London’s new music scene
Tired of the same old songs, or just like listening to live music? The new music scene in London is vibrant and flourishing, beginning with the Roundhouse Rising Festival next week.
Part of the allure of moving to London for music lovers is the incredible access to up and coming artists. Many times while living here, I’ve high-fived myself for gaining hipster points after discovering artists who’ve yet to break into the charts. Vanity aside, the ease with which Londoners can listen to new sounds and find quality acts is exciting and inspiring. But how to sort the wheat from the chaff? Not every artist at your local is going to be the next Jack Garratt. Luckily, there are passionate people working in the industry that do the hard part for you.
Next week is Roundhouse Rising Festival at the Roundhouse, Camden. Not only does it host nine days worth of live music from multiple genres, it holds workshops with industry leaders to help emerging talent get an edge on breaking. This year it’s celebrating the huge success of rapper Little Simz, who played the festival in 2014. The following year she released her debut album, which reached number 20 on the UK R&B album charts, and she will be headlining the festival this year.
For the acoustically preferenced, there’s Sofar Sounds. A programme started in 2009, it has spread from London to over 200 cities worldwide. The exact venue and location isn’t released until the day of the event. This exclusive air is added to by only around 50 invites being extended to an applicant pool which can number in the thousands.
Another acoustic evening, Sessions 58 is at the Looking Glass Cocktail Club, Shoreditch. Hosting fresh talent in music, poetry, and spoken word from around the UK, this cosy evening is like being invited to your musical friend’s living room for drinks.
If you’re reading this thinking “It’s February, why would I leave the house?”, then London Live TV’s Live Sessions on Friday evenings is for you. This show broadcasts live performances from local songwriters and bands, which you can enjoy while snuggled in your Primark onesie. Keeping your hipster card valid in London can be a hard ask, especially when half your week is spent in labs (don’t take it from me, I never have labs), but don’t let that stop you from hearing incredible music from all over the city. Fortunately, here in London, there’s more to new sound than Spotify’s Discover playlist.
