[title]
London has warmed up. But to counteract the uncomfortably stuffy commutes, our city is offering up some reprieve in the form of fabulous gigs. Much like the plethora of hotties arriving into Casa Amor (or the Masseria, depending on your vibe), artists from across the globe are descending on us armed with indie bangers, club pop anthems, and head-banging rock. Yes, you might be stinky and a bit dazed, but these gigs are worth pulling yourself away from an overcrowded pub garden for. In fact, many of them are outdoors, so you can still come away with your sunglasses tanned onto your face. Stay hydrated!
The best London gigs in July 2026
1. Wolf Alice
North London rockers Wolf Alice have graduated from the O2 to an enormous all-dayer in Finsbury Park. The four-piece have spent the past decade evolving from grungy upstarts into one of Britain's most beloved alternative bands, thanks to pop gems like ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’, the coming-of-age classic ‘Bros’ and the sprawling, cinematic ballad ‘The Last Man on Earth’. Yes, you might see me crying in the crowd here.
Good for: Indie sleazers with an active Letterboxd account
Date: Sun Jul 5, midday
Venue: Finsbury Park, N4 1EE
Tickets: Buy now
2. My Chemical Romance
Gerard Way’s theatrical emo institution arrives at Wembley with enough angst to power half of north-west London. Relive the days of box-dyed, overdramatic side sweeps, painfully skinny black jeans, and ill-advised military jackets with this absolute belter of a live show. You know exactly what’s coming when the opening notes of ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ hit – and you’ll cry your heart out like a messy teenager all over again.
Good for: Millennials reliving their Bebo heyday
Date: Wed Jul 8, Fri Jul 10 and Sat Jul 11, 5pm
Venue: Wembley Stadium, HA9 0WS
Tickets: Buy now
3. BTS
Whether you’re a fully paid-up member of ARMY or just curious to find out why they’re the biggest pop phenomenon on Earth, BTS at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium promises to be one of those ‘I was there’ experiences. Their shows are known for their immersive elements, with synchronised lightsticks, precision choreography and a roaring crowd of global fans. Expect an atmosphere to rival the World Cup final.
Good for: Masters of the fancam
Date: Mon Jul 6 and Tue Jul 7, 7pm
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, N17 0BX
Tickets: Buy now
4. Wet Leg
Leaping from viral novelty to genuine festival-headliner status, Wet Leg’s deadpan humour, razor-sharp hooks and deliciously weird energy have made them Gen Z indie royalty. Their Alexandra Palace Park show should feel like one giant garden party soundtracked by weirdo (but no less effective) pop music.
Good for: Girlies who own various pairs of Air Rifts
Date: Fri Jul 10, 5pm
Venue: Alexandra Palace Park, N22 7AY
Tickets: Buy now
5. Darkside
Nicolás Jaar and Dave Harrington’s cult electronic project (now a trio with drummer Tlacael Esparza) rarely makes it to London, so this run of shows is a genuine event. Darkside’s blend of krautrock grooves, psychedelic textures and late-night electronics has a distinctly artsy feel, and the ageing grandeur of EartH’s cavernous main space is a great setting for it.
Good for: People whose Spotify Wrapped is impossible to explain
Date: Sun Jul 12, 6pm
Venue: EartH, N16 8BH
Tickets: Buy now
6. Nourished by Time
Marcus Brown has become one of indie music’s coolest figures with his genre-defying project, which mixes lo-fi soul, indie rock, synth-pop and diaristic storytelling. Aptly titled Nourished by Time, it feels like the soundtrack of infinite YouTube rabbit holes, in the best possible way. This Barbican show confirms his ascent from internet innovator to serious tastemaker.
Good for: NTS merch-draped men with moustaches
Date: Sat Jul 11, 7.30pm
Venue: Barbican Hall, EC2Y 8DS
Tickets: Buy now
7. Metallica
Four decades in, Metallica are still capable of making stadiums shake. Their M72 World Tour is a full-blown ‘No Repeat Weekend’, with two nights of entirely different songs and rotating support acts. With Metallica’s colossal in-the-round stage and forty years’ worth of material to draw from, London Stadium is set for a weekend of pure heavy-metal excess.
