Georgia Evans

Grab your fangs, your bottle of fake blood and your poison of choice: it’s Halloween time. And that means things are about to get seriously spooky, but there’s likely to be some dancing too. And you know what that means: it’s time for our Halloween playlist! There‘s no one size fits all for Halloween tunes. Some of what you’ll find on this list is seriously scary. Some songs were actually written about regular ol’ heartbreak but sound like they were made for a horror movie. Some of them have featured in your favourite spooky Netflix shows. But from The Cramps (of ‘Wednesday’ fame) to Olivia Rodrigo’s ex-boyfriend bleeding her dry, we’ve got a Halloween tune for everyone here. Time to get freaky, people.  RECOMMENDED:🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs💧 The best sad songs🎅 The best Christmas songs

London is a stressful city at the best of times, but going away for a few days to recharge isn’t always possible. However, you can get a quick fix of relaxation with a trip to one of London’s best day spas. Dissolve into a hot tub or heated pool, feel your muscles release as you succumb to the heat of a sauna or steam room and let a professional massage your cares away. The places on our list of London’s best day spas range from the ultra-affordable to the super-luxurious, and includes tried-and-tested favourites from several of our editors (they’re a perennially stressed out bunch with some of the worst postures you’ve ever seen, so trust us when we say they’re the perfect guinea pigs for trying out some steam rooms and massages). Ready to step out of your daily life for a few hours. Here are fourteen of our favourite paradises for pampering, right here in London. Aaaaaaah. Recommended: the best spas in LondonRecommended: the best hotels in LondonRecommended: the best Airbnbs in London

Like ’em, hate ’em or blast ’em 24 hours a day as soon as September starts, there’s no getting away from Christmas songs. And we’re not just talking about Mariah and the Pogues – Christmas songs are an exhaustive genre, from ’40s jingles to 2024 bangers.  On our list, we thought it would be best to include it all. The classics, sure, but some of the more rogue choices too. Like the ‘Eight Days of Christmas’ mash-up by Destiny’s Child, and the underrated classic ‘Dominick the Donkey, the Italian Donkey’. Whatever gets you feeling festive, you’ll find it on this list. Here are the best Christmas songs ever written.  RECOMMENDED:🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs💧 The best sad songs🎅 The best places to go at Christmas

When it comes to music, is there a decade more varied (and stand-out) than the 90s? You’ve got Britney Spears’s girly pop tunes on one end and punky grunge on the other, but then you’ve got the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Bruce Springsteen and all those other guys somewhere along the spectrum too.  So how does one go about summing up the best tunes from the ’90s? Well, you need a long enough list, for starters (check!), and tunes encompassing a load of different genres (check!). You need to hit the classics, and include a few of the tunes we all forgot about. You might see where we’re going with this, but we’ve got it all right here. Here are the best tunes from the ’90s, picked by our editors. Happy nostalgic listening! RECOMMENDED:🍒 The best pop songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🎉 The best party songs❤️ The best love songs

You can pay for all the therapy you want – sometimes only a good cry will do it. And the best way for a guaranteed sob? That’s putting on a sad tune, possibly cracking open the ice-cream and simply letting your emotions take hold.  And in our opinion, the best sad songs don’t just whine and gesture at bad feelings – they wallow in the depths with you. And that’s what our top picks do. After all, these are songs our fave singers wrote when they too were having the worst time ever. We’re all in this together, gang! Ready to weep? Here are the best sad songs ever written.  RECOMMENDED:😭 The best breakup songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🎉 The best party songs❤️ The best love songs

Don’t listen to what Radiohead said: pop will never, ever die. And here at Time Out, we love the golden oldies as much as we love the newbies. The 21st century is a long one, after all.  Here on our list you’ll find fabulous pop songs from every era, from Outkast and Missy Elliot to Charli XCX’s Brat Summer and the world’s newest pop queen Chappell Roan. The only criteria? It has to be a feel good bop, and it has to make you want to get up and dance. All of these tunes do just that, and then some. Read on for the best pop songs ever made.  RECOMMENDED:🎤 The best karaoke songs🎉 The best party songs❤️ The best love songs☀️ The best summer songs

Whether you’ve got the voice of an angel or you’re totally tone deaf, Karaoke unites us all. But heed our warning: choosing the right song is crucial (aka, don’t opt for that Whitney Houston tune if you haven’t the range. Kapeesh?) So we thought we’d help out a little bit. In our list of the best karaoke songs ever, we’ve got everyone from Adele to Toto, and from Frank Sinatra to Vanilla Ice. Something for everyone. So down that shot, grab that mic and take to the stage. Your audience awaits you. Here are the best karaoke songs ever.  RECOMMENDED:❤️ The best love songs☀️ The best summer songs🎉 The best party songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time  

