Hello April. You snuck up on us there. The skies have cleared, the beer gardens have filled up and we’re walking around in T-shirts, ignoring the fact that it’s still only 15 degrees. If the promise of longer, sunnier days has left you craving a little more social interaction, then you’re in luck. Like the daffodils shooting up in your garden, London is erupting with live music this spring. Whether you’re looking to rock out, sweat out your stresses on the dance floor, or immerse yourself in the nostalgia of noughties pop, there’s a gig here for you in April.

Georgia curates Time Out’s music section. If she's not blabbering about music on the website, she's doing it in-person (much to the office’s dismay). Keep an eye out for her at gigs; she's probably by the merch stand with a pint of Diet Coke. 

RECOMMENDED: 
🥂 The best things to do in London this weekend
🎨 The best art exhibitions in London
🎭 The best new theatre shows in London  

For the loud ladies of punk 

Twat Union

This six-piece feminist-punk-pop group blends rowdy rock and comedy influences to create a chaotic live music experience. Expect to hear lines on thigh chafes, urinary tract infections and people assuming you don’t know how to tune a guitar because you’re a woman, with a soundtrack of heavy-yet-undeniably-catchy riot grrrl punk. Props, line-dancing, and even a raffle have been promised – alongside a whole load of shouting. 

The Lexington, N1 9JB. Sat 5 Apr, 7pm. From £8.

Lambrini Girls

Formed in Brighton, Lambrini Girls, consisting of Phoebe Lunny and Lilly Macieira, blast their audiences with distorted basslines, equally heavy guitars and poppy choruses that reflect the realities of living in Britain today. Their influences range from Le Tigre to Bikini Kill and Spice Girls, meaning their songs often centre around societal ills, delivered by Lunny as if she was yelling it at you from the sofa of a noisy house party.

Electric Brixton, SW2 1RJ. Thur Apr 17, 6pm. From £21.16.

For the Pitchfork-coded post-punk

Squid

It’s been a good few years for these boys from Bristol. They independently released their debut album, Bright Green Field, on Warp Records in May 2021 to widespread critical acclaim and their sophomore, O Monolith, in 2023 to similar praise. The band’s set to play its third full-length album in full at the Roundhouse this April. Lead singer and drummer Ollie Judge described the album as a ‘book of dark fairy tales’, utilising post-rock and art-rock influences with a dash of electronica and folk music to really hammer in its whimsicality. 

Roundhouse, NW1 8EH. Sat Apr 26, 7pm. From £26.

Fat Dog

South London’s self-described ‘party starting rabble-rousers’ Fat Dog are going east this month. The band have garnered a cult following for their thrilling live performances, where they rattle the audience’s bones with feral instrumentals. The debut album WOOF is a brilliant transition from stage to record, as frontman Joe Love reels off ridiculous make-believe tales of being a cult leader watching his world fall apart, being a vigilante dragging bodies into the sea, and becoming the king of the slugs. No, really. 

Troxy, E1 0HX. Sat Apr 26, 7pm. From £30.09.

Divorce

One of the most exciting new names in UK indie, Nottingham band Divorce first gained attention for their first two EPs, Get Mean and Heady Metal (released in 2022 and 2023, respectively). They’ve since asserted themselves as ones to watch with the stunning album Drive To Goldenhammer, which came out earlier this year, and the standout indie anthem My Room. Nab a ticket to their show if you’re a fan of Mitski, Big Thief and the like. 

KOKO, NW1 7JE. Wed Apr 9, 7pm. From £21.10.  

For the thinking man’s dance music

Orbital

Orbital are heading to the O2 Academy Brixton for a celebration of not one but two epic albums. Performing their nostalgia-tinged dual Green and Brown LPs, the electronic music duo channelled Kraftwerk and Cabaret Voltaire into their era-defining techno sound. While the 1991 Green album captures the essence of nineties raves, Brown (1993) veers towards a more atmospheric sound, featuring complex rhythms and heavier arrangements. 

O2 Academy Brixton, SW9 9SL. Sat Apr 5, 6.30pm. From £47.45.

Loraine James

Known for her IDM glitch aesthetic, Loraine James is a producer whose minimalist setup and jazz-rooted techno have made her one of the scene's most sought-after. Her music feels almost improvisational, weaving together grime, R&B, jazz and ambient elements to create intuitive and emotional tracks. Catch her alongside the Hyperdub founder, Scottish electronic artist Kode 9, and forward-thinking Parisian producer Bambounou at this massive 8 Years of Goodness celebration.

FOLD, E16 4SA. Fri Apr 4, 11pm. From £22.50.

