These are the best gigs to see this month

25 April, 2023

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There’s no escaping it, winter is on its way. The days are getting shorter, the weather is pretty naff and supermarkets are already trying to flog you those tubs of little chocolates. It might be tempting to enter hibernation mode until next summer, but we promise you, there’s plenty of good gigging to be had before then at venues up and down the country.

From Dua Lipa’s special one-off gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall to Sum 41’s farewell fling via Pale Waves’ celebratory headline tour in honour of new album ‘Smitten’, October is set to be a busy month for music fans. Here are the very best concerts to look out for…

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Fans intending to buy tickets for live events through resale websites should check the ticket terms and conditions, to confirm whether resale is prohibited, before they buy. Ticket terms and conditions can be checked with the original seller, such as Ticketmaster or Live Nation. If resale is prohibited, tickets bought second-hand could be voided and admission to the event refused.

The Last Dinner Party

After the release of their “flamboyant, fun and totally distinct” debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstacy’, The Last Dinner Party have been busy showing people just why there was so much hype around the group with a number of euphoric, urgent festival performances. They owned Glastonbury, made themselves at home at Reading & Leeds and have even started work on album number two.

Now, the newly-crowned monarchs of baroque-pop are gearing up for their biggest ever UK headline tour. The 23-date run is sure to be a celebration of everything the band has achieved so far, but it could also allow a glimpse into what comes next.

The Last Dinner Party play:

OCTOBER
1 – O2 Academy, Birmingham
2 – Rock City, Nottingham
4 – O2 Academy, Bristol
5 – O2 Guildhall, Southampton
7 – 3Olympia, Dublin
8 – 3Olympia, Dublin
10 – O2 Academy, Glasgow
11 – O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester
12 – Mountford Hall, Liverpool
14 – Corn Exchange, Cambridge
16 – Eventim Apollo, London
17 – Eventim Apollo, London
19 – Eventim Apollo, London

Biffy Clyro

Ahead of their 10th album, Biffy Clyro are throwing things back to the start with a series of shows to celebrate debut album ‘Blackened Sky’ and follow-ups ‘The Vertigo Of Bliss’ and ‘Infinity Land’. Expect big riffs off-kilter choruses and a lot of very excited rock fans crammed into the smallest rooms The Biff have played in quite some time. They’ve been cryptic online about new songs, but you should definitely expect a little taste of the future as well…

Biffy Clyro play:

OCTOBER
20 – O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London – ‘Blackened Sky’
21 – O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London – ‘Vertigo of Bliss’
22 – O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London – ‘Infinity Land’
24 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow – ‘Blackened Sky’
25 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow – ‘Vertigo of Bliss’
26 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow – ‘Infinity Land’

Becky Hill

After smashing another massive festival season with the swaggering dance-pop might of second album ‘Believe Me Now?’, Becky Hill is heading out on her first ever arena headline tour. And it’s pretty much sold out already. “If I ever needed proof that this is working and I’m not delusional, it’s that many people are buying tickets to come see me,” Hill told NME earlier this year. She also confirmed she’d been working with Studio Moross, who’ve previously collaborated with the likes of Spice Girls and Kylie Minogue on their world tours, to create a show that feels “really hedonistic”.

Becky Hill plays:

OCTOBER
12 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
13 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle
15 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
16 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
18 – Westpoint Arena, Exeter
19 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
20 – AO Arena, Manchester
22 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
24 – OVO Arena Wembley, London

Cat Burns

Fresh from releasing her debut album ‘Early Twenties’, Cat Burns is heading out on tour. “The album talks about romantic relationships, both my own and people closest to me, whilst also speaking about self introspection and accepting who you are,” Burns said about the coming-of-age record. She’s also spoken about the importance of staying vulnerable, so expect a big, heartfelt show from one of the brightest stars in the UK.

Cat Burns plays:

OCTOBER
13 – O2 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham
14 – O2 Academy Bristol, Bristol
15 – O2 Academy Glasgow, Glasgow
17 – The Academy, Manchester
18 – The Roundhouse, London

Doechii

Doechii has been on quite the journey since releasing viral megahit ‘What It Is (Block Boy)’ last year. There’s been a tour with Doja Cat, a slot opening for Beyoncé and the release of new mixtape ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’. To keep the party hype high, Doechii is going on the road this October, with a one-off gig at Village Underground her only UK stop. Don’t miss it!