August was a bloody great month for music. But as we wave goodbye to festival season, with a lone tear slowly running down our collective cheek, something new and exciting appears on the gig horizon. Oh yes, the reunion of two mop-haired Mancunian brothers has given us all something to get excited about (all except Ticketmaster’s insurance team). While we wait for the great Oasis ‘25 reunion, we’ve got a whole lotta gigs to sustain our musical appetite. If you’ve got Chappell Roan tickets, congratulations, you were one of the lucky ones, you beat a queue of over 10,000 people to the punch. And if you’ve narrowly missed out? You’ve got Brit award-winners Jungle to bring the party vibes, Los Bitchos providing blistering guitar riffs and Azealia Banks, who’ll also gladly tell you to fuck off when asking for a photo. That should make up for it.  RECOMMENDED:  🥂 The best things to do in London this weekend 🎨 The 10 best art exhibitions in London 🎭 The best new theatre shows in London   For a proper good dance Photograph: Live Nation Jungle  Jungle has been all over TikTok with the sped-up version of this year’s Ivor Novello-nominated single ‘Back on 74'. In real life, the group consists of childhood friends, Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland, who joined forces with singer Lydia Kitto in 2021. This year they won a BRIT Award for ‘British Group’, and just announced their latest track, ‘Let’s Go Back’. Luckily, the song will be out long enough for you to learn the lyrics so yo

Summer is finally upon us, and that means we finally get to stop listening to sad girl music and looking out at the rain (unless you’re based in the UK, that is). Now it’s time for lively, summery bangers. The kind that make you want to drink, be merry and dance the night away.  Luckily, summer is a pretty big genre in the music world. And though we’ve included this year’s bangers (Sabrina Carpenter, we’re looking at you), there’s got to be room for the very best golden oldies too. This list covers decades of summer jams. All you have to do is supply the drinks. Here’s our ultimate summer playlist for 2024. Enjoy! RECOMMENDED:🎤 The best karaoke songs🍻 The best drinking songs🎉 The best party songs🎶 The best ’80s songs🕺 The best pop songs

The word ‘paradise’ is thrown around a lot when it comes to the islands of the Indian Ocean, but this archipelago a thousand miles east of Kenya is just that. Across the 115 islands, you’ll find some of the world’s most beautiful beaches (the white sand of Beau-Vallon on main island Mahé instantly springs to mind), making them a nature-lovers dream. Here, you’ll find dramatic rock formations, and exotic plants and animals, like Praslin's UNESCO Vallée de Mai where the rare coco de mer grows or Frégate island, where giant tortoises roam. Seychelles is up there with the best of them, thanks to its avoidance of environment-ruining development and royalty-approved eco-aware hotels. Here, we’ve handpicked the best of them; whether they boast astonishing views, gourmet cuisine, nature-focused themes or eco credentials. Have a scroll through our pick of the best hotels in the Seychelles and plan a utopian getaway. Updated September 2024: We have no idea how this one wasn't on our radar until now, but better late than never when it comes to STORY Seychelles offering private garden terraces, and unobstructed views of both Indian Ocean and Morne Seychellois National Park. Dreamy. Other places you may like:🇲🇻Discover the best hotels in the Maldives🇲🇺Book into one of the top Mauritius hotels🇮🇳Your ultimate guide to hotels in India Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays.

Benidorm, not unlike Las Vegas, has in the past 20 years shed a bit of its louche rep as (some) punters moved on and more families moved in. Of course, you can still lose your mind and stomach in skyscraper-clogged 'Benidormitory'. But the Costa Blanca city’s hotels increasingly vie for domesticated couples and families interested in wholesome attractions like Roman Empire–themed amusement parks. If neither end of that spectrum appeals to you, take a tapas-fueled walk off the wild side and through the Old Town.

Landed in the City of Light for the first time? Don’t be intimidated. This place is big. Really big. And there’s so much going on it can be hard to know where to start. But luckily for you globe-trotters, we’re here to help out. If you’re an out-of-towner with next-to-no knowledge of Paris, we think booking a walking tour might be your best bet. Thanks to a guide who knows what they’re talking about – and, more importantly, where they’re going – you’ll have sussed out this city in no time. So, what are you waiting for? Pack your comfiest shoes and set out on a tour of one of the finest cities in the world. Here’s our pick of the best walking tours in Paris right now, from tip-top chocolatier trips to erotica-themed excursions (yes, really).  RECOMMENDED: 🇫🇷 Full guide to the best things to do in Paris🏨 Take your pick of the best hotels in Paris 🛏 Or make reservations at a chic Paris Airbnb🚌 The best bus tours in Paris This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

