Georgia Evans

Choosing the best Santa Barbara hotel isn't the easiest thing. After all, there are so many options, each with a different vibe and aesthetic. Do you want to hang by the beach or opt for a hidden gem nestled up in the hills? Sleep beside the nightlife or doze without a party in sight? Is a pool non-negotiable? And what about entertainment for the kids? Surely you want to be right by the city’s best attractions (don't miss Old Mission Santa Barbara!), tastiest restaurants, and top wineries? See, there's a lot to consider. This central coast hot spot attracts tourists year-round, with temperatures in the 60s and 70s all year long, and an easily accessible location just 90 miles north of Los Angeles. Naturally, that means there's a hotel to cater for all preferences and budgets, but whatever yours are, you can bet we've got a spot for you. We’ve scrolled through Santa Barbara's many hotels and whittled them down to the cream of the crop. All you have to do is pick the right place for your perfect stay.  Updated for January 2025: We've added a newbie, in the form of a Mediterranean-style inn that's right on the beach – if that sounds like something you'd be interested in (we know it is).  🎭 The best things to do in Santa Barbara🛏 The best Airbnbs in Santa Barbara This guide was written by a US correspondent for Time Out, Kai Oliver-Kurtin. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our 

Book yourself in for a night out that’s packed with big LOLs from top comedians. No matter where you are in the UK, chances are a big-name comic is coming to a city near you. The next few months are big for comedy gigs, from international American TV stars to home-grown Edinburgh Fringe faves, with a dash of musical comedy thrown in for good measure. And if you’re looking for something a little… spicier? Check out our Extra Hot Comedy Club, in partnership with Time Out and Nando’s, packed with seriously hot headliners and awesome up-and-coming talent. 

Like your LOLs with a side of PERi-PERi? Enter the Extra Hot Comedy Club: a sizzling series of gigs hosted in Nando’s restaurants around the UK. We couldn’t be more excited about it, tbh – especially when it comes to the up-and-coming talent that we’re showcasing at each show. Each gig will feature two emerging comics, alongside a headliner (we’re talking the likes of Munya Chawawa and Grace Campbell!) and emcee. The emerging comics were selected in a hotly contested competition, which involved submitting a video to a panel of judges that included Time Out and Nando’s critics alongside Munya Chawawa himself.  The result? Eight awesome emerging comedians that you can catch at Extra Hot Comedy Club gigs this spring. 

Has movie music ever been better? With legends like John Williams and Howard Shore still at work, Hans Zimmer at the peaks of his powers, and the likes of Jonny Greenwood, AR Rahman, Mica Levi, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross knocking it out of the park, the modern film score is a Dolby Atmos-enhancing feast of modernist compositions, lush orchestral classicism and atmospheric soundscapes.What better time, then, to celebrate this art form within an art form – with a few iconic soundtracks thrown in – and pay tribute to the musicians who’ve given our favourite movies (and, to be fair, some stinkers) earworm-laden accompaniment? Of course, narrowing it all down to a mere 100 is tough. We’ve prioritised music written for the screen, but worthy contenders still missed out, including Dimitri Tiomkin’s era-defining score for It’s a Wonderful Life and Elton John’s hummable tunes for The Lion King.To help do the narrowing down, we’ve recruited iconic movie composers, directors and broadcasters like Philip Glass, Carter Burwell, Max Richter, Anne Dudley, AR Rahman, Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch, Edgar Wright and Mark Kermode to pick their favourites. Happy listening!Recommended: 🔥 The 100 best movies of all time.🪩 The 50 best uses of songs in movies.💃 The greatest musical movies ever made.

