AN INSIGHT

Loreen at Eventim Apollo
Beauty School Dropout supporting Maggie Lindemann

into THE Live

MUSIC SCENE

ROCK

METAL

ALTERNATIVE

POP

INDIE

ROCK ✦ METAL ✦ ALTERNATIVE ✦ POP ✦ INDIE ✦



for all music lovers

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!

LIVE reviews

TAKEDOWN FESTIVAL | PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL, PORTSMOUTH | 3-4 APRIL

NEW!

On a chaotic Easter bank holiday weekend as Storm Dave bears down on the UK it would be a fair cop to say that 2026 festival season hasn't quite started yet. Although we may be a little while away from fields and camping (and mud) the start of April is the perfect time for the Guildhall in Portsmouth to get everyone warmed up for a summer of debauchery and play host to a few dozen raucous bands across two days and three stages.

The initial day of the festival kept the energy geared towards classic genres, with a whole load of Glam Rock, Metal and Grunge on offer. Welsh wonders Kill The Lights got the weekend going on the Phil Campbell stage, renamed this year in honour of the intended headliner- Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons. Pulling out of the festival only a month prior due to medical issues, a shockwave was sent through the Takedown family the following week as the news of Campbell's passing came to light.

Like many bands over the weekend, Kill The Lights performed in the shadow of the legendry Motorhead guitarist. 'Scapegoat', a song that perfectly blends the sounds of all the band members previous outfits- Bullet For My Valentine's relentless riffs, Throw The Fight's dreamy vocals and Lokust's larger than life sound all on show for the ultimate main room warm up.

WATERPARKS | O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN, LONDON | 26 MARCH

NEW!

After only few months after their last, albeit intimate show in London, Houston’s trio Waterparks returned in the heart of Camden for their last show of their PROWLER tour, which brought them across the pond for a series of shows, concluding with a memorable night at the O2 Forum Kentish Town. With a curated and fan-focused setlist and striking visuals combined with their genre-bending allure, The Waterparks Show, as it was affectionately dubbed, was undoubtedly an experience that would be hard to forget for those in attendance.

The night kicked off with Irish emo band Greywind, whom they just published their latest album SEVERED HEART CITY just a couple of months ago. With a style that was reminiscing of Debbie Harry meets Vivienne Westwood but with her own unique spin, frontwoman Steph O’Sullivan with her powerful and energetic vocals, flawlessly commanded the stage and the crowd. Her confidence and theatrical expression made their whole set mesmerising, leaving the crowd captivated.

After the first three and very energetic songs of the set, ‘You’re My Medicine’, ‘I.K.A.M.F.’ and ‘Here’s Your Deathwish’, Steph introduced the slow and introspective ‘In Autumn’ as a song that changed their lives after going viral on Tiktok, and invited the crowd to get their phone lights up.

Before going into their second half of the set, Steph invited the crowd to give it up for her brother Paul O’Sullivan on guitar, who is the other half of Greywind, and then for the other two touring members, other guitarist Jake Rodger and Inaxio Abecia on drums.

ALBUM reviews

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

NEW!

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. 

musicnews

Upcoming live events

THIS WEEK’S FAVOURITE TRACK

We can’t get enough of Honey Revenge’s catchy new single ‘Hot Commodity’.

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

Contact: eva@livesphere-magazine.com

Lead Writer & Photographer: Imogen Bird

Contact: imogen@livesphere-magazine.com

Writer (Platform ‘96): Vlad-Paul Ghilaș

Contact: platform96events@gmail.com

Contributors: Nadine Goetz (Writer and Photographer), Justyna Serafin (Photographer), Bia Vismara (Writer), Isabella Jacklin (Writer), Maria Dominici (Writer), Cat Wiltshire (Writer), Auré (Writer), Liv Kendall (Writer), Verity Eaden (Writer), Julie Moisson (Writer), Julia Jevzikova (Photographer), Charlie Wright (Photographer)

For any submissions please explore our CONTACT page.