With all that’s going on in the world, sometimes you just need some silliness. And my god, will you get a good dose of silly at this pocket-size musical. ‘I Wish You Well’ opens with X-Factor popstar Diana Vickers channelling the low drawl of Gwyneth Paltrow. ‘Take a deep breath,’ she says. ‘Do you smell that? That’s my vagina.’ This pretty much sets the tone for this hour-long courtroom romp.  For a little context, the show is based on inspired by Paltrow’s 2023 trial following a ski slope collision. Retired optometrist Terry Sanderson sued Paltrow for $300,000; she countersued for $1 and the Utah court ruled in her favour. It was a media maelstrom, and as the play argues, probably the most exciting thing to happen in Utah, ever.  Directed by Shiv Rabheru, written by Rick Pearson and Roger Dipper, and choreographed by dance legend Arlene Phillips, ‘I Wish You Well’ had a pretty successful stint at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, and has now landed at the Criterion for a limited month-long run.  As far as the writing goes, the songs aren’t particularly catchy but the wisecracks are relentless, so the neat hour-long runtime flies by. And it’s all held together by a four-handed cast that successfully makes you feel like you’re in on the joke. The audience are the jurors, after all.  Vickers plays an exaggerated, mighty-than-thou Gwynnie who blows kisses at the audience every time she crosses the stage, while Marc Antolin’s Terry is a blithering idiot with a surprisingly kinky si

Over the last six years, All Points East has garnered a reputation for building some of the most exciting and interesting festival line-ups in the UK. Its headliners are often indie or dance-focused big-hitters, while its undercards are packed with cult heroes and rising stars you can say you saw first. As well as the ticketed weekend events, look out for All Points East In the Neighbourhood, the festival’s free midweek programme of community activities including film screenings, live sports, theatre, family fun and more.  When is All Points East 2024? All Points East takes over London’s Victoria Park once again this August. You’ll be able to enjoy the sounds of the festival’s sweet music over the weekends of August 16-18 and 23-25. How much are tickets? Each show is priced differently, as are the different levels of access on offer. General admission will cost you between £74.45 and £80.60, while there are various VIP offerings that will set you back anywhere from £112.65 to £165.75. If you want to beat the crowds to a prime spot, you can nab a primary entry ticket. Really want to go but can’t afford to drop the full ticket price all at once? Payment plans are available. For more information, visit the festival’s website. Who’s on the lineup? If your music preferences lie in the Venn diagram of indie and electronic then this is the festival for you. The 2024 headliners include indie sleaze party-starters LCD Soundsystem and a double-hitter of the Ben Gibbard-fronted The Post

Is it just us or does Field Day feel way younger than 17 years old? Time flies, eh? Drawing in over 50,000 ravers to its soirée in Viccy Park, the festival is back with an electronic-leaning line-up for 2024. The biggest draw: Justice, who’re back with a new album and a fresh set of house bangers. There are also achingly cool acts like Vegyn, Yaeji, Shygirl, Brutalismus 300 and more.  RECOMMENDED: The ultimate guide to Field Day 2024. When is Field Day 2024? Field Day will return to Victoria Park on August 24, as part of All Points East – and it’s shaping up nicely, with a little something for every kind of electronic muso-head.  Find out more about All Points East How much are tickets? General admission tickets are £70, Primary Entry (which includes cue cutting) is £80, Uber One VIP Garden tickets come to £89.55 and include a special bar, first class food, additional comfortable seating and enhanced facilities. If you're looking to go full-throttle Uber One VIP Garden + VIP Pit will have you up-close and personal with the headliners for £135. Who’s on the lineup? Field Day is shaping up to be an absolute belter. Headliners Justice teased a pretty phenomenal show when they chatted with us earlier in August. They also played a blinding set at Glastonbury so you can only expect bright lights, rumbling basslines and hit after funky hit. Charlotte de Witte is bringing her Overdrive show to Vicky Park, alongside established acts such as 2manydjs, Mary Anne Hobbs and Tiga & Hudso

Almost all the greats have concert films. Madonna. Talking Heads. Hell, even ABBA. However, it feels like, since the release of Beyonce’s Homecoming in 2019, a new wave of confessional concert films has hit cinemas and streamers. Audiences are invited into the previously gatekept, ‘intimate’ parts of an artist's life and witness them, supposedly, in their rawest form. But in an age where every pop star, from Taylor Swift to Machine Gun Kelly, has one, how can you stand out? Long Live Montero cuts through some of that the noise. Montero Lamar Hill, aka Lil Nas X, has has successfully transitioned from being the ‘Old Town Road’ cowboy and perpetual shitposter to a legitimate pop star in the past couple of years, and his critically acclaimed debut tour ‘Long Live Montero’ is the embodiment of this. With that in mind, you would hope that Carlos López Estrada (Billie Eilish: When the Party’s Over) and his co-director Zac Manuel would dig into what went into the process of transitioning Montero’s musical talents into genuine, offline connections.  ‘I want to go places no one has ever been,’ he says in the film’s opening moments. And it’s clear he has that star power. He’s a magnetic screen presence, and his cheeky, childlike sense of humour (which made him famous online) makes him instantly likeable.  Then there’s the music. His collaboration with Jack Harlow, ‘INDUSTRY BABY’, is a straight-up banger. And you can’t ignore the wild pairing of sexually suggestive lyricism and graphic

