Stage Dives and Good Times: London’s Live Music Scene

Rachael Dowd is a student at Seattle University and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She is studying abroad with ISA in London, England.

With arguable one of the best music scenes in the world, London is a destination spot for a lot of local artists and touring bands swinging through the city for a night or two. As a professional concert goer myself, I had the chance to catch a few of my favorite bands over this past month.

 

O2 Academy Brixton, London, Dowd 3

O2 Academy Brixton, London, Dowd 4

O2 Academy Brixton, London, Dowd 5

O2 Academy Brixton, London, Dowd 6

Death Cab For Cutie

O2 Academy Brixton

November 4th, 2015

With both myself and Death Cab For Cutie hailing from Washington state, this show was very bittersweet. Seeing them halfway around the world reminded me so much of home, as did their set full of old favorites and new songs from their new album, Kintsugi. The music filled night managed to cure my homesickness I had been feeling and I walked away from the gorgeous O2 Academy Brixton with new-found local Death Cab friends.

 

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Catfish And The Bottlemen

O2 Academy Brixton

November 7th, 2015

Having bought my ticket long before I arrived in London, the second of the two sold out nights Catfish and the Bottlemen put on certainly was unforgettable. Playing their debut album in full, as well as a new song, the crowd full of 20-somethings sang so loud at times that it overpowered the vocals of front-man Van McCann. As one of my favorite bands, it was honor to attend this milestone gig of theirs.

 

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Little Mix

Tape London

November 9th, 2015

I was fortunate enough to attend Little Mix’s album release party at Tape London earlier in November. With a private performance to only a handful of people, the charming and wickedly talented girl group performed songs off of their new album, Get Weird, as well as some old favorites.

 

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Daughter

St. John at Hackney Church

November 19th, 2015

An impulse decision left me standing in the middle of sea of people in a church, listening to an artist I have waited years to see. As a mellow band with beautifully written songs and composed music, everything in the crowd that night was completely hypnotized by Daughter. Every single show they announce sells out within hours so I was very grateful to have gotten to see them.

 

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The Story So Far

KOKO

4/12/2015

Selling out London’s KOKO, The Story So Far was greeted with a warm Friday night welcome. Hailing from California, the pop punk boys’ set was filled with crowd surfers, moshers, and some of the most passionate TSSF fans. Not a single soul walked away disappointed that night.

 



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