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Livesphere is an online music magazine led by a female collective united by the love of music, dedicated to bringing you the latest music news, reviews, live photos and insights, predominantly in London and the UK as well as throughout Europe. Whether you're a fan of rock, metal, alternative, pop, or indie, we’ve got you covered with in-depth features on artists, album releases, concert reviews, and interviews.

And don’t forget to check out the Live Events section to stay updated on what’s to come!

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LIVE reviews

SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL 2026 | HATFIELD PARK | 23 MAY

NEW!

2026 marks 20 years of Slam Dunk, as well as 10 years of The Key Club Stage and this year was filled with an incredible line-up filled with nostalgic bands (Good Charlotte, A, Dashboard Confessional, Broadside to name a few), festival titans (Bury Tomorrow, Knocked Loose, Malevolence), exciting debuts (Currents, President, The Home Team), viral bands currently on an unstoppable roll (Unpeople) and a tease of what the future may hold (Dead Pony, SiM).

Whether you came for the pop-punk/alt rock emo nostalgia, the moshpit heavy titans, or to see what the fuss of the new bands is all about, there was something for everyone! With the amount of rock and metal sub-genres out there, it’s getting increasingly difficult to please everyone; however, Slam Dunk managed to deliver yet again a line-up that offers stellar options for any fans.

A factor in facilitating this in 2026 was also the debut of the brand new rotating stage on Scott’s Key Club Stage, which is genius and worked like a charm! In previous years, the changeover between bands was roughly 20 minutes, but with the new system, it has been reduced to 5 minutes. The turntable setup allows one band to set up their gear on the back half of the stage while the previous band is finishing their set on the front half. The stage then rotates 180 degrees, allowing the next band to start playing immediately. The Key Club Stage has been undergoing massive developments in recent years, and they managed to find the perfect solution in order to ensure a smooth changeover between bands, without sound bleeds and reducing crowd surge in a confined tent, whilst only using one active PA system. This year, The Key Club stage was named in memory of the late great Scott Hickinson, manager of The Key Club venue in Leeds and an integral part of the festival team, who sadly passed away early this year due to cancer.

TONIGHT ALIVE | HERE AT OUTERNET, LONDON | 25 MAY

NEW!

Taking the stage in front of larger-than-life screens, Australian pop-punk titans Tonight Alive rolled into London for a night of pure emotion and nostalgia. "Hope your knees and back are going to be okay," frontwoman Jenna McDougall joked early in the night, eyeing the crowd with mischievous affection. "We’ve got 22 songs on this setlist."

And they absolutely delivered.

In a music world that is always chasing the next big thing, Tonight Alive did something rare. "We haven’t released a record in 8 years," Jenna McDougall told the cheering crowd. "You’re here, there’s no music to be promoted because you love this band. So thank you, truly."

While she welcomed the few newcomers - "Any new Tonight Alive fans? You’re the minority here, but you are most welcome" - the night belonged to the old-school fans. It was a massive throwback singalong throughout. The stage even filled with nostalgic yellow lighting every time the band played songs from their classic album, The Other Side, fitting the branding from this era perfectly.

The band gave a shoutout to their opening act, Greywind, before putting on a flawless, high-energy show. The quartet sounded incredibly sharp. While McDougall’s perfect vocals soared over the crowd and stage presence was absolutely unmatched, the drums (Matty Best), lead guitar (Jake Hardy) and bass (Cam Adler) acted like a powerful engine, keeping a steady beat that kept the mosh pits moving and everyone jumping.

ALBUM reviews

SOFTCULT - WHEN A FLOWER DOESN’T GROW | 28 JANUARY

For Softcult, twin sisters Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn, moving from a few short EPs to a full-length album feels like finally getting to tell the whole story. While their early singles were quick snapshots of emotions, a debut album is the first time the siblings have the space to really open up.

On their debut full-length When A Flower Doesn't Grow, the siblings deliver Softcult’s most unflinching work to date. Born from a period of personal upheaval, the album explores the path from trauma to liberation, anchored by a central philosophy: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” The album’s title is a nod to the environmental and social factors that stunt personal growth. Throughout the tracklist, the sisters tackle heavy themes with a blend of empathy and righteous anger: predatory behaviour, gaslighting and empowerment.

After years of testing out their sound and finding their voice, this record is where everything finally clicks. Produced by the band themselves, the production on this record is a massive step forward. It retains the shimmering textures of Cocteau Twins and the crushing, reverb-soaked weight of My Bloody Valentine, but there is a new "cleanliness" to the melodies that allows Mercedes’ vocals to pierce through the atmosphere and make the Softcult sound truly their own.

The album’s title is a nod to the environmental and social factors that stunt personal growth. Throughout the tracklist, the sisters tackle heavy themes with a blend of empathy and righteous anger: predatory behaviour, gaslighting and empowerment.

After a brief, soft intro track, the album opens up with the single ‘Pill To Swallow’ setting the stage with a masterclass in the "spiritual grunge" sound that the Arn-Horn siblings have pioneered: an immersive blend of shoegaze textures and 90s alt-rock grit.

CHARLOTTE SANDS - SATELLITE | 6 MARCH

NEW!

With her distinct blue hair and a Y2K meets modern alt edge, Charlotte Sands has become a fearless force in alt-pop. On her sophomore album, SATELLITE, she sharpens her genre-blurring sound into soaring, diaristic anthems built for cathartic, sold-out show singalongs that feel intensely personal yet universal.

When the album was announced, Charlotte let us know how personal an album it was. “‘Satellite’ was born from a search for meaning, identity, and self worth,” she said. “It’s a collection of moments from the last two years of my life - the highs and lows, the joy and the grief. It’s about drifting, discovering, questioning your purpose, and learning to trust the quiet pull that brings you back to yourself.”

And so begins the bold, high-energy world of SATELLITE.

The album opens with the title track ‘Satellite’, two minutes and 36 seconds of pure perfection. With those signature vocals on display with a somewhat eerie backdrop, it carefully builds the anticipation for what to expect from this collection of songs wrapped up as an album. As ‘satellite’ closes, it leads into ‘one eye open’ and listeners are immediately confronted with the distinct possibility that the listening experience will get better with each track.

When ‘one eye open’ was released as a single late last year, listeners were promised a track that showcases Charlotte's mix of emotional intensity and arena-ready hooks. It did not disappoint. 

THIS WEEK’S FAVOURITE TRACK

We can’t get enough of Future Palace’s explosive new single ‘Resurge’.

aboutus

We are an inclusive, independent, non-profit publication led by a female collective launched out of sheer passion for live music and all things music related.

Executive Editor and Photographer: Florelle Servageon

Contact: florelle@livesphere-magazine.com

Editor and Photographer: Eva Grant

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Lead Writer & Photographer: Imogen Bird

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