It’s October in London, which means a few things. Bigger jackets emerge from wardrobes and start being spotted in queues to watch music indoors. Now, I can’t help you pick out the fashion, but I can point you to some of those lines to stand in. You might then even go inside and listen to some songs being played in London’s venues before collecting that jacket from the cloakroom with a fresh vinyl from the merch stand in tow.
If that’s your kind of London autumn/winter evening, then this roundup covering the best gigs over the rest of the year might help you find just the right occasion. How else will you fill out the live music section of your end-of-year ‘best of’ lists if it all just ends after September?
These are some of the best gigs in London that take place throughout October, November, and December 2026.
⭐ Writer’s picks for October⭐
Joyce Manor (October 8)
In the 15 years between their self-titled debut and this year’s record, I Used To Go To This Bar, I’m convinced this band have not played a bad show. Sped-up versions of their already snappy material and soaring choruses just have that, so this Electric Ballroom show should be Joyce Manor doing what they do best.
📍Where? Electric Ballroom
🎶 Are there support acts? Hitmen and Fortitude Valley
🎟️ Are tickets still available? Try your luck on the DICE waitlist.
Jill Scott (October 13-14)
Jill Scott is coming into this show having released one of the year’s best records, with To Whom This May Concern dropping back in February. Shows at the Royal Albert Hall always have that extra special feeling, so this is sure to be an unmissable one for both longtime fans and those drawn to Scott after the brilliance of her sixth studio album this year.
📍Where? The Royal Albert Hall
🎶 Are there support acts? Jill Scott will be joined by Daley on night one, and J BAMBII on night two.
🎟️ Are tickets still available? Yes – you can find spaces for this on both nights.
The biggest London gigs coming up in October
The Strokes (October 7)
One of the biggest bands of the last 25 years played what felt like a homecoming show, despite their New York roots, in London last night. Tonight they’re back for round two, with the pair of gigs their first in the capital since the release of Reality Awaits, the band’s seventh studio album.
📍Where? The O2
🎶 Are there support acts? Fat White Family and Alex Cameron join The Strokes for this one.
🎟️ Are tickets still available? Spaces aren’t aplenty for this one (it is literally tonight, after all), but you might be able to sneak one at the last minute.
The Pussycat Dolls (October 13)
One of the surprise comebacks of the year, this show is certain to be a sparkly nostalgia fest for those who have been waiting to see The Pussycat Dolls at The O2 since the last time they played there, which wa all the way back in 2009.
📍Where? The O2
🎶 Are there support acts? Lil Kim and Deja Vu.
🎟️ Are tickets still available? There are still seated tickets on sale.
J.Cole (19-20 October & November 2)
J.Cole has three massive London shows coming up before the year is out. For ‘The Fall Off’ tour, he’s taking to the O2 in support of his album from earlier in 2026 of the same title.
📍Where? The O2
🎶 Are there support acts? TBC
🎟️ Are tickets still available? There are still spots floating about at these gigs.
Duran Duran (October 31)
After a giant headline slot at Hyde Park BST in the summer,
📍Where? The O2
🎶 Are there support acts? The aforementioned Isaac Wood & anaiis will be taking to the stage before Phoebe Bridgers on both nights.
🎟️ Are tickets still available? Spaces are looking sparse for this one.