We don’t know about you, but we think we’re pretty damn lucky to have world-class festivals just a tube ride away. Forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days. When you live in London, you can hop on a tube, and an hour later you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over. We Londoners love live music, so it’s no surprise that we’re absolutely spoilt for choice when summer rolls around. You’ve got festivals devoted to hip-hop, jazz, leftfield pop, afrobeats, heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Whatever your taste may be, my god does London have a day festival for you. After a flurry of acts announcements in February and March, the line-ups for summer’s festivals have pretty much taken shape by early spring, which means it’s time to make some decisions about which festivals are worth your time and money. Have a scroll through our comprehensive guide – which we keep meticulously updated with all the latest line-up announcements – see what takes your fancy, and start planning a fantastic summer in 2025. But be warned, most London festivals get more expensive the later you leave it, and plenty of them will sell out long before the portaloos are installed and the stages are constructed. Grab your tickets right now if you know what’s good for ya! RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

As soon as the sun sneaks out and winter feels like it is finally thawing, my mind wanders instantly to festival season: the long days, the cold beers, the hours spent singing along to live music with pals old and new. It’s not long now until things really kick off: in 2025, festival season begins in April and extends all the way to the end of September and into October.  If you’ve not already started planning what you’re going to this year, you should probably get a move on because tickets will sell out. What’s more, 2025 looks particularly exciting, with all-new events such as Lido bringing Charli XCX, Jamie XX and Massive Attack to London’s Victoria Park, as well as long-loved staples such as Download, Houghton and, of course, Glastonbury, all returning to the circuit with super stacked line-ups.  Our team at Time Out has spent a lot of time assembling tents in fields and running between stages in parks. By now, we know the UK festival scene pretty much inside-out. From trailblazing bands at music showcases by the sea to classic coming-of-age events like Reading, there’s truly something for everyone here.  So, what festivals are worth spending your hard-earned cash (and precious holiday days) on? Check out Time Out’s guide to the best UK music festivals for 2025 below, in chronological order – we’ll be updating this page with more events as they’re announced.  RECOMMENDED:😎 The best London music festivals for 2025.🪩 What you need to know about Glastonbury 2025

It's always a pleasant surprise, isn't it? Pools tucked away in UK Airbnb listings. Who would've guessed? But, despite our unpredictable weather, there are actually Airbnbs that offer a poolside escape right here on home soil. If you're looking for a UK staycation, these Airbnbs make a fantastic alternative to the usual run-of-the-mill hotels popping up everywhere. And if you're lucky enough to snag some sunny days, they can give you that tropical getaway feel without the hefty plane fare. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right? To help those planning a British vacation, we've curated the top UK Airbnbs with private pools. From a party house in Cornwall with an Ibiza-themed back yard to charming barns surrounded by enchanting wildlife, these spots are ready and waiting to amaze. Let's just hope the weather plays nice… RECOMMENDED: 🚗 The best road trips in the UK🏖️ The most stunning hidden beaches in the UK 🌳 Amazing treehouses in the UK you can actually stay in🇬🇧 The best Airbnbs near London for a weekend away This guide was written by Time Out travel writer Ellie Walker-Arnott. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 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. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more

Europe is incredible for festivals, make no mistake about it. And what could be better? Travelling to festivals abroad means getting to explore somewhere new and see a bunch of cracking artists, as well as maybe – just maybe – enjoy better weather and cheaper beer. Europe is certainly not in short supply of some really brilliant places to party, from tiny, lesser-known spots in the Azores to your classic, mega, headliner-packed fests in France and Netherlands and Alpine jazz weekends. So, here’s a roundup of our top picks for 2025.  What is the largest festival in Europe? Glastonbury festival in the UK is normally thought of as the biggest festival in Europe (if not the world). But though it’s certainly the most well known, in terms of numbers, it’s not even the the biggest in the UK! The biggest in Europe is actually Donauinselfest in Vienna, Austria, which sees upwards of two million visitors a year. After that, it’s probably joint between Glasto and Tomorrowland in Belgium.  RECOMMENDED: 🎪 The best UK music festivals🎤 The best music festivals in the world🌃 The most underrated destinations in Europe🌤️ The best European city breaks At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

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. And if you don't have good enough flow, steer clear of rapping. 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 Ricky Martin. There's even recent singalongs from Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. 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 albums of 2025 so far  

