American-Armenian art-rap collective Samuum continue to push boundaries with their striking new single, Coffee Cup Reading (Yaman, Pt.2), a genre-blurring release that fuses Middle Eastern influences with rap, punk and rave energy.

How do you prepare yourself for seeing sunn O))) live other than making sure you have the best earplugs imaginable? Walking up to the venue, I'd never seen so many people on the way to a gig carrying ear defenders, and once inside, the person in front of me put earplugs in, then a set of ear defenders over the top.

Few debut artists arrive with as much goodwill as Sienna Spiro. Ever since her powerhouse covers began circulating online, comparisons to Adele and Amy Winehouse have followed her at every turn. While those labels always felt premature, they were understandable: Spiro possesses one of the most naturally commanding voices to emerge from British pop in years. The Visitor confirms that beyond any doubt. What it doesn't quite confirm is whether she has the songs to match.

A change is as good as a rest they say and this novella is certainly a change. If you need waking up, this is the book for you, with its short chapters and fast pace. Despite the narrator’s protestations, it is not an advice manual, not a manual of good advice, at least.

I defy anyone not to start moving their legs in Charleston fashion with this seductive celebration of 1920s glamour. Nostalgia and a hearkening back to an age of nightclubs, novelty and no small amount of nerve. There is a moment, early in the opening track, Sax-O-Trix, when you realise Chad Smith is not so much playing the saxophone as interrogating it. The virtuosity is immediate and slightly alarming — watch him perform, and you may find yourself short of breath on his behalf.

The singing itself is the chief pleasure here. Just fifteen sopranos and altos produce a remarkably well-blended sound under Searles' direction, the tone consistently lovely and the diction unusually clean for a choir working in such a resonant space. Phrasing throughout is intelligent and unforced.

Applications have opened for the 2027 Leeds International Piano Competition, and with them came the most sweeping set of reforms in the event's 64-year history. Sir Stephen Hough, one of the most admired pianists of his generation, has been appointed Artistic Director and Chair of the Jury — and he has used the role to tear up the rulebook.

Since its birth in a stairwell in Connecticut, it’s been quite a ride! Stairwell Books founders Rose Drew and Alan Gillott reflect on how it all began… ‘It was 1994 and I was a single mum living in a house in Connecticut, about 45 minutes from New York City,’ remembers Rose Drew, the editorial half of the team.

A former young carer from Leeds who found freedom and confidence in the Yorkshire Dales is premiering a new documentary about the power of nature, friendship and time away from screens.

Your new single Curious is about modern dating. Is the song written from personal experience? Yes, absolutely. However, it would be incorrect to say the song is written about one particular person but more a series of experiences. We've all experienced relationships, romantic or otherwise, that feel very one-sided.

With his upcoming single Space Invaders, Velazquez looks poised to make the leap from rising talent to mainstream contender. Blending infectious hooks, bold creativity and a sound that feels both contemporary and distinctive, he has been steadily building momentum and attracting attention beyond his core fanbase.

Hot, hot, hot is the only way to describe this show! Based on the 1994 cult classic film, this musical is a jukebox joyride and a surprisingly tender road story. We are introduced to two drag queens and a trans woman who, for reasons that later become apparent, trek across the Australian desert to perform at a small-town holiday resort.

Few artists capture the complexities of human emotion quite like Scott Quinn. The British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist returns with his poignant new single, Places in London, a heartfelt reflection on the hidden losses that linger after heartbreak.

Next month, the transept of Ripon Cathedral will come to life with a 1723 plea for freedom, written by an anonymous enslaved Virginian and almost certainly addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury himself. The story behind its rediscovery is, in its own way, as remarkable as the play it inspired.

That opening 'O Fortuna' is electrifying — dynamics are observed with real precision rather than mere brute force. Anyone of a certain age will recall its rather unlikely second life soundtracking a men's aftershave advert in the 1970s and '80s, which says something about how a single thrilling fragment can eclipse a far richer whole in the popular imagination. It's a pattern that feels uncomfortably familiar in other walks of life too – not least, dare I say, in the way British politics now rewards the soundbite over substance. Orff's wheel of fortune deserves more than fifteen seconds of fame.

In an era increasingly dominated by playlists and individual singles, Held Here Together feels refreshingly intentional. It invites listeners to slow down, absorb its narratives and appreciate the craftsmanship behind every arrangement. Bird has created an album that is elegant, heartfelt and quietly compelling—one that lingers long after its final notes fade.

Talented quintet Lumas Winds have been awarded the prestigious Dorothy Parkinson Memorial Award for Young British Musicians following their mesmerising performance at the HACS Harrogate Music Festival.

Rob Jones & The Restless Dream is the project of UK singer-songwriter Rob Jones, a former teacher turned full-time musician, whose songs blend big choruses, rich instrumentation, and a storyteller’s eye for life’s detours. Rooted in classic songwriting and narrative-driven lyrics, Rob’s work draws influence from artists like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.

The much-loved Spiegeltent is back with a bang and a sizzling summer programme of jazz, rock, burlesque, dance and much more. The Spiegeltent Festival 2026 – in association with Ogden of Harrogate, one of the country’s best known family jewellers – runs from 25 June to 4 July in Crescent Gardens, featuring an exciting line-up curated by award-winning saxophonist and composer Camilla George.

The London-based rock project Thirsty Quireboys returns with God Bless America – Best Of Thirsty, a striking collection that serves as both a heartfelt tribute to the late Guy Bailey and a bold reimagining of the music he created with lyricist Irina D.