1 Radiohead
Back in a big way, the alt-rock heroes follow their divisive Glasto set and OK Computer anniversary reissue by touring their beautiful-but-desolate experimentalism around the UK, first taking it to Manchester, before heading to Glasgow’s new TRNSMT festival.
Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, 4 July; TRNSMT festival, Glasgow, 7 July
2 Laura Marling
From her days as a mockney nu-folk indie type to her current guise as a transatlantic troubadour, Laura Marling has spent the past decade making consistently astounding guitar music, with her incredible recent album Semper Femina sealing her future status as singer-songwriter great. This week, the 27-year-old showcases songs from her heaving back catalogue as part of the Mouth of the Tyne festival.
Tynemouth Priory and Castle, 7 July
3 Sampha
When the likes of Drake, Kanye and Solange require an injection of sublime melancholy soul in a song, Londoner Sampha Sisay is their go-to guest vocalist. Since releasing his debut album, however, the singer has proven he’s much more than a features man. Here, he performs his gorgeous solo work as part of the jam-packed Manchester international festival programme.
Albert Hall, Manchester, 5 July
4 Bleachers
In the years after the success of his band Fun (who enjoyed grating radio ubiquity with their 2011 single We Are Young), Jack Antonoff began cementing his reputation as songwriter extraordinaire by working with Taylor Swift, Sia and, most recently, Lorde. He has yet another line in thoughtful pop courtesy of his solo side-project Bleachers, which he brings to London’s Bush Hall this week.
Bush Hall, W12, 5 July
5 Wireless festival
The amazingly illustrious lineup for this rap and R&B-centric festival sports the talents of Skepta, Rae Sremmurd, the Weeknd, Fetty Wap, Chance the Rapper, Bryson Tiller, Nas, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Wiley and many, many more.
Finsbury Park, N4, 7-9 July
