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will feature innovative dance performances, education programmes, and community spaces as part of the East Bank cultural hub…
Gigi Surel is the founder of Teaspoon Projects, a groundbreaking cultural initiative launching in London with its first exhibition and programme. Dedicated to exploring contemporary storytelling, Teaspoon Projects blends visual arts and literature while encouraging audience participation through carefully curated events.
Dian Joy is a British-Nigerian interdisciplinary artist whose work delves into the intersections of identity, digital culture, and the fluid boundaries between truth and fiction. Her practice is rooted in examining how narratives evolve and shape perceptions, particularly in the digital age.
W London brings emerging local and international artists to Soho with exclusive performances at The Perception Bar.
What happens when we create our own version of the story? Looking for Giants is a play about the inner workings of our mind. Writer Cesca Echlin lifts the lid on what goes on inside our heads…
The V&A’s Fashion in Motion event celebrates the collaboration between designer Loweth and artist Hambling, with a tribute to Derek Jarman this January.
Casse-Croûte · Berenjak Borough · Lolo · Sollip · OMA · Camille · Aqua Shard · Rambutan ·Borough Market · White Cube · Fashion and Textile Museum · Science Gallery London · Cahoots · Labombe Wine Bar · Nine Lives · Oblix at The Shard
Barbican Conservatory · Sky Garden · Crossrail Place Roof Garden · Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens · Palm House at Kew Gardens · Temperate House at Kew Gardens
The Hayward Gallery has an exciting programme lined up for 2025, featuring bold and thought-provoking exhibitions. From pioneering feminist artists to acclaimed Japanese contemporary masters. Here’s what’s coming up…
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