The best London gigs this week, from Thundercat to Lily Allen

London’s gig calendar rarely sits still, and this week it veers between the polished and the unpredictable. From the virtuosic funk excursions of Thundercat to the theatrical catharsis of Lily Allen — a gig, but also a bit of a stage show — there’s a sense this week’s picks are stretching their formats as much as their sounds. Dance-punk newcomers RIP Magic are riding a word-of-mouth wave, while club institution Optimo is one for those blowing off steam. To top it all off? The absurdly named Geese who, with their wiry live energy, are finally bringing Gen Z something to rock.

Geese, below, might just be the coolest band in the world right now. Dubbed “Gen Z’s first great rock band” by Dazed, they’ve already earned themselves comparisons with Nirvana, The Strokes and Radiohead. Then there’s the singular vocals of frontman Cameron Winter, who has already become a star in his own right. They’re finally in London for a headline show in Hammersmith, and it is unquestionably the hottest ticket in town. Could this be a ticket stub that is worth thousands in years to come? Sure, a QR code screenshot doesn’t have quite the same cachet, but still.

O2 Academy Brixton, March 25

There’s not much that singer-songwriter-producer-bassist Thundercat, above, can’t do. He’s been a boxer, featured in Star Wars, and collaborated with everyone you could possibly want to collaborate with (Gorillaz! Kendrick Lamar! Tame Impala!). His particular blend of jazz, funk and soul is so distinctive that you can tell it’s his lightning-fast fingers on the bass within milliseconds. To witness those fingers in action, he’ll be playing in Brixton next Wednesday.

Ormside Projects, March 19

Did you secretly hope that Harry Styles’s new album could have sounded a little more like LCD Soundsystem? Did Aperture get your hopes up? I have just the medicine. It comes in the form of London dance-punk newcomers RIP Magic, whose latest song was produced by none other than James Murphy and released on — you guessed it — his DFA Records. RIP Magic hosted a residency at Mascara Bar in 2024 that generated so much excitement, despite having no music released, that one newspaper dubbed them “the buzziest buzz band” of the moment. Now they’re back and playing in South Bermondsey this evening.

London Palladium, March 20-22

Lily Allen was the woman of the moment in late 2025. Her searing divorce album West End Girl captivated audiences. Now she is performing it live, in what some have deemed more of a “cathartic” theatre performance than an out-and-out gig. It opens with a string trio playing her greatest hits for a crowd singalong, before Allen emerges to perform the album in full. Featuring: a dress made of receipts, some camp feather duster action and a TikTok-catnip interactive dance set to her song Nonmonogamummy.

Optimo started as a Glasgow club night way back in 1997, before becoming the accepted moniker for DJ duo JD Twitch and JG Wilkes. They called time on the night in 2010, freeing up the pair to spread their sound as DJs. Twitch sadly passed away last year after a short illness, but Wilkes has continued playing, and his skill is undeniable. He’ll be on the decks at one of London’s best nightclubs, Fold, tomorrow night.

The time spent waiting between James Blake albums is like a period of intense drought. Luckily, the rain has come again and he’s back with Trying Times. It’s the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and electronic producer’s first independent album, offering a more unrestricted sound. And what better place to see Blake than Islington’s Grade I-listed Union Chapel? For those in need of some spiritual transcendence, this is the gig for you.