More gigs in October
- October 7 – The Strokes at The O2
- October 7 – Ólafur Arnalds at the Hammersmith Apollo
- October 7 – Nails at The Scala
- October 7 – Man/Woman/Chainsaw (with support from Bathing Suits and Uncle Junior) at the Electric Ballroom
- October 7-8 – Band Of Horses at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- October 8 – Joyce Manor with support from (HITMEN and Fortitude) at the Electric Ballroom
- October 8 – Young the Giant at the KOKO
- October 8-9 – Jamie Cullum at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- October 9 – The HU at O2 Academy Brixton
- October 9, 10, & 11 – Westlife at The O2
- October 10 – Eric Prydz at Ironworks
- October 10 – Amon Amarth (with support from Orbit Culture and Soilwork)
- October 10-11 – Erykah Badu at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- October 10 – Fear Factory at the Kentish Town Forum
- October 13 – The Pussycat Dolls at The O2
- October 13-14 – Jill Scott at the Royal Albert Hall
- October 14 – Katherine Jenkins at the London Palladium
- October 15 – Khalid at British Airways ARC
- October 15 – Brandon Flowers at the Royal Albert Hall
- October 15 – Boris at Electric Brixton
- October 15 – venbee at Bermondsey Social Club
- October 15 – Asake at The O2
- October 15 – 300SkullsAndCounting & Jenny Sparks at Club Cheek
- October 16 – Ed O’Brien at the Barbican
- October 16 – Nubya Garcia at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- October 16 – Alabaster DePlume at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
- October 16 – Guilt Trip at the Electric Ballroom
- October 16 – Matilda Mann (with Sophie May) at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- October 17 – Mercury Rev (with support from Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo) at Hackney Church
- October 18 – Hak Baker at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- October 19 – Art Garfunkel at the Royal Albert Hall
- October 19-20 – Angine de Poitrine at The Troxy
- October 19 – Hyd at the Institute of Contemporary Art
- October 19 & 20 – J. Cole at The O2
- October 20 – Courtney Barnett at the Kentish Town Forum
- October 20 – Arlo Parks at Brixton Academy
- October 21 – Amy Winehouse Band at The Roundhouse – they’ll be performing Back To Black in full with a host of guests, including Jorja Smith and Corinne Bailey Rae, in a show curated by Mark Ronson and more.
- October 21 – Lime Garden at Electric Brixton
- October 21 – Maségo at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- October 21 – Brandi Carlile at The O2
- October 21 – Lime Garden at the Electric Brixton
- October 21-22 – The Mountain Goats at Hackney Church
- October 22 – Beth Orton at Alexandra Palace Theatre
- October 22 – Stephen Wilson Jr. at Brixton Academy
- October 22 – venbee at the Bermondsey Social Club
- October 22 – Lip Critic at The Underworld
- October 23 – Fat Freddy’s Drop at Alexandra Palace
- October 23 – Melanie C at Brixton Academy
- October 24 – Swervedriver at Village Underground
- October 24 – Autechre at Magazine London
- October 24 – CamelPhat at IronWorks
- October 24 – Citizen at EartH
- October 24 – The Reytons at Alexandra Palace
- October 24 – Khalid at the British Airways ARC
- October 24 – Fat Dog at Brixton Academy
- October 25 – Grandmaster Flash at 229
- October 26 – Jay Park at Wembley Arena
- October 26 – Ezra Furman at Union Chapel
- October 27 – Corinne Bailey Rae (with Laura Mvula) at the Royal Albert Hall
- October 27 – Perfume Genius at Union Chapel
- October 28 – Overmono at Alexandra Palace
- October 28 – Jalen Ngonda at Brixton Academy
- October 28 – Dexys Midnight Runners at Hackney Empire
- October 28 – The Proclaimers at the London Palladium
- October 28 – Tomora at the Roundhouse
- October 28 – Mike D at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- October 28 & 29 – Steven Wilson with the Parallax Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall
- October 29 – Blood Red Shoes at the Village Underground
- October 29 – venbee at the Bermondsey Social Club
- October 29-30 – FKJ at Exhibition London
- October 30 – Macklemore at Wembley Arena
- October 30 – Soul II Soul at the London Palladium
- October 30 – Static Dress at Electric Ballroom
- October 30 – Keo at the Kentish Town Forum
- October 31 – Duran Duran at The O2
- October 31 – Skindred (with support from Alien Ant Farm, Spineshank, and Orgy) at Alexandra Palace
- October 31 – Cancer Bats at Electric Brixton
- October 31 – Honey Dijon at Magazine London
- October 31 – PC Music at Colour Factory
- October 31 – The Bluetones at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- October 31 – The Mouse Outfit at Oslo Hackney
The biggest London gigs in the rest of 2026
Fontaines D.C.
This one will be Fontaines D.C.’s first London show after the release of their next studio album, Dopamine Chamber, which drops next week, and comes before their even bigger show in the capital next summer at the London Stadium.
📍Where? The O2
🎶 Are there support acts? TBC
🎟️ Are tickets still available? Spots here will be tricky to come by.