Ahh, the United States of America. What a place to explore. With so many different cities, landscapes, and vibes, there's something for everyone on their travels to the country. Whether you take the summer to try out the best attractions in the USA, the most bizarre landmarks in the USA, or the best national parks in the U.S., there’s bound to be an interesting Airbnb nearby. And for a place as diverse as America, you need to stay somewhere that truly captures the country's essence. And no doubt, there's an Airbnb to match the vibe. We've got the strangest, most quirky Airbnbs across the U.S. From a Hobbit hole to a spaceship, you're going to question everything you know and have to book one to see it for yourself. Updated March 2025: We constantly scour Airbnb to find you some of the most exceptional (and whackiest) stays money can get you and on this occasion, we've found a farmstay in a potato (no joke) and a spaceship-like property in Texas. RECOMMENDED: 🌲The most jaw-dropping secluded Airbnbs in the U.S.👻The most haunted Airbnbs in the U.S. Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

We’re only a few months through the year and our auditory canals have already been graced with some absolutely cracking new music. We have had the long-awaited Gaga comeback (complete with a slickly choreographed, suitably weird music vid), FKA Twigs’s ethereal vocals taking on the club, high energy rap from Bad Bunny and much more.  Time Out writers and editors have rounded up our favourite music releases of the year so far, and we’ll continue adding to the list as more excellent records inevitably come in (we’re anticipating new releases from Lana Del Rey, A$AP Rocky and Harry Styles – as well as Addison Rae’s album debut, finally). So dig in, and keep coming back to this list throughout the year to refresh your listening with more fresh finds.   Chiara Wilkinson is Time Out’s Deputy UK Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED:🎥 The best movies of 2025 (so far)📺 The best TV of 2025 (so far)

We’ve finally made it through the winter. Our morning commutes now come with pink-hued skies, we’re seeing the London Fields wildflowers beginning to peek up from beer can-littered greens and we’re cautiously packing away our oversized Acne scarfs for another year. With the changing of the season comes a burst of live music. It feels like promoters have been frantically booking shows left, right and centre, ready for a fresh wave of gig-goers coming out of hibernation. And they’ve done a bloody good job for us. From A-list pop girlies to brilliantly cringe nu-metal rockers and calming folk heroes, you’ll find all kinds of exciting gigs in our March guide to the best live music in London.  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 aged moshpit regulars  Photograph: Courtesy of the artist Napalm Death The Campaign For Musical Destruction Tour has been carrying Napalm Death around the world for almost 30 years now. This year, it’s coming back to London with a carefully curated list of sonically like-minded bands, including this massive headliner. Napalm Death has been at the forefront of punk-metal crossover since its inception back i

A pint-sized homage to 70s punk has popped up in Soho this spring.  Looking more like a boarded-up shopfront than an arts space, Flitcroft Street’s Farsight Gallery is an unassuming venue that would be very easy to walk past if you weren’t in the know; only the letters RRPL spray-painted in capitals above the door indicate what’s inside. But those of a certain generation or musical leaning will be well up to scratch with what’s going on here. Tying in with the launch of the first RRPL magazine (which is designed to share elements of the archive in a portable format), Mick Jones’ Rock & Roll Public Library offers a glimpse into the mind of one of punk music’s great minds. The display showcases previously unseen material and artefacts from The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite frontman (diaries, figurines, magazine clippings, AAA passes, a guitar, a complete stage outfit, you know the sorts), while celebrating over-the-counter-culture.  The moment you walk into the airy, wood-panelled room, you are confronted with obsolete televisions playing Jones’ home-recorded VHS tapes to the distant hum of Jones’ music. Nestled among the pine wood shelves are battered CDs, records, Polaroid cameras, and various pieces of worn out music equipment. Next to the installation, a makeshift living room has two 70s-style armchairs inviting guests to settle in and flick through the television stations, as if they were back in Harold Wilson’s Britain.  The interactivity extends to a record collection in

Boiler Room's summer festival returns to south London for another massive open-air celebration. Its 'lethal program of talent' comes led by some of the country's most influential dance crews. The party-starters have curated their own stage of world-class talent. That includes producer extraordinaire Joy Orbison and the iconic DJ Theo Parrish leading the charge. On the Places + Faces stage, you've got Kendrick Lamar collaborator Mustard, superstar DJ Kenny Beats, legendary beatmaker The Alchemist and Time Out cover star DJ AG, among other big-hitters. Meanwhile, you've got Dialled In coming through with DJ sets from the likes of Kahani vs Kunal Merchant and Yuné Pinku, and Recess enlisting Dlala Thukzin and Crazy Cousinz pres. Funky House All Stars plus many, many more. 

