A one-line review of every gig I’ve been to in October 2025

This month featuring, among others, Nadine Fuckin’ Shah, Self Esteem, Kathryn Joseph, Idlewild, Level 42, Sting, Duran Duran, some random at an O’Neill’s in Watford, and not Roland Gift …

Roland Gift, Palladium, London, 2 Oct – I walked out of this after the support act started making homophobic jokes, and got a full refund. It is 2025 and I am done with that shit.

Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, Hackney Picturehouse, 5 Oct – I’m fascinated by her as a cultural artefact, had an amazing experience when I saw her live last year, and so held back from listening to the new album until I got it all in one go during this odd mix of behind-the-scenes doco and lyric videos with intros explaining each song. It is not her greatest work this time around, is it?

Moonchild Sanelly, O2 Academy, Brixton, 9 Oct – Wow, they have some energy and character, eh? Not my kind of thing but I admired the artistry and attitude, and then suddenly the DJ came out from behind the decks and it went all glamour and Drag Race. Great stuff.

[Moonchild Sanelly at O2 Academy Brixton]

Nadine Fuckin’ Shah, O2 Academy, Brixton, 9 Oct – Every time I see her she seems to be playing with more intensity and more anger, using her concluding track Way Out to draw attention to the plight of the Palestinian people which drew huge cheers and applause.

[Nadine Fuckin’ Shah at O2 Academy Brixton]

Self Esteem, O2 Academy, Brixton, 9 Oct – Not entirely my thing either and it is clearly lyrically aimed at young women and their experiences, not fiftysomething blokes like me, but I saw her at Rockaway Beach 2023 and loved the show, and with her having Nadine Fuckin’ Shah on board for this tour it seemed churlish not to see her again.

[Self Esteem, with bonus Nadine Fuckin’ Shah, at O2 Academy Brixton

Wine Lips, Moth Club, Hackney, 13 Oct – I’m not saying I was having so much fun drinking with my friends before the gig that I don’t really remember the band but here is one of the “selfies” that I took during the show …

[A slightly better selfie the next day]

Idlewild, Junction, Cambridge, 14 Oct – They were on fine form, one of my favourite favourite bands.

[Idlewild at Cambridge Junction]

The Double R Club, Trades Hall, Walthamstow, 16 Oct – The second time I’ve been to this very queer, very sexy cabaret, although this time round it had slightly more music turns and less nudity. Always fun though.

Please note: I did not take a picture of the man with his penis out doing beat poetry about fisting.

Level 42, Watford Colosseum, 18 Oct – We skipped Roachford and his one-and-a-half hits and went straight for the main menu of the whole of the World Machine album and a smattering of greatest hits delivered via the medium of slapped bass. Got into a row with someone behind me who was filming with his phone’s torch on, and inexplicably told him I had epilepsy (which I don’t) to explain why I was annoyed about it LMAO …

Some random, O’Neill’s, Watford, 18 Oct – … then we missed our train back and ended up having a last beer while some random did covers and we met a dog called Mia.

[Some rando (and Mia) in the pub at Watford]

Musik starring Frances Barber , Wilton’s Music Hall, 20 Oct – An hour long tour de force one woman show from Frances Barber as she tells a fictional life story woven around real cultural icons and events with a self-absorbed self-centred acid wit, and occasionally bursts into songs written by Tennant/Lowe.

[Frances Barber in Musik]

Disco 2000: Alternative 80s Halloween special, Trades Hall, Walthamstow, 25 Oct – A fine time was had by all on another great night of floor-fillers, although the hits of both Soft Cell and Blancmange were tinged with a new sadness after both Dave Ball and Stephen Luscombe passed away recently. Indeed there was a gentle ripple of applause after each Soft Cell song.

Sting, Eventim Apollo, London, 26 Oct – I know he is a divisive figure but I never saw the Police, and figured this tour where he was playing as a three-piece and laden with the band’s greatest hits would be the closest I would get and I WAS BLOWN AWAY by how good and intense he was, and danced all night.

[Sting and a sea of phones at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith]

Kathryn Joseph, Omeara, Southwark, 27 Oct – She makes absolutely hauntingly, achingly, beautiful music, and I was so close down the front I could see what she was playing and hear the keys being depressed on the keyboard and her unamplified vocals. She is also incredibly rude and funny.

Depeche Mode: M, BFI IMAX, 28 Oct – I feel like Depeche Mode have been trying to recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle of 101 on most tours since. The concert stuff was well shot and enjoyable. The in-between bits about the Mexican culture around the theme of death, well, OK, that’s what you decided to do. But also me and my friends were some of the few people doing the Never Let Me Down Again hand-wheeling in the cinema, and COME ON, LET’S HAVE FUN.

Duran Duran, Co-op Live, Manchester, 31 Oct – The first band I ever became a massive fan of? Doing their now annual Halloween show, but in the UK for the first time? I had to be there. And just like the band, I dressed up. A little bit.

My first visit to Co-op Live, and it is a nice arena, although I nearly had a stronk at the bar prices being more excessive than I’d expect to pay at the O2 in London.

This couple kept standing up and blocking my view which was making me laugh with his massive hat – bless them, I hate having to sit down during gigs because the people behind won’t stand up, though equally I remember going to see Scritti Politti when I had a broken ankle so understand some people aren’t able to get up and boogie.

And here is what the band looked like up close …

[Duran Duran’s Halloween costumes]

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