Wide Awake bills itself as a ‘musical melting pot’ and ‘counter cultural celebration’, offering up leftfield indie, post-punk, electronica, techno and much, much more. This year the festival takes place on May 25 and the headliners are psychedelic Aussie rockers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Scottish pop trio Young Fathers and legendary shoegazers Slowdive. Further down the line-up, 2024 is set to be Wide Awake’s biggest year yet. Squid, Sevdaliza, The Dare, Ben UFO, Alice Glass, yeule, Special Interest, Lynks, Hannah Diamond, Dry Cleaning and Johnny Jewel are just some of the names on the bill.  Your ultimate guide to Wide Awake 2024.

Perched right on the Eastern Esplanade – yes, like The Libertines' 2024 album – The Albion Rooms is a striking townhouse hotel made up of dark wooden furnishings, neon light installations and rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia.  Opened in 2020 by The Libertines (Carl Barât, Peter Doherty, John Hassall and Gary Powell) to be a meeting place for the band, it’s a sleek spot for indie fans to rest their head by the seaside, sip on the signature ‘defying gravity’ cocktails in the underground Wasteland bar, and maybe make a couple of tunes in the dedicated recording studio. There are just seven rooms, which makes The Albion Rooms feel intimate yet exclusive. The William Blake is very much decorated in Barât's black-and-gold rockstar style, while the Emily Dickinson, designed by Doherty, supposedly houses the bath that Jim Morrison died in. While you don’t have to be a fan to book a room here, longtime followers of the Libs will be starstruck by Peter’s artwork and the original print of the self-titled album hanging above the pub door. You might even catch one of them checking in from time to time. Neighbourhood Overlooking Walpole Bay, The Albion Rooms is a 14-minute walk from the beloved local spot, Shell Grotto and Palm Bay Beach. Margate train station is a mile away. For those looking to recreate an iconic Doherty moment, you’ve got The Dalby Cafe around the corner, where you can take on the mega breakfast challenge (Google it, you won't be disappointed).  Nearby Cliffs: An inviting loc

Maiden Voyage is back for 2024, this time in a brand new home of Burgess Park. And it's now moved to September, meaning you'll get to wrap up your festival season with the likes of Venezuelan multidisciplinary artist Arca, rising R&B talent Erika De Casier, former Time Out cover star Jayda G, Australian producer Mall Grab and many more.  This year also features new stage hosts including London Queer club Adonis and Berlin-based collective Live From Earth. Curating this year’s main stage will be PXSSY PALACE, while Sunday party UNFOLD are returning to elevate their sound and stage production for the festival's new south London home. 

  You have a nagging problem in your life, who are you turning to? Your friends? Your therapist? What about your favourite agony aunt? Ultimately, the concept is flawed because it’s impossible to expect some celebrity journalist to sort your life out. Getting a clown to do it makes just as much sense, really.  Julia Masli’s widely acclaimed live agony aunt show was a runaway hit at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. On its opening night at Soho Theatre, the Estonian comedian comes out in a kind of deconstructed pantomime gown, bowling shoes and on her left arm, a full-sized mannequin leg with a microphone at the end. Beaming a light from the bike helmet on her head like a kind of ‘X-Files’ alien, she approaches audience members with laser-focus, asking, ‘Problem?’. The idea behind this wonderfully odd setup is that a problem shared is a problem halved.  A clown by trade, Masli’s 2022 show ‘Choosh’ traced a migrant’s journey from Eastern Europe to the US through Chaplin-style slapstick. This nonsensical humour underpins her style of stunt comedy, yet you can’t escape the sense of real earnestness coming from our hipster host. She plays the part of an innocent, otherworldly naif with aplomb.  The show is part-meditation (our host enters to the slow voiceover of ‘ha, ha, ha,’), part-group therapy session. And the direction of it is completely determined by the audience. Tonight, the issues range from the mundane ‘my dog barks at foxes’ to the all too relatable ‘my boss is shit’

Wide Awake bills itself as a ‘musical melting pot’, offering up leftfield indie, post-punk, electronica, techno and more. This year you've got psychedelic Aussie rockers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard headlining, alongside Young Fathers, Slowdive, The Dare, Ben UFO and Alice Glass among other indie stalwarts. There is no doubt it'll leave crowds surprised as it celebrates artists that defy traditional genre boundaries.