Pack your earplugs and plasters, this is a festival of extremes. Hosting some of the loudest bands in the music scene, Incineration Festival takes place across five hallowed grounds in north London, offering a devilish weekendof extreme metal. Conan, Pallbearer, Zeal & Ardor and Blood Incantation are all on the bill, casting a mesmerisingly deathly aura to Roundhouse, Electric Ballroom, Underworld, Black Heart and The Dev. 

In the month Elon Musk joined the White House staff and US tech giants unveiled a new $500bn AI initiative, director Drew Hancock releases his debut film, Companion. Talk about timely. His feminist comedy-horror dives headfirst into a world involving a sentient sexbot going violently rogue. Which, right now, feels like next Tuesday. Heretic’s Sophie Thatcher is Iris, the robot at the story's centre. She meets Josh (The Boys’ Jack Quaid) in classic romcom fashion: he knocks over a display of tangerines near her at the supermarket. But the meet-cute is short-lived, as Josh whisks her away to a luxurious but isolated mansion where she discovers the truth: she’s not human.  A devoted ‘companion’, or rather ‘emotional support robot that fucks,’ Iris is controlled via a mobile app that Josh has jailbroken to override her programmed limits, making her dangerously unpredictable. When she inevitably gains control of his phone – and by extension, her autonomy – shit hits the fan. There’s satisfaction in watching a controlling man get his ass handed to him by a sexbot What follows is a whirlwind of campy, comedic mayhem as Iris finds herself embroiled in accidental murders and a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with Josh. The cast is rounded out by a who’s who of rising Hollywood talent, including Smile 2’s Lukas Gage and Megan Suri, as well Rupert Friend as a flamboyant Russian millionaire complete with mullet, handlebar moustache and wildly dodgy accent.The film successfully leans into ab

Interested in dance music and club culture? AVA London, the mammoth electronic music and arts conference, is back in town for another jam-packed long weekend of masterclasses, talks, interviews, and workshops with some key figures from the nightlife industry. This year, you've got FKA Twigs, Jarvis Cocker, Munroe Bergdorf, Marcel Dettman, Annie Mac, Jayda G, Tony Andrews, Nonotak and the No Tags Podcast making up the bill.  It'll be staged across some of London’s most iconic venues, including KOKO, Here at Outernet, The Standard and The British Library, and as usual, include a host of night-time club performances to get your body dancing just as much as your mind, with top selectors including Erika de Casier, LSDXOXO and Mechatok featured on the line-up. Check out the full roster here. 

Ah Christmas, it’s a time for bundling up and catching your local panto. Maybe at the bar, you’ll pick up a little mulled wine to enjoy as you yell, ‘He’s behind you!’ at Clive Martin. But if the Yard Theatre is your local, you’ll be holding said drink while outrageous drag performer Séayoncé conducts you to make suggestive gestures as she sings a NSFW version of, It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.  This pretty much sets the tone for Dan Wye’s mind-in-the-gutter sense of humour. Some will be familiar with the former Time Out cover star for their shows, Séayoncé: She Must Be Hung! which played at Soho Theatre in May earlier this year, and 2022’s Ediburgh Fringe show, Séayoncé: Res-Erection. In both instances, Wye earned widespread acclaim for their wicked humour, dry cabaret ballads and debucherous theatrics.  This time around, Wye and comedy partner Robyn Herfellow (who plays Séayoncé’s murderous musical accomplice, Leslie-Ann) are having a stab at creating the most sickening Christmas TV show of all time. The result of which is certainly not for the easily offended.  When Séayoncé’s seasonal special gets hijacked by a mysterious force, it’s up to the audience to make it the most disgusting and debacherous show of all time, and set things right. ‘Sit tight if you can, loose if you’ve lived,’ is the reassurance she gives us. Sabrina Carpenter’s A Nonsense Christmas, this most certainly is not.  Classic festive tunes are repurposed into tales of elicit sexual escapaes an