Doechii plays:

OCTOBER
28 Village Underground, London

Sum 41

After more than two-decades of boisterous punk rock, Sum 41 are calling it a day. Wanting to go out at the top of their game, the band have already released sprawling, celebratory double album ‘Heaven :x: Hell’ and said goodbye to festival season with a number of fiery, hit-laden gigs. Now they’re starting on their final lap of the UK with some absolutely huge nights planned.

Sum 41 play:

OCTOBER
26 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
27 – Hydro, Glasgow
28 – Co-op Live Arena, Manchester
30 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
31 – OVO Wembley Arena, London

November
2 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff

Pale Waves

Pale Waves’ new album ‘Smitten’ brings together all their different styles into one cohesive package, while still pushing things forward. It’s a little bit goth, a little bit pop and very loved up, which should make their upcoming UK headline tour feel like a playground of liberation. Support for the lengthy run comes from excellent indieheads Swim School.

Pale Waves play:

OCTOBER
03 – The Waterfront, Norwich
04 – O2 Academy, Liverpool
05 – Neighbourhood Festival, Manchester
06 – Rock City, Nottingham
08 – Chalk, Brighton
09 – O2 Academy, Bristol
10 – Foundry, Sheffield
11 – Fat Sam’s, Dundee
13 – SWG3, Glasgow
14 – Boiler Shop, Newcastle
15 – O2 Institute, Birmingham
17 – Here at Outernet, London
18 – Here at Outernet, London

Dua Lipa

After smashing her first-ever Glastonbury headline slot and before two massive summer gigs at the iconic Wembley Stadium, Dua Lipa is heading to London’s Royal Albert Hall for a one-off show. It remains to be seen how the euphoric freedom of ‘Radical Optimism’ will work inside the pretty confines of Kensington’s prestigious venue, but if we’ve learnt anything from the past few years of her career, it’s that you should never doubt Dua. She always pulls it off.

Dua Lipa plays:

OCTOBER
17 – Royal Albert Hall, London

The Libertines

Despite a turbulent career, The Libertines’ new album ‘All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade‘ had the band finally all “facing the same direction,” according to Carl Barat. “All we want to do is write beautiful songs. That’s what we’ve always wanted to do, but we got distracted – mostly by ourselves,” Pete Doherty added in an interview with NME. All that pretty harmony seems to be resonating as well, with the band getting their first Number One album in over 20 years – and a monster UK tour on which to parade that victory.

The Libertines play:

OCTOBER
3 – Birmingham, O2 Academy
4 – Norwich, UEA
5 – Cambridge, The Corn Exchange
7 – Cardiff, Great Hall
8 – Bristol, O2 Academy
18 – Glasgow, Barrowland Ballroom
19 – Liverpool, Mountford Hall
21 – Nottingham, Rock City
22 – Leeds, O2 Academy
30 – London, Roundhouse
31 – London, Roundhouse

NOVEMBER
4 – Sheffield, The Octagon
5 – Newcastle, NX
7 – Manchester, Albert Hall

Soft Play

After the band formerly known as Slaves announced their return with raucous single ‘Punk’s Dead’ last summer, Soft Play properly put a marker down this year via new album ‘Heavy Jelly’. A return to their playful, punk-addled roots, it went on to become their highest charting record yet – despite stiff competition from Charli XCX and Glass Animals – and we’re expecting their upcoming UK headline tour to be even bigger and more celebratory.

Soft Play play:

OCTOBER
15 – Dome, Brighton
16 – Tramshed, Cardiff
18 – O2 Institute, Birmingham
19 – O2 Academy, Bristol
20 – O2 Academy, Leeds
22 – Octagon, Sheffield
23 – Academy, Manchester
25 – O2 Academy, Liverpool
26 – NX, Newcastle
27 – Barrowland, Glasgow
29 – Rock City, Nottingham
30 – UEA, Norwich
31 – O2 Academy Brixton, London