If you love nothing better than the idea of grooving to reggae, Afrobeats and dancehall in the sun, this is the festival for you. City Splash is once again taking over Brockwell Park to celebrate the impact of Caribbean and African culture in the UK and beyond – giving you a chance to dance, connect over music and have a bloody good time. This year's line-up includes Capleton, Beenie Man, Shenseea, Busy Signal and Queen Omega.   Find more London music festivals.

Autumn has truly been the Marina Abramović season in London. The legendary performance artist has already completed a full takeover of the Southbank Centre, has an ongoing retrospective at the RA, and is now completing the trifecta with a pivot to opera in ‘7 Deaths of Maria Callas’.  Why’s she done this? Well, Callas had long been a fascination for Abramović. The opera singer’s life was never quite separated from her performances (perhaps there’s a parallel there); she became a superstar in her scene, had a public affair with Aristotle Onassis and eventually died alone in her Paris flat in 1977. But Abramović also believes she ‘died’ onstage dozens of times. So it’s only right that she’s immortalised here, through ‘La Traviata’, ‘Tosca’, ‘Madame Butterfly’, ‘Carmen’, ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ and ‘Norma’ – all performed like a greatest hits medley.  Combining art and live music, '7 Deaths of Maria Callas' is a hipster opera. A cool spin on an intimating genre. It feels like a good entryway for first-timers like myself who may only be a little familiar with the music. I very much fitted in with the Central Saint Martin-types speculating what ‘the mother of performance art’ had up her sleeve.  I couldn’t help but notice ENO’s fervent attempt to reach out to a younger audience. Posters advertise free tickets for those under 21 (you can sit anywhere! Even the front!) and hefty discounts for under-35s. The merch stand is flogging black T-shirts embellished with glittering gold ‘Choos

Bristol is a lovely city: charming, artsy and buzzing with activity. Sometimes, though, you just need a little R&R. Aztec Hotel & Spa is the kind of place that’s fit for both locals and tourists thanks to its convenient location close to the city. Found about ten minutes from Bristol Parkway in a pretty bog-standard hotel – located in what appears to be a business park – the spa itself is anything but ordinary. With fluffy comfortable seating, a self-service bar and rows of private lounge chairs for mani-pedis, the newly opened Relax Lounge looks like it could be Kim Kardashian’s house. A soft, floral aroma wafted through the space: bliss. Fresh juices, ice cold water and bottles of fizz were all available, alongside light snacks (which I decided to skip, following a hefty full English in the hotel restaurant). The fitness facilities were of just as high a standard: there’s a large pool, which means you can get a few laps in pre or post glow-up, alongside a fully equipped gym if you want to build on your muscles ahead of a massage. There’s also the option to hop in the sauna or steam room whenever you feel like it.  I was booked in for the ‘Ultimate Glow’. It’s the full works: back, face and scalp, including a massage and facial. I can vouch that it was an hour and a half of pure relaxation: the massage pressure was just right, the skin treatments smelt amazing and I left feeling like a glowing goddess. I was also given a guide to what products were used as well as recommend

There are a few things guaranteed when you see Taylor Swift. You'll get Superbowl-scale dance numbers, friendship bracelets swapped between groups of screaming teens, and surprise songs that send the crowd into overdrive. Now, I'm not your typical Taylor fan, I barely knew my 'Back to December' from my 'Cruel Summer', but this Friday, she pulled out some pretty incredible moments. On the first night of her, quite frankly, historic takeover of Wembley Stadium on Friday June 21, the American superstar played a whopping three-and-a-half-hour set to a sea of fans and celebs (Prince William, Kier Starmer, Jonathan Van Ness all in attendance). Here's just a few stand-out moments.  1. 'Why don't you just bog off' went hard  WHY DON’T YOU JUST BOG OFF📸 @cagedmecrazy pic.twitter.com/SCbyjYnbMr — The Eras Tour UK & Ireland (@TheErasTourUK) June 21, 2024 2. The orange outfit was actually a slay @nas.archives THE SURPRISE SONG MASHUP FROM LONDON - FULL #taylorswift #theerastour #surprisesong #marron #theblackdog #thetorturedpoetsdepartment #taylorswiftlondon ♬ original sound - NAS 3. She premiered 'The Black Dog' live, and did a mash-up of 'Come Back...Be Here' and 'Maroon' as her surprise songs @varietymagazine Taylor Swift performs a mash-up of "Come Back...Be Here" and "Maroon" during her Wembley show. ♬ original sound - Variety 4. She shouted out Travis and we couldn't be mo