Is it just us or does Field Day feel way younger than 17 years old? Time flies, eh? The electronic-heavy festival returns to Brockwell Park in 2025 after a stint in east London, with a line-up that leans more heavily towards DJs and producers than the spread of live acts and selectors we’ve seen at the festival in recent years. Major acts on the 2025 bill include Peggy Gou, Jungle, Bubble Love (a new project from Ross From Friends), James Blake (DJ) b2b Mala, VTSS, Special Request b2b Yung Singh, Jayda G, Fatima Yamaha, Skream and Benga, and Mall Grab alongside plenty more globe-trotting selectors, for a full day of non-stop dancing.     

  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’

After a knock-out event last year, pop festival Mighty Hoopla has just announced its 2025 line-up, and it’s just got even more raucous. Known for showcasing the best of pop and queer culture in the UK, the two-day weekender launched in 2016 with a mission to celebrate pop classics and give a platform to established and emerging LGBTQ+ performers. 2025 will see resurgent pop icon Kesha and noughtiesa hitmaker Ciara headline, with support from Kate Nash, Pixie Lott, Jojo, Loreen, Vengaboys, Erika Jayne and a special surprise guest.   

We all know by now that London’s jazz scene is young, cool, underground and genre-blending. Based at the Truman Brewery with gigs at various nearby venues, the Brick Lane Jazz Festival may be in its early iterations, but it sums up just how exciting our city’s musicians are; in prevous years, the festival hosted pioneering talent such as Moses Boyd and Ezra Collective, so it’s definitely one for finding new talent. The first wave of acts announced for the 2025 edition includes Laraaji, Adi Oasis, Ragz Originale.

At the moment it seems like we’re gripped by the concept of gory, comedic horror and its relation to the female experience. The Substance is just the latest in a surge in body horrors relating to feminine identity, and now Nightbitch is playing with the genre, turning the spotlight on what the extreme duress of motherhood does to the psyche.  Within the first minute of Can You Ever Forgive Me? director Marielle Heller’s fourth feature, a defeated Amy Adams delivers the line: ‘I’m deeply afraid I’ll never be smart, or happy, or thin, ever.’  As fun as the title may be, Nightbitch tackles some pretty serious stuff – but with a dry sense of humour, of course. Adams’ exhausted character, known only as ‘Mother’, exemplifies the idea of lost identity while being a stay-at-home mum. The only way for her to reclaim herself is, of course, by transforming into a dog by night. Based on Rachel Yoder’s 2021 novel, it’s a bizarre storyline on paper that’s only partially successful in its screen adaptation.  The film thrives when it makes painfully accurate – and darkly comedic – observations on motherhood. Her child, just referred to as Baby, is an angelic-looking toddler who you can’t help but love, even when he’s waking her up to present her with his own shit. Her husband is absent for most of the film yet when he returns, he makes a point to poke holes in her parenting, especially when she starts making Baby eat out of dog bowls (understandably).  Some moments really make you squirm La

What were you like as a teenager? Did you often find yourself crippled with social anxiety, blasting My Chemical Romance at full volume in your bedroom, back combing a side fringe to frightening new heights? Well, you were not alone. Championing what was arguably the last proper music-meets-fashion subculture, ‘I'm Not Okay’ is an audience-created love letter to all things emo, created in partnership with the Museum of Youth Culture via an open call to the internet for submissions.  If you were there, you’ll remember downloading the latest, pirated The Used album onto your iPod Classic, and using up all the storage on your Motorola Sidekick taking blurry gig shots and snapping your friends rocking smudged eyeliner and bright red, orange or black hair, all of which is documented on the walls of the Barbican’s Music Library.  The exhibition's main draw is a collection of photographs and video footage dredged up from forgotten MySpace and Bebo pages. There’s even a screen showing footage of people’s bedrooms, as they talk you through their Kerrang! poster collections and piles of dusty CDs, local gigs and snaps of friends messing around. It captures the community spirit that was an inherent part of the subculture Though the stereotype of an emo is a loner, the exhibition does well to capture the community spirit that was an inherent part of the subculture. Screenshots of MSN chats and MySpace profiles illustrate how these early social media platforms allowed people to make frie