Mariah Carey (November 30)
Mariah Carey in the build-up to Christmas? Oh COME ON. These spaces are going to be god-tier levels of golddust, but it’s sure to be a bucket list material for anyone who has managed to nab a spot.
📍Where? The O2
🎶 Are there support acts? TBC
🎟️ Are tickets still available? Good luck.
Phoebe Bridgers (December 1 & 2)
Phoebe Bridgers last played London in 2022, and she’s made the leap from four nights at Brixton over to two nights at The O2. Her first solo record in six years, Lost Weekend, has been critically adored, and this will be the first time for many to hear tracks from it live.
What’s special about these gigs, outside of her usual stellar performance, is that fans attending won’t be able to use their phones or any other recording devices. As with her smaller gig at the Union Chapel in August, and her two tours in the US, anyone going to the show will place their devices in a ‘Yondr’ pouch, which is locked and kept on the person of the attendees, before being unlocked with a magnet after the show.
(You can read a little more about our time at the phoneless Union Chapel show here).
Get there early for Isaac Wood & anaiis, too. The former is making his return to live music, having last played shows with his former band, Black Country, New Road, in 2021, and the pair have written new songs, with these shows marking the debut outing of the material.
📍Where? The O2
🎶 Are there support acts? The aforementioned Isaac Wood & anaiis will be taking to the stage before Phoebe Bridgers on both nights.
🎟️ Are tickets still available? Spaces are looking sparse for this one.
London gigs in November
- November 1 – Charlotte de Witte at Ironworks
- November 1-2 – The Kid LAROI (with support from Tommy Richman) at Hammersmith Apollo
- November 2 – J. Cole at The O2
- November 2 – Myles Smith at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- November 2 – Shame at EartH
- November 3 – Cat Power at the Roundhouse
- November 3 – Worldpeace DMT at the Institute of Contemporary Art
- November 4 – Korn (with support from Architects) at The O2
- November 4 – Kelela at Brixton Academy
- November 4 – Sampa The Great at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- November 4 – Jamie Lenman at Bush Hall
- November 4, 5, 6, & 7 – The Mission at Kentish Town Forum
- November 5 – Slayyyter (with support from Pearly Drops) at the Roundhouse
- November 5 – Yazmin Lacey at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- November 5 – Deaf Havana at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- November 5 – Car Bomb at The Underworld
- November 6 – Manic Street Preachers & Suede at The O2
- November 6 – The Avalanches at the Roundhouse
- November 6 – Teenage Fanclub at Hackney Church
- November 7 – Tove Lo at Brixton Academy
- November 7 – Puscifer at British Airways Arc
- November 7 – Wilkinson at Drumsheds
- November 7 – Noname at Heaven
- November 7 – Alceu Valença at Royal Festival Hall
- November 8 – Papa Roach at The O2
- November 8 – Thurston Moore at Vortex Jazz Club
- November 8 – Moor Mother at Institute of Contemporary Arts
- November 9 – Eyehategod at the Scala
- November 10 – Marshmello at The O2
- November 10 – Brian Fallon (with support from Chris Farren) at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- November 11 – SBTV20 at The O2
- November 11 – Arcane Roots at Outernet
- November 12 – Cardinals at Electric Ballroom
- November 12, 13, 15, & 16 – Skye Newman at Brixton Academy
- November 13, 14, 17 – Noah Kahan at The O2
- November 13 – Black Country, New Road at London Coliseum
- November 13 – Pig Destroyer at the Scala
- November 14 – Armin Van Buuren at Drumsheds
- November 14 – The Courteeners at Alexandra Palace
- November 14-15 – Robert Glasper at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- November 15 – Tayc at Wembley Arena
- November 15 – Urne at The Dome
- November 15-16 – Muse at The O2
- November 17 – Paris Paloma at Brixton Academy
- November 17-18 – MUNA at Hammersmith Apollo
- November 17 – Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- November 18 – Beabadoobee (with support from Wisp) at The O2
- November 18 – Fatoumata Diawara at the Roundhouse
- November 18 – Saves The Day at the Electric Brixton