For almost two decades, the Speakers Corner Quartet have been active in London’s live music scene, collaborating with legends like Sampha, Kae Tempest, Tirzah and Shabaka Hutchings. What started off as a house band at south London music venue Brixton Jamm is now a four-piece powerhouse of Biscuit on flute, Kwake Bass on drums and percussion, Raven Bush on violin, and Peter Bennie on bass. In 2023, the group released their long-awaited debut album Further Out Than The Edge to critical acclaim, and this year scooped up the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song, for their collaboration with Tempest on ‘Geronimo Blues’. Taking inspiration from hip-hop heavyweights like MF DOOM and J Dilla, innovative electronic artists such as Aphex Twin and composers like Ralph Vaughan Williams and John Coltrane, the group have been praised for their lush musical textures that heighten the performances of their collaborators.So it makes sense that the legendary Chaka Khan would choose such an exciting and important collective to be a part of her 2024 Meltdown. The band has spent a whole year preparing a brand new show alongside the 35-piece Guildhall Session Orchestra for the festival, and are promising some thrilling new compositions and orchestral reworks from their debut album, as well as appearances from a few of their famous friends. In anticipation of their big night on Monday June 17, we caught up with flautist and band leader Biscuit ahead of the event, to shine a light on some o

The moment you step off the train and see a band name-emblazoned footie shirt, you know Margate is Libertines territory. Fans of the rockers will be well aware of the band’s hotel, The Albion Rooms, which is on the seafront street they’ve named their new album (‘All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade’ – out now) after. Current Margate-dweller Carl Barât and ex-Margater Pete Doherty’s band are just as much a part of the arty seaside town’s DNA as arcade games, salt and vinegar chips and aggressively oversized seagulls.  When explaining his decision to move to Margate, Barât tells us, ‘Margate had artistic heritage, and it was cheap, and there was the sort of arty exodus from London, and it was cheap, and there was the sea… and it was cheap.’ He adds, ‘I've given so much of my life to London and London's given me so much of my life that I wanted to try somewhere new.’ So who better to take Time Out through the finest Margate has to offer? Here the legendary indie singer-songwriter picks out his favourite spots, from that viral caff where Doherty demolished an olympic-sized breakfast to the underground dive bar Barât and his partner restored to its former grimy glory.  Eat  The Dalby Cafe The best place to eat in Margate is The Dalby Cafe. It’s that one where Pete actually won a free breakfast by doing the all-you-can-eat challenge in 20 minutes or something. I have a feeling that he might’ve been feeding his dog under the table. But anyway, it’s the highest quality classic British

It’s the biggest night of the year for British music. And where else (apart from maybe Chiltern Firehouse) are you going to see Dua Lipa, Kylie and Roman Kemp all dressed up to the nines in one place? Like the Grammy’s earlier in February, women are the champions of this year’s Brits; former Time Out cover star and famous Londoner Raye was named songwriter of the year earlier this week, and broke records as the musician to receive the most Brit nominations in a single year. We also got to see the UK’s unofficial royals Stormzy and Maya Jama on the red carpet together, and a Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding reunion, which proves once and for all that we are, actually, back in 2014. It’s enough to make us rock platform trainers and cover ourselves in Dream Matte Mousse. Of course, it wouldn’t be the Brits without plenty of weird things going on too. This was the stage from which Madonna fell not once but twice in one performance, where Geri Halliwell rocked her Union Jack dress for the very first time, and where Jarvis Cocker mooned the whole country during Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’. So let’s see how this year’s awards stack up, shall we? Surprising things that happened at Brit Awards 2024 1. Lady Di rising from the dead  Obsessed with Mother Diane reading her script off the back of that board #BRITs #BritAwards pic.twitter.com/6g5jmaB1fj — Alex (@alexr_241) March 2, 2024 2. Dua Lipa defying gravity  how is Dua Lipa making peo

It’s the start of the new year. Crimbo bingeing means your house is overflowing with empty Rennie packets and unopened bottles of Baileys. And now, you’re ready to kick-start your 2024 as a transformed person, with a long list of resolutions that you absolutely definitely will not break. Like you, London is gearing itself up for another year of bloody good events. Just look at the festival line-ups that have been dropping. Instead of doomscrolling through in and out lists (in: snogging on the dancefloor, wearing capris to the club, Ke$ha; out: Lost Marys as accessories, Bluetooth wireless headphones, Taylor Swift) have a looksie at what our venues have on this month. From fabulous pop to post-punk-blasting fundraisers, there’s something for all tastes.   🥂 The best things to do in London this weekend 🎨 The 10 best art exhibitions in London 🎭 The best new theatre shows in London  For gigging for a good cause  EYOE fundraiser  Gig promoter and record label Eat Your Own Ears is once again hosting their annual ‘Recommends’ series this January, showcasing a plethora of new artists that it backs to be big in 2024. Taking place at Dalston’s Shacklewell Arms, it’ll not only help to you broaden your Spotify playlists but also help raise money and awareness for two great charities: food poverty charity Hackney Foodbank, and Help Musicians, which supports music creators in times of crisis and provides career opportunities. We recommend checking out Talia Goddess, Reuben’s Daughters

