12 Events LGs Should Book Now
Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers
National Gallery
Vincent Van Gogh is the star of a major exhibition at the National Gallery, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary. With loans from the Kröller-Müller Museum and Paris’s Musée d’Orsay, the show highlights the painter’s days in Arles and Saint-Rémy. You’ll get to see ‘Starry Night Over The Rhône’ and ‘The Yellow House’, as well as his beloved ‘Sunflowers’ and ‘Van Gogh's Chair’.
Until 19th January
Visit NATIONALGALLERY.ORG.UK
Guilty Pleasures
Koko
Back by popular demand is Koko’s daytime disco, Guilty Pleasures. The event is devoted to huge pop anthems from the 1970s to the noughties. Expect Kylie, George Michael, Madonna, Girls Aloud, Sugababes… Have we sold it yet? Dance your feet off with your mates, sing along with your favourite tunes and be in bed with a cup of tea by 10pm.
19th October
Visit KOKO.CO.UK
Barcelona
Duke Of York’s Theatre
Lily Collins is swapping Paris for Barcelona in a steamy new thriller at the Duke of York’s Theatre. Much like Emily in Paris, she plays an American tourist who meets a handsome local – but things take a sinister turn this time. What begins as a carefree one-night stand quickly spirals into a tangled game of cat and mouse, reminding us just how strange strangers can be. This production marks the West End debut for both Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte (Netflix’s Money Heist), who plays her charming yet duplicitous love interest.
21st October-11th January
Visit THEDUKEOFYORKS.COM
The World Of Tim Burton
Design Museum
Just in time for spooky season, the Design Museum is hosting a major exhibition celebrating Tim Burton’s distinctive aesthetic. Known for his whimsical, gothic films like Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands, Dark Shadows and Beetlejuice, this showcase goes beyond cinema. It offers an up-close look at his work as an illustrator, painter, photographer and author, alongside his cool collaborations with costume designers.
25th October-21st April
Visit DESIGNMUSEUM.ORG
Twilight In Concert
Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
Before Robert Pattinson was Batman, he was Edward Cullen. While he may have moved on, we haven’t. Just before Halloween, Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo is hosting a special screening of the cult 2008 vampire love story – accompanied by a 12-piece orchestra. Expect to get swept up in the romance and Carter Burwell’s cinematic score.
27th October
Visit EVENTIMAPOLLO.COM
Barry Can’t Swim
Brixton Academy
After his triumphant turn on this year’s festival circuit – his Glastonbury set was a particular highlight – Barry Can’t Swim is ready to make a splash at Brixton Academy. Barry – real name Joshua Mannie – will be playing his feel-good afrobeat and deep house tunes for not one, but three nights. If you want to hold onto those tingly summer vibes for a bit longer, grab a ticket for an evening of boogieing with ‘Bazz’.
1st-3rd November
Visit TICKETMASTER.CO.UK
Rizzle Kicks
Koko
Older, wiser and still packing out venues, Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexander-Sule – otherwise known as hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks – are back after nearly a decade. Their comeback track ‘Javelin’ hits the nail on the head with lyrics like, "Yeah, it’s time for the comeback… everybody missing fun rap". And, with a sold-out show at Camden’s Koko, it’s clear we’ve all been craving their return. This gig will be monumental, so we’d advise joining the event’s waitlist – but we don’t think this will be the last you’ll see of Rizzle Kicks.
8th November
Visit KOKO.CO.UK
Ballet Shoes
In the run-up to Christmas, the National Theatre has a history of taking on a beloved children's classic. Following last year’s The Witches and 2022’s Sleeping Beauty-inspired musical Hex, this year's show is Ballet Shoes, based on the nostalgic 1936 book that inspired many aspiring ballerinas. The story follows three sisters – Pauline, Petrova and Posy – who turn to ballet to support themselves after their adopted father doesn’t return from an expedition. Under the watchful eyes of their guardians and some unexpected lodgers, they try to chase their dreams. But in a world not built for ambitious little girls, can they keep their family together? The cast features familiar faces like Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who) and Grace Saif (13 Reasons Why) with direction by Katy Rudd, known for her success with The Ocean at the End of the Lane at Duke of York’s Theatre.
23rd November-22nd February
Visit NATIONALTHEATRE.ORG.UK
Confidence Man
You may know them for their black beekeeper veils or their slightly dodgy synchronised dance moves; whichever it is, Confidence Man’s fun is infectious. After the massive success of ‘Now U Do’ – with DJ Seinfeld – and their full-throttle performance at this year’s Glastonbury, the Australian four-piece band is heading off on a tour around America and Australia, before finishing up in their adopted home of London. For two nights, they will be bringing their campy, addictive and party-starting tunes to Brixton Academy.
6th-7th December
Visit TICKETMASTER.CO.UK
The Importance of Being Earnest
Ncuti Gatwa is the perfect choice for Algernon Moncrieff in the National Theatre’s splashy new staging of The Importance of Being Earnest, having won hearts as Eric in Sex Education. This Oscar Wilde classic, celebrated as one of his finest works, features Gatwa as the witty, hedonistic bachelor and sidekick to Jack Worthing, played by Hugh Skinner (of Fleabag fame). Jack leads a double life: in Hertfordshire, he’s a respectable landowner. In London, he’s the scandalous ‘Ernest’, where he leads a life in pursuit of pleasure. With humour, hijinks and duplicitous lies, the play explores identity, friendship and love. While it has been staged countless times, director Max Webster promises to inject fresh energy and flamboyance.
21st November-25th January
Visit NATIONALTHEATRE.ORG.UK
Role Model
This is Role Model’s – real name Tucker Pillsbury – break-up tour. His first album, RX, coincided with him falling in love with the internet’s darling, Emma Chamberlain. Kansas Anymore, released this summer, is mainly about the couple’s split with a touch of a quarter-life crisis. You don’t need to decipher his lyrics, the messages are obvious, from the transparent ‘Deeply Still In Love’ track to the nostalgic ‘Frances’ – Chamberlain’s middle name. You’ll have seen him on TikTok, under his digital alter ego Saint Laurent Cowboy, as well as the numerous fan-made edits of his American shows. We imagine the London leg of his tour, at Brixton Academy, is the perfect place to cry over your last relationship.
15th November
Visit TICKETMASTER.CO.UK
Sabrina Carpenter
UK Tour
Although pop never truly goes away, the genre does have spates on the back burner. But, thanks to pop stars like Chappell Roan, Charli XCX and golden girl Sabrina Carpenter, we’re in the midst of a pop renaissance. Carpenter’s disco-inspired track ‘Espresso’ was the song of the summer; the LGs lost count of how many times they recited the memeified “Working late, ‘cause I’m a singer”. Her first arena tour, Short N’ Sweet, is coming to the UK and Ireland next March. There’s limited ticket availability, but she just added extra dates last month – so keep an eye out.
4th-14th March
Visit TICKETMASTER.CO.UK
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