It’s been a big night at the BRIT Awards, which returned to a packed O2 Arena in London. Ezra Collective won Group of the Year, Charli xcx won Song of the Year and Stormzy won Best Hip Hop/Grime Act, amongst many more. How were winners decided? A BRITs voting academy, made up of around 1,200 experts from the media, decided the shortlist for each category. The genre awards – such as Best R&B and Best Rock – were fan voted; the Producer, Songwriter and Rising Star awards were decided by an expert panel, while the winners of the remaining categories were decided by the voting academy.  A few awards were announced ahead of the ceremony: Myles Smith took home the Rising Star Award, while Charli xcx won Songwriter of the Year and A.G. Cook, credited with producing Brat, was crowned Producer of the Year.  As for the rest? We reported live from the 2025 annual BRIT Awards ceremony at London’s O2 Arena, hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall, and have all the winners in full below. Recommended:Brit Awards 2025: Live as it happensHow to watch the 2025 BRIT Awards on TV this weekend  BRIT Awards 2025 nominees and winners, live Rising star Myles Smith (winner) Elmiene Good Neighbours Songwriter of the year Charli xcx (winner) Producer of the year A.G. Cook (winner) Global success award Sabrina Carpenter (winner) Song of the year View this post on Instagram A post shared by xcxshake (@xcxshake) Charli xcx ft Billie Eilish – ‘Guess fea

And with that, another BRIT Awards draws to a close. Thousands of artists, music lovers and industry folk descended on London’s O2 Arena to celebrate British and international music, featuring performances from Sabrina Carpenter, The Last Dinner Party, Sam Fender and many others. The night started with the red carpet, before guests and nominees took to their seats for a night of live music and winner announcements.  Comedian and former Time Out cover star Jack Whitehall hosted the ceremony, and we reported on all the goings-on as the night unfolded, direct from London’s O2 Arena in Greenwich. Check it out below. Recommended:BRIT Awards 2025: the winners in fullHow to watch the 2025 BRIT Awards on TV  Highlights from the BRIT Awards 2025 Night wraps as Charli xcx takes home Album of the Year The singer-songwriter took home a total of five BRIT awards, including Album of the Year for – of course – Brat. In her final acceptance speech, she said ‘this time culture caught up with us’ and advised younger artists to not compromise their vision, thanking her collaborators in her final acceptance speech before Ezra Collective performed with Jorja Smith to close the show.  Tribute to Liam Payne Jack Whitehall introduced a heartfelt tribute to the late former One Direction member and singer-songwriter, Liam Payne.  TikToker Big John makes a guest appearance The BRITs will just always be better than the Grammys #BRITs2025 pic.twitter.com/7j8ll6BVdQ — Charlie Watts (@char1ie

We’re big fans of London all year round. But there’s something particularly magical about our city at Christmas. Lights hang over market-filled streets, decorated fir trees adorn shops, theatres become home to pantomimes, restaurants start serving up indulgent roast feasts, streets are filled with jangling tunes and everything just feels so much merrier.  Oh yes, it really is the most wonderful time of the year. And next time you aren’t quite sure where to find your nearest ice skating rinks, seasonal cinema or alpine-inspired market, we’ve just the thing: Time Out has launched a very handy new interactive map of the capital’s best festive activities.  We’ve put our heads together to collate some of our finest festive lists into one visual representation of London at Christmas. The sprawling map we’ve created really does show just how much there is to do throughout the festive season, including Liberty’s legendary top-floor Christmas shop, the Instagram-famous Fire and Fromage heated igloos, and the brilliantly fun Club Curling in Kings Cross.  Of course, you can’t talk about Christmas without mentioning ice rinks, and my goodness do we have some crackers on there. Hampton Court Palace, Skate at Somerset House, and of course, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. You’ve also got theatre shows, pantos, cinemas, marketplaces, festive pubs, pop-up food experiences – all sorts.  Throw aside the hot water bottle, lace up your boots and get ready to marvel at the lights of The Churchill Arm

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