We couldn't think of a better way to spend one of the hottest evenings of the year than sampling three of the most exciting UK performers while lapping up the summer sunshine. Well, this is exactly what we were treated to at Manchester's Castlefield Bowl this week as Wet Leg, English Teacher and THEATRE took to the stage in the blistering heat. Photo Credit: Harry Proctor // @harry.proctor.56 The natural amphitheatre of Castlefield Bowl immediately brings a cinematic quality

Despite the miserable weather in Manchester on Wednesday evening, American Indie Folk singer Annabelle Dinda had no problem uplifting the crowd with her energetic set. Dancing with her band on stage, the singer’s whimsical energy was felt by the audience, whose cheers got louder with the more songs she played. As her set came to a close, there were chants of ‘one more song’ and ‘another one’ that proved Annabelle had successfully done her job of warming up the crowd. The exci

Soul-crushing lyricism, angelic voices, and enchanting tunes- what more could you ask for on a Wednesday night in Manchester. This was exactly what dreamy, folky, singer-songwriter, Evie Moran, delivered as well as her opening act, Bryony Lloyd, at Band on The Wall, in the heart of the Northern quarter. Behind its rainbow painted doors beheld a show just as colourful. Photo Credit: Jake Cook With a low-lit ambience, opener Bryony Lloyd joined the stage, bringing audience m

This May, we took our first ever trip down to Brighton for THE most iconic festival for new music, The Great Escape, and it certainly lived up to its reputation. Taking place across the plethora of vibrant grassroots venues around the city and seafront, we took in 4 days of superb sets from the most exciting new acts across the world. Here’s our rundown of our most memorable moments from the weekend. Of course, the very nature of the festival is about showcasing emerging acts

Merseyside's multi-venue festival Sound City returned once again on Bank holiday weekend and proved why we love it so much. Running from venue to venue to catch everyone on your packed schedule, inevitably bumping into your best mates, your favourite band and that ex you haven't spoke to in 5 years... Photo Credit: Paul Lang (@paullangphotographer) // BOOT Magazine With an absolutely stacked line up filled with the most exciting new acts from the UK and beyond, are schedule w

Although Manchester's Brit-Pop Indie legends James have been playing for over 40 years, we knew they would still have a few tricks up their sleeve ready to make the gig a standout performance. The hype for the show started hours before they came on, with hundreds flocked outside the stadium wearing James ’ signature daisy on t-shirts, hats, hoodies and bags. Despite the overarching nostalia of the night, there were people of all ages queuing at every entrance, speaking to the

The time has come to start planning your festival schedule for 2026! Here's some of our favourites where you can discover your new favourite artist... Photo Credit: Kendal Calling 2025 Sound City - Liverpool (2nd-3rd May) Liverpool's city festival always provides one of the best venue hopping experiences and always guarantees new music discovery. The 2026 line up features some of the most talked about newcomers from the world of Indie and Post-Punk including Keo , Westside Co

There is a delicious irony in watching one of the most abrasive bands in the UK right now perform in a room bathed in neon pink. Last Thursday, Mandy, Indiana took to the Yes Bar Pink Room stage for the opening night of the BBC Radio 6 music festival delivering a performance that solidified their status as the definitive torchbearers of European noise rock. Mandy, Indiana (BBC 6 Music) Following a blisteringly high-octane support act in Silverwingkiller , the Manchester/ Berl

The Great Escape has unveiled a fresh wave of 100+ artists joining this year’s line-up, bringing emerging talent from across the globe to Brighton for the festival’s 2026 20th anniversary edition. This year’s daily highlights have also been revealed, spotlighting the artists set to make a major impact across the four-day festival, alongside the introduction of new TGE Wristband Rewards, offering exclusive perks and discounts for attendees across participating Brighton venues

BBC 6 Music Festival 2026 saw a weekend packed full of some of the most exciting breakthrough acts such as Mandy, Indiana as well as Indie legends like Bloc Party. However, our favourite moment of the festival was the reappearance of Leed's Post-Punk troubadours Yard Act who filled out The Pink Room at YES for a thunderous and experimental return. Yard Act // BBC 6 MUSIC Firstly, it has to be said what a treat it is to see one of the countries biggest and best Indie/Alte