Joy Anonymous

Joy Anonymous is an electronic duo known for uplifting beats in the vein of Jamie XX and Barry Can’t Swim. They’ve played at Glasto’s Shangri La stage, at spontaneous South Bank gatherings and legendary B2Bs in dingy Peckham clubs with Fred Again. This April, Henry Counsell and Louis Curran are hosting an all-day rave at The Cause, asking established DJs and brand-new artists to go back-to-back to ‘bring the joy back’ to London this spring.

The Cause at 60 Dock Road, E16 1YZ. Sat Apr 19, noon. From £28.05.

For the ‘let’s get fucked up’ crowd

Uffie

The former First Lady of Ed Banger, Uffie is an indie sleaze icon up there with the likes of Peaches and Karen O. Even Charli xcx has acknowledged her as a major influence. She’ll be taking to the stage with fellow alumni Feadz, PC Music royalty Hannah Diamond, Klaxons frontman Jamie Reynolds and the hotly-tipped duo NEW YORK for a night of proper filthy electroclash. Keep an eye out for Cobrasnake.

Colour Factory, E9 5EN. Fri Apr 4, 10pm. From £18.03. 

Kaytranada

Haitian-Canadian producer and DJ Kaytranada is best known for his brilliantly colourful debut 99.9%. Since its release in 2016, he’s worked with Childish Gambino, PinkPantheress and Kali Uchis. His newest album, TIMELESS, features over a dozen guest vocalists, setting them up nicely with airy and upbeat instrumentals executed with his signature slick conviction. His two nights at Ally Pally will feature euphoric soundscapes, bright lights and maybe a few of his famous pals. 

Alexandra Palace, Sat Apr 26, 6.30pm. From £66.37.

Umru and friends 

You may know Umru best for his work on Charli xcx’s Pop 2 and Charli, but his solo material is just as interesting as his high-profile collabs. The Estonian-American DJ, producer and PC Music signee crafts futuristic glitchy pop that’s all hard lines and metallic sounds. This night celebrates his experimental sound alongside Glasgow occult-influenced producer DJ KAVARI, London club connoisseur Bok Bok and a handful more ‘friends’ for a nasty all-nighter at Colour Factory.

Colour Factory, E9 5EN. Fri Apr 11, 10pm. From £18.03.

For the warbly men of indie folk

Porches

The synth-pop project of musician Aaron Maine, Porches is the kind of music you’d expect to hear in dishevelled underground clubs. The most recent release, 2024’s Shirt, is a neat 30-minute album centred around existential angst and life in the doldrums, with the touching indie-rock song Itch a particular standout. Expect misty synth-driven pop ballads and raw guitar-driven crooning in equal measure.

Heaven, WC2N 6NG. Wed Apr 16, 7pm. From £22.

Geordie Greep

As the former frontman and lead guitarist of the rock band Black Midi, Geordie Greep helped start the whole Mark E Smith-style sprechgesang (somewhere between singing and speaking) sound synonymous with the 2018 Brixton Windmill scene. Nowadays, he’s performing as a solo act, recounting tales of unsettling characters through an absurdist lens. Songs such as the sprawling 12-minute The Magician has lines like ‘You lure a fly to a blazing lamp / Shut the lid tight / And watch it dance about / 'Til it dies,’ which illustrate an incel-esque narrator losing his mind. Given the Adolescence discourse, this sort of thing has never sounded so relevant. 

KOKO, NW1 7JE. Wed Apr 16, 7pm. From £32.26.

Cameron Winter

In the final moments of his debut album, Cameron Winter declares, ‘God is real / I wouldn't joke about this / I'm not kidding this time,’ so where better to see him than at Hackney Church? It seems that the Geese frontman is only performing in places of worship here in the capital, with an extra two sold-out nights at St Mattias earlier in the month. Catch the New York artist as he performs the Heavy Metal LP, which received praise from Pitchfork and The Needle Drop for its timeless instrumentals and Leonard Cohen-inspired songwriting.  

Hackney Church, E5 0PD. Sat Apr 26, 7pm. From £22.

Richard Dawson

Newcastle singer-songwriter Richard Dawson is one of Britain’s strongest modern-day folk stars. Exploring life’s daily stresses and joys through illustrative storytelling, his latest album (released in February) explores how patterns of behaviour can influence generations of one singular family. It's an intricate concept, but the author is no stranger to weird themes. In previous years, his albums have been inspired by the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Bryneich, plantlife and botany, and socio-political uncertainty in Modern Britain, all underpinned with a signature wit and sense of humour. 

The Clapham Grand, SW11 1TT. Tue Apr 29, 7pm. From £33.

For nostalgic noughties pop blowouts

Usher

When Usher announced his London residency last year, it felt like social media was filled with people trying, and often failing, to bag a spot. What followed was announcement after announcement of yet more seats. Now you have 10 dates to try your chances with. And actually, it looks like you’re in with a fair shot now that more tickets and resell options have been released. So book tickets and breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you’ll see party bangers like Yeah and OMG straight from the hitmaker himself. 

