It's been quite a few days for Mothica. Off the back of a set at Download festival on Saturday, the American songstress was ready for more with a second round at the O2 Academy Islington. Occasionally wandering into the path of the wings on her backdrop, creating a genius visual, Mothica wound around the stage looking like an ethereal entity.

It’s been more than a decade since Canadian bashers Kittie last headlined a stage on UK soil - and tonight at The Dome in Tufnell Park, the wait ended. The atmosphere inside the venue was electric with anticipation, a heady mix of nostalgia and adrenaline coursing through the crowd.

Lucky Love literally brought the sun with him on the We Love Green stage, this Sunday 8 June. The Parisian music festival has been known for being unlucky due to the rainy weather those past years; a malediction that seemed to have been lifted when this Freddy Mercury lookalike arrived, himself acknowledging that he brought the sun back, showing his own sunburned skin due to his recent holiday in the south of France

Whoever you are, wherever you are, we urge you, if ever possible, to go see a Dua Lipa concert. The English-Albanian superstar headlined a show for the I-Days Festival in Milan a couple of days ago, 7 June, to perform in front of over 73.000 people. The popstar seemingly effortlessly captured the attention of every single person standing in front of her, as she opened with ‘Training Season’, a single from her latest album Radical Optimism.

Early on in their career, BABYMETAL broke records for being the youngest band to play all sorts of festivals and venues in Japan such as Summer Sonic and Budokan. Later on, they became notable further afield for being the first Japanese act to play a number of festivals and venues worldwide, including in the UK where they were the first Japanese act to headline Wembley and play on a main stage at Glastonbury festival. At the O2 Arena, the trio of kawaii metallers do it all over again and become the first Japanese act to headline the venue. Selling it out for good measure.

In the heart of London, the O2 Academy 2 Islington became a hub for raw, uplifting indie music as Australian outfit South Summit’s The Bliss album tour rolled into town for their first ever UK headline show in the Big Smoke.

It's heartwarming to be reminded that being a fan is still badass in 2025. Outside The New Cross Inn, a small delegation of committed music lovers waited to be first in and right at the front for Story Untold. It's been 6 years since Story Untold's last show in London supporting Between You & Me. Latching onto the resurgence of early 2000 emo fashions, Story Untold are serving all you could want from a pop punk fest, complete with Creepers, Pink tape on mic and the most emo of haircuts. Band and crowd have the same vibe though. The niche of throwback style feeling both nostalgic and utterly relevant.

Winona Fighter have been on the road for a couple of dates in the UK already this week, and there will be no chance for a breather until the bank holiday is done. After the sold-out show at The Black Heart, the Nashville rockers support The Used at The Dome and then join a stonking line up of Alt legends at the weekend for both Slam Dunk dates.

It's somewhat unclear what the demographic crossover between Make Them Suffer fans and Eurovision enthusiasts may be. Admittedly, us metalheads do unironically enjoy a bit of euro-pop (Vengaboys at Download anyone?) But choices were made on the big night at The O2 Academy Islington, with a sold-out room of fans either gladly or otherwise, vetoing an evening with Graham Norton and an almost inevitable nul points for a sweaty, rowdy night of guttural screams and mosh pits, with a nevertheless, international line up of acts.

During a second sold-out show in London last week, legendary alt-rock pioneers Pixies delivered a sharp, unapologetic set at the O2 Academy Brixton, reminding fans and newcomers alike why their legacy remains firmly intact almost four decades after their debut.

The anticipation was kicking in as Soccer Mommy, the project of singer-songwriter Sophie Allison, was given a wild welcome to the grandiose setting of Hackney Church in front of an almost sold-out crowd. The historic venue, known for its beautiful gothic architecture and intimate ambience, provided a fitting backdrop for Allison's introspective indie rock.

There can't be a person alive whose heart isn't immediately warmed by the sound of a friendly Australian accent declaring "You legend!" You'd have to be dead inside for that to not lift your spirits. At The Lower Third in Soho, Sydney mosh royalty RedHook provided a uplifting therapy session for a 250 strong capacity crowd.