Smaller rooms, independent artists and shows worth making time for.
The Pit Standard's picks for the month ahead.
3 November 2026 · O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
LP has built a career on a voice that’s instantly recognisable, pairing raw emotion with a sound that moves between alternative rock, pop and Americana. Best known to many for the global success of Lost on You, the American singer-songwriter has a catalogue that goes well beyond that breakthrough, with a live presence that puts the focus firmly on the songs and the voice behind them.
4 November 2026 · The O2, London
Korn’s influence on heavy music is difficult to overstate. Three decades after their self-titled debut helped shape nu metal, they remain a formidable live act. Pairing them with Architects and Youth Code makes this one of November’s strongest bills for anyone drawn to the heavier end of alternative music.
8 November 2026 · The O2, London
Papa Roach have managed to keep their place in alternative rock without relying solely on nostalgia. Their Rise of the Roach tour brings together a headliner with a deep catalogue and two contemporary acts worth watching, making this a strong pick for fans of modern heavy music.
14 November 2026 · Alexandra Palace, London
Twenty years is a significant milestone for any band, particularly one whose songs have become part of the soundtrack to nights out, festivals and packed venues across Britain. The Courteeners have built their reputation on direct, guitar-led indie and crowds that know every word. The Lathums make a fitting addition to the bill.
15 November 2026 · The O2, London
Muse have never been a band to think small. Their combination of heavy guitars, electronic elements and ambitious arrangements has made them one of Britain’s biggest rock acts, with a live show to match. Dead Poet Society add a contemporary alternative-rock edge to an already compelling bill.
19 November 2026 · OVO Arena Wembley, London
Three bands with different approaches to rock make this a particularly strong bill. Shinedown bring the scale and hooks of American hard rock, Coheed and Cambria add their progressive arrangements and expansive songwriting, while Those Damn Crows represent the current strength of the Welsh rock scene.
20 November 2026 · O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
An album performed in full can reveal things that a greatest-hits set doesn’t. The Wallflowers’ Bringing Down the Horse remains a defining record of 1990s alternative rock, and hearing it alongside Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Long After Dark makes this a particularly unusual proposition for a live show.
27 November 2026 · The O2, London
Fontaines D.C. are having the kind of moment that takes a band from the alternative circuit into the mainstream without losing what made them compelling in the first place. Their fifth album, Dopamine Chamber, has just topped the UK and Irish charts, following the international breakthrough of Romance. With their entire UK arena tour sold out and stadium-sized shows already lined up for 2027, the Dublin five-piece are operating on a different scale from the band who first emerged from the city’s post-punk scene. This is a chance to catch them at a pivotal point in that rise.
The Pit Standard's picks for the month ahead.
1 October 2026 · Paper Dress Vintage, London
A good one for the smaller-room end of October.
2 October 2026 · Troxy, London
A chance to see one of alternative rock’s enduring names in one of East London’s best live rooms.
2 October 2026 · ICA, London
Katie Drew and Joey Cobb have built their music around layered textures, electronics and vocals, making this an especially fitting setting for the pair.
3 October 2026 · The Windmill, Brixton, London
The lineup moves well outside straightforward indie, making the bill itself part of the reason to go.
7 October 2026 · O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
Twenty years of Everything All The Time deserves a night of its own.
14 October 2026 · Scala, London
A left-field pick for anyone looking beyond the usual London indie circuit.
16 October 2026 · KOKO, London
A good chance to catch one of the UK’s long-running indie bands in a smaller London setting.
23 October 2026 · KOKO, London
Three strands of post-punk history in one London room.
24 October 2026 · O2 Academy Brixton, London
If you want something loud, unpredictable and difficult to stand still through.