Club NME: the big night’s stars and what happened to them next

Great news for people who love dancing to banging indie songs, discovering new bands, and watching some of the hottest new talent in music live – Club NME is back! Since it shut its proverbial doors in 2017, it’s been sorely missed. In its heyday, it was so good it spread all over the world, from Southend to Sao Paulo, Nottingham to New York, bringing with it unforgettable performances from big-name secret guests and rising stars. Here are some of the best moments from Club NME’s past.

Klaxons

Appeared in: 2006

What happened then: It was the height of new rave madness and Klaxons were spearheading the “MDMA-mazing” movement. There was no better choice, then, to headline Club NME On Tour, during which the band showcased tracks from their then-upcoming debut album ‘Myths Of The Near Future’.

What happened next: Making second album ‘Surfing The Void’ was fraught with scrapped sessions and rejections from the band’s label, but eventually was completed and released in 2010. A third record, ‘Love Frequency’, followed in 2014, and would be the trio’s last – that same year they played their “last headline tour” and went on hiatus.

Gossip

Appeared in: 2006

What happened then: When Gossip headlined Club NME at Koko, their signature song ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ had just been re-released, such was the hype that was gathering around it. At the event, though, they proved they were so much more than just that one track, with a set pulled from their third album.

What happened next: Ditto made headlines worldwide in 2007 by starring on the front of NME naked. The groundbreaking cover highlighted her power to start conversations, which, coupled with the band’s riotous punk songs, helped earn the trio a major label deal. In 2016, they split, with Ditto continuing as a solo artist.

Foals

Appeared in: 2008

What happened then: Riding the wave of their debut album ‘Antidotes’, Foals helped launch the San Francisco edition of Club NME, taking their jerky, math-rock Stateside. The Oxford band were met with a rapturous response, with the crowd dancing energetically to offerings like ‘Cassius’ and ‘The French Open’.

What happened next: In the years since, Foals have expanded their sound on every album and grown into festival headliners, who regularly bring the curtain down on events like Reading & Leeds with raucous, intense sets.

Young Fathers

Appeared in: 2010

What happened then: While Young Fathers were still a developing trio coming out of the Edinburgh scene, they headed down to London to bring their early songs and captivating show to Koko.

What happened next: Big things – Young Fathers won the Scottish Album Of The Year in 2013 and 2018, the first win a precursor to their much-deserved Mercury Prize victory in 2014 for ‘Dead’. They featured on the soundtrack for T2 Trainspotting and scored their first Top 10 album in the UK with this year’s ‘Heavy Heavy’.

Fun

Appeared in: 2010

What happened then: Before there was Bleachers or the Jack Antonoffication of pop, there was Fun – the chart-topping pop band Antonoff played guitar in.

What happened next: The band released their second album ‘Some Nights’ in 2012, before splitting in 2015. Antonoff later launched Bleachers and began producing for some of the biggest names in pop, including Taylor Swift, Lorde, Carly Rae Jepsen and others.

Peace

Appeared in: 2013 (2012?)

What happened then: At the time, the Club NME NYE Ball at Koko was Peace’s biggest headline show. Coming on minutes into 2013, they stormed through their early singles and ‘Delicious’ EP before previewing ‘Toxic’ from their debut album ‘In Love’, which would arrive later that year.

What happened next: ‘In Love’ marked them out as rising stars of the UK indie scene, with two further albums cementing their status. Peace faded from view after 2018’s ‘Kindness Is The New Rock’n’Roll’ – only to return earlier this year for some incendiary live shows. Now a duo, comprised of brothers Harry and Sam Koisser, they’re aided on stage by “robots” playing the parts of former members Dom Boyce and Doug Castle.

Wolf Alice

Appeared in: 2014

What happened then: On the cusp of 2014, Wolf Alice were still a fledgling group – but one that had bucketloads of potential. They showcased that brilliantly as they welcomed in the New Year at the 2013 NYE Ball, kicking off the next 12 months in the best way possible.

What happened next: Since that glorious NYE night, Wolf Al have blossomed into one of Britain’s biggest and best bands. Along the way, they’ve won the Mercury Prize – for their second album ‘Visions Of A Life’ in 2018 – and become a bonafide festival headliner, topping the bill at Latitude in 2021.

Dave Grohl and Rick Astley

Appeared in: 2019

What happened then: Club NME might traditionally be a hotbed of new talent in the early years of their journey, but when the night returned for a one-off event in 2019, it brought with it two huge names. Dave Grohl showed up for a secret set, telling the audience: “When I walked in tonight, everyone said: ‘What are you gonna do?’ I said, ‘I have no fucking clue.’” After opening with a couple of Foos classics, he invited Rick Astley on stage for the ultimate Rick-roll.

What happened next: Grohl returned to being a festival-headlining, stadium-slaying rock legend; Astley’s resurgence continued apace, most recently with a slot on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage.

It’s back! Club NME returns together with Ladbrokes Live with gigs across the UK. Sign up and play for free at Ladbrokeslive.co.uk for your chance to win tickets.

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