Live music in London 2023: Your monthly guide to gigs in the capital

The year may only just have started, but live music fans already have much to be excited about in 2023 – with London dates announced from huge names including Madonna, Harry Styles, Arctic Monkeys, The Weeknd, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and even Snoop Dogg, across multiple venues in the capital.

Fans will be eager not to miss out on shows, but with the sheer volume of concerts already in the calendar, many of which were pushed back due to the pandemic, it’s hard to keep up with what’s going on.

Luckily, we’ve curated a rolling monthly list of gigs in London, updated with the hottest tickets in town – so you won’t miss a thing.

February 1

Metronomy

Where? HERE at Outernet

Tickets: axs.com

With seven albums under their belt dating back to 2008, including their anthem-packed Mercury nominated 2011 project The English Riviera, Devonshire-formed five-piece group Metronomy have become masters of their sound, exploring multiple genres including indie rock and nu-disco. With an expansive discography and crowd pleasers coming out of their ears, the group are set up nicely to take to the stage of London’s new venue HERE at Outernet, as part of BRIT Awards’ BRITs Week.

February 2

Years and Years

Where? HERE at Outernet

Tickets: axs.com

The group-turned solo project headed by Olly Alexander takes over HERE at Outernet as part of the BRIT Awards’ BRITs Week, a string of shows taking place around the country in the run up to the awards ceremony. With stellar hits under their belt, including 2015’s UK number one King, and their energetic performances, the band are sure to get the crowd moving,

February 3

Kojey Radical

Where? XOYO

Tickets: axs.com

East London-raised rapper Kojey Radical celebrated a bumper year with a nomination at this year’s BRIT Awards, earning a nod in the Breakthrough Artist category following the success of his critically acclaimed album Reason to Smile, released back in 2022. Playing as part of the BRITs Week line-up, Kojey Radical’s Shoreditch homecoming promises to be sweet.

February 4

(also February 11, 18, 25)

Kerri Chandler (Residency)

Where? KOKO

Tickets: ra.co

House pioneer and American DJ Kerri Chandler brings his unique spinning abilities to Camden’s KOKO for a string of shows across February, with guests including Jeremy Underground, Dam Swindle, Antal, Melle Brown, Moodyman and Helena Star. With over thirty years on the scene, expect Chandler’s expansive record collection to create special moments all month.

February 7-8

Ellie Goulding

Where? KOKO

Tickets: seetickets.com

Originally dated to coincide with her new album Higher Than Heaven, Ellie Goulding has a two-night shows at legendary venue KOKO Camden. Although the album’s release has now been pushed back to March 24, Goulding will still be taking to the stage, and fans can expect to hear an array of tracks from her previous albums, including fan-favourite Lights, as well as new material.

February 8

Sugababes

Where? The Garage

Tickets: thegarage.london

With the line-up of members of this iconic girl group changing at least three times over the years, it’s been difficult to keep up with who’s in and out. Luckily, this time we get the original formation of Mutya, Siobhan and Keisha, who will grace the stage at The Garage in north London. The show is part of BRITs Week and of their wider string of comeback shows, and demand to see the trio is high.

February 10

Dixon

Where? KOKO

Tickets: ra.co

DJ and producer Dixon brings the sounds of Berlin to KOKO Camden, with his innovative and pioneering sound placing him at the forefront of the house and techno scene. Fans can look forward to a marathon set list, with the DJ hitting the decks from 10pm to 5am for an all-nighter.

Rina Sawayama

Where? Lafayette

Tickets: axs.com

This year’s Breakthrough Artist BRIT Awards nominee Rina Sawayama has had a year to remember. Her latest album Hold The Girl was released to critical acclaim, producing singles Hold The Girl, Catch Me in the Air and This Hell. Though Sawayama is associated with an avant/dance pop sound, fans will get to hear her in a different form, with the singer playing a fully acoustic set. Get ready to listen to Sawayama stripped back.

Rebecca Black

Where? Heaven

Tickets: ticketmaster.co.uk

It’s Friday, and rather ironically (and iconic-ly) Rebecca Black returns to the UK for a special performance at London’s Heaven nightclub – did we mention it’s on a Friday? The singer has never made a secret of what her favourite day of the week is, with her viral track Friday becoming one of the most disliked videos of all time on YouTube, although admittedly extremely memorable. Impressively, Black has managed to escape what seemed like permanent meme status as she gears up for her album release, expected February 9. Her single Crumbs has been extremely well received, so it’ll be interesting to see what Black has under her belt.

February 14

(also February 15, 16 and 17)

Chris Brown

Where? The O2

Tickets: livenation.co.uk

It’s difficult to believe that Chris Brown is only 33 years-old, with a career that has spanned over 20 years already. Still, with his first UK headline tour in over a decade, his return to London has created much fanfare as controversy. Still, the opener of the RnB singer’s four-night February stint at The O2, falling on Valentines Day, will be one of the hottest tickets in town.

February 15

Carly Rae Jepsen

Where? Alexandra Palace

Tickets: alexandrapalace.com

It’s been just over ten years since Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen blew the radio airways track Call Me Maybe. After fellow Canadian singer Justin Bieber and his then girlfriend Selena Gomez promoted the track on Twitter, Jepsen’s star status soared, and her world-dominating number 1 single kept her in public consciousness. While by far her biggest hit, Call Me Maybe is not her only one, and with tracks like I Really Like You and Good Time set to feature on her in her setlist, fans can gear up for a big singalong.

February 18

Sticky Fingers

Where? Alexandra Palace

Tickets: ticketmaster.co.uk

Australian band Sticky Fingers bring their vibrant sound from Down Under to London for their Ally Pally debut. With their sound fusing psychedelic rock, alternative, and reggae together, the five-strong group have become one of the biggest bands in Australia, with a number one album in the ARIA charts under their belt, and are rapidly gaining popularity around the world.

February 20-21

DYLAN

Where?: Shepards Bush Empire

Tickets: livenation.co.uk

Although BBC Sound of 2023 nominee DYLAN is still a breakthrough talent, her critically acclaimed debut mixtape album The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn has amassed her a huge following, allowing her to embark on a worldwide headline tour. She will be bringing her tour to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire for two nights, giving London fans enough opportunity to grab tickets, with the first show already sold out. DYLAN is set to be one of the artists to watch in 2023, so now is a great time to check out what all the fuss is about.

February 24

Meekz

Where? O2 Academy Islington

Tickets: livenation.co.uk

One of Manchester’s most promising talents, Meekz has set himself aside as a unique prospect in the UK rap scene. The masked rapper released his anticipated album Respect The Come Up last year, featuring chart-topper Dave and hitmaker Central Cee. He follows up the release with a headline UK tour, and with his London and Manchester dates sold out, energy levels are expected to be high.