Last week, Norwegian singer-songwriter Sigrid took over Manchester Academy to showcase her new infectious 2025 album 'There's Always More That I Could Say' . Her notable confidence and comfortability in the spotlight let the connection between herself and her audience prevail, driving an energetic set that underscored her undeniable enjoyment and on-stage prowess. Photo Credit: Paul Lang // @paullangphotographer She kicked off her set with ‘I’ll Always Be Your Girl’ , the op

Where have all the goths in Liverpool gone? The punks, the queer kids, the ones that used to hang out by the courts, or around the museum? They’re here, in Outpost, a sticky backroom thick with gig posters and synth, seeing the very best of Liverpool’s local bands. The first wave of fabric draped gig goers are here to see The Nocturnal , a gothic swirl of Siouxsie vocals and Cure covers. They’re volatile, with safety pins stringing together their lines of synth and shimmerin

Over the last 5 years, Better Joy , the project of Bria Keely , has gradually stoked the flames of Manchester’s indie scene. Introspective and emotionally raw lyrics have crafted a unique sound that lies somewhere between The Strokes and Phoebe Bridgers . The final few months of last year saw the release of her second EP ‘at dusk’, shortly followed by a tour announcement with a run of dates across the UK and Ireland. BOOT caught up with her at her hometown show in the iconic

Georgia Johnson headlined a sold out show at ARCHIVE in Liverpool on Thursday night, taking to the stage after four other excellent artists from a range of genres had warmed up the crowd. Accompanied by a cellist/banjo player, drummer, lead guitarist, bassist and trumpet player, Georgia Johnson and her band captivated the room at the cosy and intimate venue, but you could easily imagine them selling out much larger venues with their dazzling stage presence. Georgia was clea

Future Yard is expanding, in style. It’s constructing a new building with greater capacity to highlight local acts, there’s going to be more studio space and additional training hours for the young people that they support. Some of them are clearly here this weekend; Geese look-alikes who should probably be revising for their A-levels mixing with the groups of familiar faces who will swear that they saw The Beatles in a venue this size. They’re all the people that Future Yard

The Good Times and HSP Presents have announced So Long Good Friday, a new multi-venue all-dayer in Liverpool showcasing the best new music at an affordable price. In spring 2026, a brand new all-dayer brings some of the most exciting upcoming bands to Liverpool for a multi-venue all-dayer. Taking place on 3rd April, the first edition of So Long, Good Friday already boasts an impressive lineup, including a headline set from rising rock ‘n’ roll cowboys Fat Dog. The London-born

On Friday night, Gorillaz kicked off their ‘The Mountain’ tour at Manchester’s Co-op Live. In what can only be described as a striking, immersive spectacle, Damon Albarn lead the virtual band through a masterclass performance. Every single inch of the stage was utilised by the extensive, diverse array of live instruments, and the on-screen graphics truly transported the audience into their virtual world. Overall, the finely-honed stagecraft and attention to detail was omnipr

Jazz legend Courtney Pine returns to Liverpool's Tung Auditorium on Saturday 14th March with this award-winning show, House of Legends . Courtney Pine (Credit: One Fell Swoop) In 1986 a 22 year old Courtney Pine appeared on the front cover of the iconic British music publication NME, he is the only Black British jazz artist to do so - the last quote in a two page interview read “You know I’m doing this for a reason” and you better believe he still is… House of Legends is a ve

On Friday night, the Liverpool's O2 Academy saw Man/Woman/Chainsaw supported by Little Grandad. This event is probably best described as the inside of the weird kid's orchestra practice room. There were instruments scattered around the stage, a couple of the performers had made it into suits but most of them were in stripy tights and graphic tshirts, and the music was an experimental mixing pot of everything from David Bryne to Fat White Family. And it was brilliant. Little

After dropping their sophomore album 'NATIONAL AVERAGE' last summer, completely by surprise, Black Country duo BIG SPECIAL immediately cemented their place as one of the most exciting new Rock acts in the country. Their blend of cynical social commentary and angsty Punk attitude blended with moments of more thoughtful, vocal reflections has hints of Yard Act and Sleaford Mods while also embodying a definitively unique spirit all of their own. Photo credit: @honeyrobertsp