It’s that time of year, when London throngs with tourists photographing festive light displays, the pubs overflow with office parties (try not to be sick in front of your boss, lads) and the streets fill with the sound of discordant carolers. Instead of putting yourself through the misery of nativities and pantos starring 2012 ‘X-Factor’ rejects, spend your money on something that’ll bring you whatever the heck ‘festive cheer’ might be. This December, you can indulge in noughties smash hits, hypnotic hyperpop and radical punk – with a smattering of indie Christmas partying thrown in for good measure. Not a bloody choir in sight.  For noughties pop perfection   Photograph: False Idols Sugababes at False Idols We saw them filling out a stage at Glasto and selling out the O2 in quick succession. After a massive summer reunion, Sugababes–the original trio–are bringing pop music back around. Yes, you will hear ‘Overload’ and ‘Caught Up In The Middle’, but they’ll also perform new stuff and come as part of a line-up that includes Shygirl, Eliza Rose and Ross From Friends. Taking place in the indecently large Drumsheds, it’ll attract a young crowd of Buffalo boots and leg warmer-wearing kids alongside the OG fans. Drumsheds, N18 3HF. Sat Dec 2, 12pm. From £33.50. Sophie Ellis Bextor She’s a hitmaker, what can we say? ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’, ‘Groovejet’, ‘Take Me Home’. All of them go off. Of course, we saw Sophie Ellis Bextor bring pure joy to the masses during lockdown with h

Thurston Moore’s early music may seem synonymous with 1980s New York punk rock, but he’s been a Londoner for well over a decade. Having previously lived in Stoke Newington, the 65-year-old has moved south of the city (the exact location he keeps vague), where between making solo albums and running his record label, Ecstatic Peace, he’s embraced London’s improvised live music scene. Fitting perhaps, given the DIY nature of his work as Sonic Youth’s frontman. The band’s abrasive, free-natured sound often paired rapid guitar riffs with droning basslines and slowly clattering drums that always felt very in the moment. His new book ‘Sonic Life’ is, as he says, ‘All the musical inspirations I have from all the different ephemera, books and recordings that defined my growing years. ‘Then the advent of Sonic Youth and how we moved through the course of the 80s and 90s.’ To tie in with the launch of his new book, the musician spoke to us about his favourite London music venue, IKLECTIK, an independent space that champions new, free-form music. With the threats of closure ahead of planned redevelopment, Moore is keen to highlight the importance of this personal sacred space.  ‘IKLECTIK is found underneath the Waterloo Bridge in Old Paradise Yard. It’s been there only nine years, so right after I relocated here. I was living in Stoke Newington at the time, very close to Cafe OTO, which is sort of the critical listening room for experimental music. But I started hearing about this new pl

Autumn is in full swing. The city is a sea of Moon Boots, fisherman hats and Northie puffers. But you know what? November in London is about more than just surviving the cold. You’ve got Bonfire Night (an excuse to unleash your primal urges on watching things burn and blow up), the beginnings of our obsession with Christmas and a whole bunch of exciting gigs at your disposal. In fact, the capital's live music scene is busier than ever this month. Just look at how long this list is! We’re giving you old-school punk from Sleater Kinney, sexy club anthems from rising star Babymorocco and the return of British/American rap sensation 21 Savage, alongside heaps more to get excited about. Have a scroll through and see why November in London is elite, actually.  RECOMMENDED: 🥂 The best things to do in London this weekend 🎨 The 10 best art exhibitions in London 🎭 The best new theatre shows in London  For when you wanna get loud  Meet Me @ the Altar  Olivia Rodrigo is selling out arenas, Blink 182 has made a mighty comeback and Paramore absolutely smashed a global tour. Pop punk is back, baby. And it’s a trend that’s simply not stopping. Meet Me @ the Altar is an American three-piece, endorsed by legends of the scene, such as Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low and Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years. Catch them as they take over the notorious Camden’s Underworld for a night of powerful pop-punk bangers with a Gen Z twist. Listen to ‘Say It (To My Face)’ for a taste.  The Underworld, NW1 9D