The O2, SE10 0DX. Various dates from Mar 29-May 7, 6pm. From £87.40.

Sean Paul

The Holy Trinity of 2000s pop, Sean Paul, Ashanti and Fat Joe, are coming to the capital with their 'Bring It’ tour. Relive the glory days of glam rap, soft-focus music videos, Cartier shades and Baby Phat jeans as the trio takes to the stage performing everything from Temperature to Foolish and What’s Luv at the OVO Arena Wembley. Make sure to get your whining down beforehand. 

OVO Arena Wembley, HA9 0AA. Fri Apr 18, 6pm. From £80.25.

Sugababes

Ever since Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy made their comeback as the Sugababes on The Graham Norton Show in 2019, fans have been snapping up every chance to see the original line-up live. Continuing their victory lap, which made stops at Mighty Hoopla, Glastonbury and even Kings Cross station, the trio are hosting a massive night at The O2, offering you another chance to hear old school hits and a few new singles in the arena. 

The O2, SE10 0DX. Thur Apr 10, 6.30pm. From £40.68.

For the British hip-hop heavyweights

M Huncho

Trap-wave star M Huncho released his U2opia mixtape earlier this year in an understated fashion. The veteran London rapper had a daughter at the start of 2022 and weaves the theme of fatherhood throughout the project, taking listeners on an introspective trip through a 17-track collection of glossy beats that set the precedent for a new era. Hear them, and plenty of previous material, in full effect at the Eventim Apollo this April. 

Eventim Apollo, W6 9QH. Tue Apr 8, 7pm. From £33.60.

Central Cee

‘How can I be homophobic? My bitch is gay’ is one hell of an opener. But it feels like everyone was repeating it after Central Cee’s 2022 hit single Doja came out. And you soon will be, too. This song catapulted Cench from freestyles on Link Up TV to collaborations with Drake, J. Cole, Lil Baby, Asakle and Ice Spice, with whom he became embroiled in one of Gen Z’s most-hyped love triangles. His 2024 album Can’t Rush Greatness was a confident assertion that he is, in fact, one of the scene’s most compelling storytellers, painting painfully realistic pictures of the downfalls of sudden-onset fame. 

The O2, SE10 0DX. Thur Apr 10, 6.30pm. From £60.10.

For the no-nonsense ladies of pop

Corinne Bailey Rae: Black Rainbows

Back in 2023, Corinne Bailey Rae emerged from the twee indie undergrowth and smashed back into public discourse with her thrilling Black Rainbows LP. ICYMI, she shocked many of us with her blending of genre, swooping from rock to pop, jazz and Afrofuturism with such ease that it bagged her a Mercury Prize nomination, shushing any critics that wrote her off post-Put Your Records On. Relive the album’s magic, rearranged with the Guildhall Session Orchestra, at the Roundhouse Three Sixty festival – a showcase designed to platform young musicians.

Roundhouse, NW1 8EH. Sun Apr 27, 7pm. From £41.55.

Self Esteem

Former Time Out cover star Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self Esteem, is back with her third album and an all-new show to go along with it. Her 2021 album Prioritise Pleasure was a smash hit for a particular strain of millennials who feel the pressure of getting married, having babies and hiding all things greedy, lazy, horny, etc. This new venture has been billed as ‘a theatrical presentation for a strictly limited and unmissable run’ which will take over the Duke of York’s Theatre for three nights. Given her image, you can expect more messy pop confessions underpinned by catchy choruses and impressive vocals.  

Duke of York’s Theatre, WC2N 4BG. Wed Apr 16-Fri Apr 19, 7.30pm. From £28. 

For the old-school indie heads

Beck with Live Orchestra

Beck is another indie legend performing with an orchestra this April. The American singer-songwriter will flex his experimental style in the grand setting of the Royal Albert Hall. Backed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, he’s doing two nights of ‘symphonic arrangements of classics and deep cuts’ from his extensive back catalogue. Ever thought you’d hear Devil’s Haircut in Kensington? Us neither. 

Royal Albert Hall, SW7 2AP. Sat Apr 19-Sun Apr 20, 6.45pm. From £84.50.

Father John Misty

Fellow elder indie crooner Father John Misty is also heading to Royal Albert Hall (shout out to whichever Guardian-reading, BBC 6 Music dad is booking all of this) to perform his new album Mahashmashana. It’s a melancholic glance at modern life through beautifully written lyrics in which he breaks the fourth wall to tell you how fucked everything’s getting. Wonder how well that’ll come across in such a grand space? Find out by heading over. 

Royal Albert Hall, SW7 2AP. Tue Apr 15, 7pm. From £84.50.

