Somerset House Summer Series with American Express® returns to London this July for eleven nights of essential sounds from some of the world’s most compelling artists. Hosted in the spectacular enclosed surroundings of Somerset House’s open-air courtyard, the live music festival affords close access to the artists on stage, promising personal and powerful performances with superlative sounds resonating all around, to ensure an electrifying experience.

Somerset House Summer Series has a highly acclaimed reputation for platforming a diverse range of international talent and genres.  Live music experiences have been a cornerstone of Somerset House’s cultural programme ever since it transformed into a leading international arts destination in 2000, with a rollcall of incredible former headliners including Amy Winehouse, Adele, Patti Smith, The Roots and Rosalía, and support acts such as Kojey Radical, Little Simz and Wolf Alice.

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From the opening scene, the production pitches suffering so high—wailing and all—that it leaves itself nowhere to go. The emotional intensity is already at its peak before anything unfolds, making for a numbing rather than escalating experience.

Visually, though, the set design is incredible. The cages and scaffolding, prison garms and streetwear, the looming Big House behind the glass—it all works to make the adaptation look relevant and striking. Unfortunately the ensemble lack cohesion. Moments that should feel revolutionary instead feel sparse, missing that collective urgency needed to make the story resonate.

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An outstanding play that beautifully conveys both the beauty and the pain of suffering with mental health—and the people who love us through the worst of times.

I first encountered babirye’s work at Stratford East as part of the Burn it Down programme, where they presented Yummy, a show placed in a game where “nobody is eating.” I loved the work-in-progress, so I was really excited to see a fully fleshed-out production by them—especially since …blackbird hour acts as a sequel to …cake, their critically acclaimed debut at Theatre Peckham.

Visually, the stage is bathed in deep blue, inky light. A bed sits at its centre like a ship—such a striking choice because mental health struggles are so often tied to a life spent in bed. But here, the bed isn’t just a bed. It becomes a portal to other possibilities—through music, letters, journals, and memory, the days spent in it take on a different form entirely. Before the show begins, snippets of conversation drift in, setting the tone and inviting us into Eshe’s world… “Who hurt you?”

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Succeeding his first ever UK sold-out Tour ‘Kill Hill’, and debut EP release featuring new single ‘Too Much Ain’t Enough’, emerging London-based singer/songwriter Arthur Hill welcomes us into the whimsical world of his upcoming Stella Artour UK Headline Tour this November. Tickets go on general sale onFriday 28th February 2025 at 10am via LiveNation.co.uk

Kicking off on the 17th November, Arthur is set to take over Birmingham’s O2 Institute, before embarking on his nationwide headline tour, due to come to a dazzling end at London’s Brixton Academy on 27th November. Stella Artour is the exhibition of Arthur’s playfully powerful music continuation, enabling him to solidify further facetime with his already unwaveringly faithful fanbase, and demonstrate the musical cachet he has rapidly harboured.
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Diversity is set to take to the road on a major new tour of the UK and Ireland in spring 2026.

The UK’s most successful dance group will bring their new concept tour SOUL to 31 towns and cities, performing over 60 dates between February and May 2026, including an exciting five-show residency at the Cliffs Pavilion in Diversity’s hometown Southend.

The 2026 tour is based around the technological advancements of artificial intelligence, what the future holds, and what it truly means to be human within the digital age. With matinee and evening shows across the spring half term and Easter holidays, there are plenty of opportunities for all the family to join in with the excitement.

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Today, multi-platinum pop sensation Tate McRae announced the addition of 23 new dates on her highly anticipated Miss Possessive Tour. Produced by Live Nation and sponsored by Neutrogena®, the massive global tour now includes new dates across the UK and North America.

The 80-date worldwide tour will begin next month with a series of headline shows and festival performances across South America in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Brazil before heading to Europe in May. Tate will perform in Portugal, Spain, Ireland, France and more before wrapping the Europe/UK leg with new shows added in Nottingham, London, and Manchester this June. Special guest Benee will join for the added UK dates and all other Europe and UK shows.

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Today, global K-POP sensations Blackpink announced their highly anticipated return to the stage with a limited run of stadium shows across North America, Europe, and the UK this summer. Produced by Live Nation, Blackpink 2025 World Tour kicks off on Saturday, July 5 with two shows in Seoul at Goyang Stadium before making stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, New York, Paris, Milan, and Barcelona. The tour will wrap up on Friday, August 15, at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium connected by EE, making BLACKPINK the first ever K-POP girl group to headline the legendary venue.

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Following incredible fan demand for her first round of shows, Mel Robbins has extended her inaugural global tour — Let Them The Tour – revealing her highly anticipated London shows on June 8^th at the Eventium Apollo, where she will share her life-changing insights on stage.

The award-winning #1 apple ranked podcast host, NYT #1 Best-selling author, and one of the most followed and sought after experts in mindset, behavior change, and life improvement will now begin her tour with a three night stint at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston, MA starting Thursday 1^st May . The Live Nation produced tour will inspire and motivate audiences across major cities in North America and the UK. After stops across the U.S. and Canada, the tour will wrap up in London, UK, with two shows at the iconic Eventim Apollo on Sunday 8^th June.

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BBC Radio 2 today announces its Spring highlights… there’s a new weekly show with Zoe Ball, plus Zoe will be hosting two specials including a BBC TV show celebrating Elaine Paige’s 60 year career in showbusiness. There’s a spotlight on musicals, a focus on brass music with a Sunday Night is Music Night concert in Bradford as the centrepiece, a nostalgic schedule move for Pick of the Pops, a new show for Richie Anderson, Radio 2’s biggest ever commitment to Country music, a star-studded tribute to Johnnie Walker, plus lots more…

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Awarding £3,000 for the best original script by a writer new to radio, this year’s Imison Award shortlistees are Tether by Isley Lynn, The Mini-Break by Chloë Myerson, Tribe of Two By Malaika Kegode and Under Milk Woods Tywyn by Manon Steffan Ros The award was judged by members of the Society of Authors’ Scriptwriters Group: Ian Billings, Imogen Church, James Clarke and Sean Grundy, Robin Mukherjee and Rhiannon Tise.

Edson Burton, Satinder Chohan, Robert Forrest and Dan Rebellato are the shortlisted writers for this year’s Tinniswood Award, which is organised by the Society of Authors and Writers Guild of Great Britain to recognise the best audio drama script of the year. The Tinniswood Award judges this year were Nicola Baldwin and Lucy Gough(co-chairs of the WGGB Audio Committee), 2021 Tinniswood Award winner Christopher Douglas and Writers’ Guild Best Radio Drama 2018 winner Ming Ho. 

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