Over the course of 2023, Good Neighbours began making music for the love of it, and only by summer realised they needed to create a band to release their songs under. With an urge to rekindle the early 2000s excitement of bands like Passion Pit and MGMT, Good Neighbours is a nod to classic songwriting and raucous production, inspired by A24, friendship and a cinematic approach to music. Good Neighbours released ‘Daisies’ a “low self-esteem anthem” named BBC Radio 1’s Hottest Record. ‘Daisies’ follows ‘Keep It Up’ a rousing pep-talk of a song and their huge, breakout debut single, ‘Home’ – the first true viral success of the year, amassing more than 270 million global streams, officiating it as the most streamed debut single globally from a new artist in 2024. They are at The Belgrave Music Hall on 11th October
Billie Marten’s latest album Drop Cherries marked the very first time that Billie had both written and co-produced (with Dom Monks) one of her records; following critically-lauded 2021 album Flora Fauna, Feeding Seahorses by Hand (2019) and Writing of Blues and Yellows (2016). The album was preceded by lead single ‘This Is How We Move’, and recieved support streaming in from the likes of Brooklyn Vegan, DIY, Dork, The Independent, The Line Of Best Fit, Stereogum, and more. Over the past few years Billie has toured frequently throughout the UK and US, before returning home to record her fourth record Drop Cherries. Her writing themes explore social commentary, the struggle with modernity vs tradition, nature, mental health, relationships, and a general voyeurism on the world as she sees it. You can see Billie at the O2 Academy on October 14th.
Shortly after earning her third consecutive BRIT Award nomination for Best Dance Act, Becky Hill announced her eagerly anticipated second album Believe Me Now? that was released last May via Polydor Records/Eko Records. Becky Hill has certainly cemented her status as one of dance music’s biggest influential voices and the genre’s leading boundary-breaking female artist. It’s impossible to deny that status for the two-time BRIT Award winning artist who will be playing a huge UK and Ireland arena headline tour, and who has exceeded 10 billion career streams to date plus six UK Top 10 smash hits. Believe Me Now? is Becky’s most authentic, career defining body of work to date. An album which sees her digging even deeper into her life-long passion for underground dance music and club culture. Becky will delight the First Direct Arena on October 16th.
The last gang in town The Libertines, who released their hotly anticipated new album All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade on April 5th, announced a UK & Irish tour which commenced in Dublin on 23rd September and taking in two shows at The Roundhouse in London and culminating at Bournemouth O2 Academy on the 17th November. The Libertines’ once-seen-never-forgotten live shows are here to save humanity from holograms, virtual reality and AI auto-tunIing, so switch off your pocket-held marketing machine and come and experience raw analogue euphoria at the hands of these delirious musical chaos-mongers. The Libertines are Peter Doherty – vocals/guitar, Carl Barât – vocals/guitar, John Hassall – bass guitar and Gary Powell– drums. The band have released three prior albums: Up The Bracket (2002); The Libertines (2004); and Anthems For Doomed Youth (2015). A special show is lined up for 22nd October at the O2 Academy.
The Black Country duo BIG SPECIAL are set for a run of shows following the release of their highly-anticipated debut album POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES released this past May via SO Recordings. For BIG SPECIAL – Joe Hicklin (vocals) and Callum Moloney (drums) – their sound is one that comes from vital, frustrated young working-class voices that don’t always get heard on the scale they should do. It’s a frustration that comes to the fore through a voice that is at times coarse and raw, but sensitive, desperate and soulful at others. Their new music has arrived in the wake of a sold-out winter UK headline tour, multiple playlisted singles on BBC 6 Music, and their presence as a hotly-tipped prospect for 2024 in a number of Ones To Watch lists. Be the first to catch them at Project House on 1st November.