Good for: Dads, sons, daughters, anyone with a banging air guitar
Date: Fri Jul 3 and Sun Jul 5, 6pm
Venue: London Stadium, E20 2ST
Tickets: Buy now
8. Robyn
Eight years on from Honey, Robyn is finally back with the glorious Sexistential – an album that feels like a real return to form. The Swedish icon is on her first tour since 2019, turning heartbreak into a communal therapy session, with a blend of euphoric new songs and crying-on-the-dancefloor ballads that made her one of pop's most influential figures.
Good for: Girls who have cried on public transport after a night out.
Date: Fri Jul 3, 6pm
Venue: The O2, SE10 0DX
Tickets: Buy now
9. Lip Critic
This Brooklyn four-piece is riding high on the release of Theft World, an album that sounds like a hyperpop-meets-hardcore panic attack. Their famously chaotic live shows have made them cult heroes among the chronically online, and the George Tavern feels exactly the sort of sweatbox they were designed for.
Good for: Algorithm-defying crate diggers
Date: Fri Jul 3 and Sat Jul 4, 7.30pm
Venue: The George Tavern, E1 0LA
Tickets: Buy now
10. Harry Styles
Harry Styles’ ‘Together, Together’ Wembley residency is raging on. Taking the communal joy of a ’70s nightclub and scaling it up to an arena-sized show, he promises a dazzling blend of new disco-inflected material and crowd favourites, delivered with the sort of charisma that makes 90,000 people feel like they're all in the same glamorous disco.
Good for: Friendship groups who’ve coordinated outfits months in advance
Date: Fri Jul 3 and Sat Jul 4
Venue: Wembley Stadium, HA9 0WS
Tickets: Buy now
11. The Maccabees
The great 00s indie reunion rolls on with the return of The Maccabees. A decade after bowing out, the London band are back to celebrate the music that made them one of the best-loved British bands of the 2010s. There’s sure to be emotional scenes when songs from Given to the Wild and Marks to Prove It soundtrack a huge homecoming.
Good for: Former NME subscribers
Date: Thu Jul 9, 5pm
Venue: Alexandra Palace Park, N22 7AY
Tickets: Buy now
12. System of a Down
System of a Down don’t tour often, which makes this feel like a mini miracle. More than two decades after Toxicity transformed heavy music forever, Serj Tankian and co remain one of the most exhilarating live bands going. Their rare stadium shows are an exercise in controlled chaos, making this Tottenham takeover a must for metalheads.
Good for: Retired rockers looking for an excuse to dig out their leather jackets
Date: Mon Jul 13 and Wed Jul 15, 7pm
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, N17 0BX
Tickets: Buy now
13. Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette’s furious, funny and painfully honest Jagged Little Pill made her an icon to teenage girls in the nineties. She’s marking the album’s thirtieth anniversary with a huge European tour that takes in Crystal Palace Park, where classics like ‘You Oughta Know' and ‘Ironic’ will have you scream-singing out all your feelings, as if you were that 14-year-old all over again.
Good for: Anyone who’s ever drafted an angry text and wisely deleted it
Date: Sat Jul 4, 2pm
Venue: Crystal Palace Park, SE19 2GA
Tickets: Buy now
14. The Kooks
Landfill indie’s most charming survivors are enjoying something of a second life. TikTok virality has introduced a whole new generation to the Brighton-based outfit, meaning the crowd at ‘Inside In / Inside Out 20th Anniversary’ will be all over the shop. Don’t miss this nostalgic trip at the spectacular riverside setting of the Old Royal Naval College.
Good for: People who suddenly realise they know every word to ‘Naïve’
Date: Fri Jul 31, 4pm
Venue: Old Royal Naval College
Tickets: Buy now
15. Lily Allen
Lily Allen broke the internet when she released the deeply personal West End Girl, chronicling the breakdown of her marriage in jaw-dropping detail. Now, she’s taking the album on the road as a theatrical one-woman show, with string arrangements, gag-worthy outfits and plenty of high camp moments (you can only imagine what she pulls out of a Duane Reade bag). Critics have described the album as an act of ‘exorcism and catharsis,’ making this live show an unmissable experience for any fan.
Good for: Those who like their pop stars a little messy
Date: Tue Jul 7, 6.30pm
Venue: The O2, SE10 0DX
Tickets: Buy now
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.