1 Boy Better Know Takeover
Like punk in the 70s, grime is no longer just a genre, it’s a lifestyle, too. But, unlike punk in the 70s, this wave comes with five-a-side football tournaments, skateboarding, roller disco and gaming rather than vandalism, facial piercing and squatting. This multi-venue festival is curated by grime’s foremost collective, BBK, who’ve invited along the scene’s biggest stars, US rapper A$AP Rocky and newbies Cosima and Cosmo Pyke.
The O2, SE10, 27 August
2 Alma
With hair the colour of Ghostbusters’ Slimer, Finnish singer Alma may look as if she’s sloped out of Cyberdog in Camden, but she belts out her husky empowerment-pop tracks as if she’s the mainstream’s next big thing. She brings her turbocharged tunes to London for a one-off show.
XOYO, EC2, 30 August
3 Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff
The men who brought you Boom! Shake the Room and Summertime return, and where better to play than the tropical climes of Blackpool? If the Fresh Prince and his Bel-Air bestie aren’t a tempting enough proposition, Sinitta, Phats & Small and Jason Donovan join them on the promenade over the weekend.
Livewire festival, Blackpool, 27 August
4 End of the Road
Instead of dragging its limbs to the finish line, festival season ends with Britain’s best-run event. In the depths of Dorset there’s indie served whichever way you like it: goofball romantics Mac DeMarco and Father John Misty, formidable veterans Bill Callahan and the Jesus & Mary Chain, and its new wave: Moses Sumney, Pixx, Shame and Psychic Markers.
Larmer Tree Gardens, near Salisbury, 31 August to 3 September
5 Car Seat Headrest
Seattle slacker rock star Will Toledo’s lyrics read like the tear-soaked pages of a teenager’s diary, documenting proms, small-town frustration, heartbreak and dodgy drug taking. For fans of Yo La Tengo, Guided By Voices and Stephen Malkmus seeking a revamp.
O2 Ritz Manchester, 30 August