Ever looked at a music festival line-up and realise, with abject horror, how desperately out of touch you are? Several of Time Out London’s editorial team felt like that when Pitchfork released the line-up for its London festival, which is taking over some of the capital’s best-loved music venues this week for its third edition.  Among big hitters like the Mercury Prize-winning jazz quintet Ezra Collective, riot grl legends Sleater-Kinney and dance music protégé Yaeji are a frankly concerning number of head-scratchers, even for us NTS-listening, ‘Crack’ magazine-reading Cafe Oto regulars.  Luckily for you, we’ve spent the last few weeks swotting up on the lesser-known artists appearing on the eclectic bill, so that we can tell you who is worth buying a ticket for. Here are some of our favourite up-and-comers to look out for.  Balming Tiger Who are they?: Balming Tiger are a South Korean multi-national alternative K-pop collective consisting of rapper Omega Sapien, DJ Abyssm director San Yawn, music video directors Jan'Qui and Leesuho, singer-songwriters Sogumm, Wnjn, Mudd the Student, and editor Henson. The hip-hop single ‘Sexy Nukim’ with BTS’s RM is a good entry point. For fans of: BTS, NewJeans, So!YoON. Village Underground. Wed Nov 8.  CHAI Who are they?: A sugary sweet experimental pop group blending elements of Tom Tom Club, Basement Jaxx and CSS to create punchy anthems inspired by female empowerment and redefining ‘kawaii’ culture.  For fans of: Confidence Man, Kero

Duran Duran started their careers in Birmingham more than 40 years ago. Since then, the band have sold over 100 million records, achieved 30 Top 40 UK singles (‘Rio’, ‘Girls on Film’, ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’: you know them) and, in 2022, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In the build-up to their 16th album, ‘Danse Macabre’ – a collection of covers and new songs exploring the band’s darker melodies – drummer Roger Taylor tells us why performing in their native Birmingham this year was a symbolic return for the group.  ‘I’ve got really special memories of the night we played at Utilita Arena back in May. We felt so much love from the audience and it was a real homecoming show. It’s an arena but it doesn’t feel cold, it feels quite intimate. The location is really beautiful because it’s in the area where all the canals in the town meet, so it feels like you’re really in the centre of Birmingham.  ‘That was also our neighbourhood when we were growing up. We’d play ‘Rum Runner’ in the early eighties to 100 people, so to go back there more than 40 years later, playing to 10,000 or 12,000 people, it really was quite a moment. We can be playing New York’s Madison Square Garden or the Hollywood Bowl in LA, but Birmingham is always the most important show ‘The roar when we walked out to the crowd is a particular standout memory: we started the show [like we were] coming in from space via screen footage, on this kind of spaceship which landed at the back of the arena.

‘I probably wouldn’t be making music if I hadn’t moved to Nottingham,’ says Yazmin Lacey, between playing festival slots. ‘When I was living in London, I was around a lot of creative people. But you know, it’s so intense and fast paced and saturated, that I think if you’re like me and come into music late, you don’t have the space to just try things out.’  Born and raised in east London, Lacey would occasionally sing in her church choir, but had never considered music as a career. When she left the capital for Nottingham (a night out in the city inspired her to make the move), she found herself surrounded by artists and musicians, as well as a producer ex-boyfriend who convinced her to start recording. This led to her playing shows around her adopted hometown – where she stayed for 11 years – and to Lacey eventually being picked up by Gilles Peterson’s Future Bubbler series, a compilation focusing on unsigned, up-and-coming artists.  Her critically-acclaimed debut album ‘Voice Notes’ came out earlier this year, which she’s been performing at festivals across the country. Here, Lacey takes us through her favourite places in Nottingham, from a Japanese fusion restaurant to a pub with underground caves.  Eat  ‘Kushi-ya used to be a vegan cafe back in the day. It’s actually where I had my first gig: it was really small, you could probably fit about 30 people in there, and it was bloody dreadful. I remember thinking, ‘‘who intentionally stands in front of a room full of people lik

Festival season is well and truly here. You’ve bought your tickets, you know your headliners and you’ve sorted out some kind of ironic costume (most likely a onesie) for the last night of music. But instead of just lazing around a campsite, accruing various stages of sunburn and listening to your neighbour’s non-stop – and quite frankly, terrible – playlist of heavy drum ‘n’ bass, get yourself up and dance to these acts. Because you never know, they might just be the next big thing. These musicians have at least three major festivals booked for summer, have already garnered cult-like status and are definitely set to impress. And really, is there anything better than bragging, ‘I saw them before they got big’? We think not.  1. CMAT  Photograph: Sarah Doyle Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, aka CMAT, is an Irish singer-songwriter who channels the essence of Nashville into her tongue-in-cheek country-pop tunes. Her tacky glam aesthetic is a fun contrast to the seriousness of her songwriting, with lyrics that are mournful, accessible and emotionally literate in a way that’s ever so charming. Also, if you wanted an excuse to pack one of those pink cowboy hats with a plastic crown, this could be as good as you’re going to get. Yee-haw. Key track: ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!’ Where to see them: South Facing, Isle of Wight, Bluedot 2. High Vis  Photograph: James Edson If there’s one word to describe High Vis, it would be hardcore: like Turnstile, PiL and Stone Roses all whizzed up in