- November 19 – Rizzle Kicks at Brixton Academy
- November 20-21 – Enter Shikari at Alexandra Palace
- November 20 – Ben Folds at Royal Festival Hall
- November 20 – Myles Smith at The O2
- November 20 – Eliza Rose at EartH
- November 21 – The Script (with support from James Morrison) at The O2
- November 21 – Johnny Flynn at Royal Festival Hall
- November 22 – Converge at Electric Brixton
- November 22 & 23 – feeble little horse at EartH
- November 23 – Don Toliver at The O2
- November 24 – Deep Purple at Hammersmith Apollo
- November 24 & 25 – Jungle at the O2
- November 25 – Deep Purple at the Royal Albert Hall
- November 25 – Mystery Jets at the Kentish Town Forum
- November 26 – Bicep at the Royal Albert Hall
- November 26 – Squeeze (with support from Billy Bragg) at The O2
- November 26 – José González at Hammersmith Apollo
- November 26 – Yard Act at Brixton Academy
- November 26 – Nia Archives at Alexandra Palace
- November 27 – The Damned (with support from The Saints ’73-’78) at British Airways ARC
- November 27 – Fontaines D.C. at The O2
- November 27 – Blossoms at Alexandra Palace
- November 28 – Jessie Ware at The O2
- November 28 – Genesis Owusu at Electric Brixton
- November 28 – Graham Coxon at the Kentish Town Forum
- November 30 – Mariah Carey at The O2
London gigs in December
- December 1 – Hermanos Gutierrez at the Hammersmith Apollo
- December 1 – Bleech 9:3 at the Electric Ballroom
- December 1 & 2- Headache at Outernet
- December 1 & 2 – Phoebe Bridgers (with support from Isaac Wood & anaiis) at The O2
- December 2 – Gang Of Youths at the Roundhouse
- December 2 – Westside Cowboy at the Kentish Town Forum
- December 3 – Tinie Tempah at the Roundhouse
- December 3 – EsDeeKid at Wembley Arena
- December 3 & 4 – Bleachers at the Hammersmith Apollo
- December 3, 4, 5, 7, & 8 – Bob Dylan at the Royal Festival Hall
- December 4& 5 – Buzzcocks at The 100 Club
- December 4 – horsegiirL at Brixton Academy
- December 5 – Placebo at Wembley Arena
- December 5 – The Pogues at Brixton Academy
- December 5 – Placebo at Wembley Arena
- December 7 – Bryson Tiller at The O2
- December 7 – Cory Henry at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- December 9 – Ocean Colour Scene (with support from The Enemy) at The O2
- December 9 – Rick Astley at the Royal Albert Hall
- December 10 – Jamie Cullum at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- December 10 – bar italia at The 100 Club
- December 10 – mustbejohn at the Scala
- December 11 – Heavenly at the Lexington
- December 11 & 12 – Jamie T at Wembley Arena
- December 12 – Kodaline at the Roundhouse
- December 12 – Wednesday 13 at Electric Brixton
- December 13 & 14- The Brand New Heavies at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- December 13 – Oathbreaker at Village Underground
- December 15 – The Pogues at the Kentish Town Forum
- December 16 – Kodaline at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- December 16 – The Darkness (with support from The Brothers Osborne and A) at The O2
- December 17 – Ash at the Roundhouse
- December 17 – Maverick Sabre at Brixton Academy
- December 17 – Chelsea Wolfe (with support from A.A. Williams) at the Kentish Town Forum
- December 17 – Reuben James at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- December 17 & 18 – Annie Mac at the Outernet
- December 18 – Kasabian (with support from The Vaccines) at The O2
- December 18 – DJ Shadow and the BBC Symphony Orchestra at The Barbican
- December 18 & 19 – Feeder at the Electric Ballroom
- December 18 – Slade at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- December 18 – Sex Pistols with Frank Carter at Brixton Academy
- December 19 – Idlewild at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire
- December 19 – Yuksek at The Jazz Cafe
- December 19 – Kurupt FM at the Roundhouse
- December 20 – Sex Pistols with Frank Carter at Hammersmith Apollo
- December 20 – Professor Green at the KOKO
- December 21 – Femi Koleoso at the KOKO
- December 23 – Vibe Chemistry at the New Cross Inn
- December 23 – Dub Pistols at The Jazz Cafe
- December 23 – Joel Culpepper at the Blue Note Jazz Club
- December 26 – DJ Luck & MC Neat at The Jazz Cafe