The Flaming Lips

American psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips are back at the O2 Academy Brixton this April, promising a night of bubblegum pop-infused ditties. Over the years, the group have has three Grammy Awards, gained a cult following for critically applauded albums The Soft Bulletin and gold-certified Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, and become an unmissable live act. Frontman Wayne Coyne famously zorbs over the crowd while his bandmates, often adorned in colourful garb, play life-affirming music to kaleidoscopic light displays. Maximalism at its best. 

O2 Academy Brixton, SW9 9SL. Sat Apr 26, 7pm. From £61.65. 

Peter Hook & The Light Performing 'Get Ready' 

When announcing this show at Troxy, Peter Hook said, ‘Get Ready was a honeymoon record. Looking back now, it was very enjoyable to make, and I think it is massively underrated,’ so this is one for the proper New Order heads. See the album in full, alongside a selection of tracks from Joy Division and New Order, in a surprisingly intimate east London setting. 

Troxy, E1 0HX. Fri Apr 18, 7pm. From £46.67. 

Slowdive

British shoegaze legends Slowdive are set to play at the O2 Brixton Academy this April, offering listeners lush soundscapes befitting a hazy spring evening. The group are riding a wave of popularity following a TikTok-powered resurgence last year. But they’re not just cashing in on the Gen Z audience, they also released a bloody good album in 2024, which is well worth travelling to south-west London for. 

O2 Academy Brixton, SW9 9SL. Thur Apr 10, 7pm. From £55.66.

For the cool twist on classical music

Daniel Brandt

Composer, drummer and filmmaker Daniel Brandt is heading to the Barb with an all-new album and a live show featuring French contemporary music ensemble, Ensemble 0. This high-brow night of live music combines his new solo album, Without Us, with a short film of the same title, culminating in an 'apocalyptic rave'. What that looks like is anyone’s guess, but it’s pretty exciting, nonetheless. 

Barbican Centre, EC2Y 8DS. Thur Apr 24, 7.30pm. From £20.

Concrete Voids: Lex Amor

The Southbank Centre’s senior sound technician, Tony Birch, has come up with a fascinating concept for live music at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Over lockdown, he discovered a way to embed a custom-built system of over 80 hidden speakers around the space, turning the legendary venue into a 3D instrument. This night sees north London rapper Lex Amor taking over the space for a performance that blends live music, poetry and sound design to create an all-encompassing experience. 

Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX. Sat Apr 5, 7.45pm. From £17.

Roy Ayers Tribute: The Red, Black & Green Ubiquity Ensemble

One of our best nights out in London, Church of Sound is back with an evening dedicated to the late Roy Ayers. Taking place at St James the Great in Lower Clapton, the show will feature a top selection of regular performers at Church of Sound, alongside a secret guest headliner. Of course, many of us know the pioneering jazz-funk musician for Everybody Loves the Sunshine (which was covered by artists like d'Angelo and by Mary J Blige and Tyler, the Creator) but this homage is sure to reveal a lot more of the legendary soul, jazz and funk producer. 

St James The Great (Church of Sound), E5 8EH. Thur Apr 10, 7.30pm. From £24.99.

For the heavier rock stuff

Incubus

Incubus is a band whose sound is hard to pin down. Having dabbled with jazz, funk, experimental rock and even elements of hip-hop, they were somewhat of a palate cleanser in the ‘90s, especially in the shadow of the nu-metal revolution that was happening at the time. The Californian five-piece may be best known for the alt-rock anthem Drive but they’ve got almost 30 years worth of material under their belt, so expect to hear all kinds of influences at this arena show, like a battered old mixtape all in one band, at one place. 

The O2, SE10 0DX. Sat Apr 26, 6.30pm. From £56.55.

Shelter

Formed by Youth of Today vocalist Ray Cappo in 1991, Shelter is an American Hare Krishna hardcore band that fused spiritual lyrics with elements of punk to create a sound dubbed as ‘Krishna-Core’. At the epicentre of this movement was Mantra, released in 1993, which the band will be performing in full to celebrate its 30th anniversary. This live show is sure to be packed with all the powerful guitar riffs and cathartic yell-along moments, offering longtime fans the chance to experience the lasting impact of Mantra live once again.

The Underworld, NW1 9DL. Fri Apr 18, 6pm. From £26.

Charles Hayward, The Wolfgang Press, XiuXiu, Klein

This is a night for longtime post-punk fans. The Steel Yard will be hosting drummer and artist Charles Hayward of experimental rock groups This Heat and Camberwell Now, which shaped British alternative music in the early 70s. He’ll be performing his solo project Zigzag+Swirl, alongside post-punkers The Wolfgang Press, American experimentalists XiuXiu and rising artist Klein at this night of intellectual rock ‘n’ roll. One for the regular NTS listeners, this.

The Steel Yard, EC4R 3UL. Tue Apr 22, 7pm. From £24.91.