Photography | Rockshot Magazine

Intimate Harmonies And Powerful Stories: A Thursday Afternoon At London’s Gibson Garage

Rockshot — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 18:04:45 +0000

An Unexpected Afternoon of Music

A Thursday afternoon at the Gibson Garage in London might sound like an unusual time for a gig, but that didn’t stop the room from filling with energy, storytelling, and some truly unforgettable performances.

Outpost Drive @ Gibson Garage, London

Outpost Drive @ Gibson Garage, London (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Outpost Drive’s Transatlantic Magic

Ahead of their appearance at C2C, Outpost Drive – made up of Willow Robinson and Mary Bragg – delivered a stripped-back intimate set that still managed to feel huge. Their unique UK–US partnership adds an interesting element and authenticity to their music, blending transatlantic influences into something that feels both classic and fresh. With nothing more than two voices and a guitar, they somehow filled the Gibson halls with rich harmonies and emotion. Willow’s voice is simply astonishing, soaring effortlessly and carrying every lyric with a power that felt far bigger than the small stage. Anyone catching them at C2C is in for something special.

Dan Byrne’s Captivating Storytelling

Joining them was Dan Byrne, a self-admitted “non-country” artist, but genres quickly felt irrelevant once he started playing. His powerful voice and narrative style drew the room in, turning each song into a story that unfolded right in front of us. It was a captivating set, and with a tour on the horizon, Dan Byrne is definitely someone worth keeping an eye on.

Jack Browning’s Moment of Connection

Closing out the afternoon was Jack Browning, bringing another powerhouse combination of vocals and guitar. Between songs, his easygoing storytelling made the room feel personal and connected, but it was one particular moment that truly stuck with me. A song about battling imposter syndrome and the feeling of never being enough hit in a way I wasn’t expecting. I arrived at the Gibson Garage anticipating harmonies and western vibes, but I left deeply changed – for the better – by Jack’s performance. And if anyone ever doubts the power of music and how it can change you, just send them to a Jack Browning gig.

A Perfect Antidote to a Grey London Afternoon

But it all comes full circle back to Outpost Drive. Their effortless harmonies, heartfelt songwriting, and that unique UK–US blend set the tone for the afternoon perfectly. In such an intimate space, their ability to captivate the room with nothing more than voices, guitar, and genuine connection reminded everyone why moments like this matter. If this performance is anything to go by, their upcoming C2C appearance is set to be something truly special – and it proved to be the perfect antidote to a wet Thursday afternoon in London.

Live review & photography of Outpost Drive, Dan Byrne and Jack Browning @ The Gibson Garage, London, by Henry Finnegan on 12th March 2026. Instagram: @finneganfoto | Facebook: @finneganfoto

Liam Price Stakes His Claim At London’s Water Rats

The post Intimate Harmonies And Powerful Stories: A Thursday Afternoon At London’s Gibson Garage first appeared on Rockshot Magazine.

Ashnikko Opens The Door To Smoochie World At O2 Academy Brixton

Rockshot — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 16:27:58 +0000

O2 Academy Brixton is already fizzing before Ashton Nicole Casey – better known as Ashnikko – even sets foot onstage. Glittered cowboys, latex-clad fairies, homemade crowns and friendship bracelets fill the room; strangers swap trinkets like sacred offerings. It doesn’t feel like a queue for a gig — it feels like entry to a parallel universe. Tonight is the first of two Brixton shows, and from the moment the lights drop, it’s clear we are no longer in South London.

Ashnikko @ O2 Academy Brixton

Ashnikko @ O2 Academy Brixton (Neil Lupin)

A voiceover begins. Ashnikko rummages through her handbag for lip gloss and club essentials, only to discover something far more interesting: a tiny door. When it creaks open at the back of the stage, she and her dancers squeeze through it cartoon-style, emerging into “Smoochie World” — a hyper-saturated fever dream of pinks, props and playful menace. The set design is part funhouse, part feminist cabaret: oversized signage, warped glamour, a looming papier-mâché head and that now-iconic miniature portal waiting to swallow us whole again.

Sticky Fingers detonates the night with industrial sparkle, quickly followed by Working Bitch, delivered with theatrical relish from within a garish pink frame. The bass ricochets around Brixton as ‘Microplastics’ and ‘She’s So Pretty’ layer bratty hooks over pounding beats. Ashnikko’s choreography — sharp, athletic, knowingly absurd — pushes the energy into overdrive, her dancers matching her ferocity step for step.

There’s a mischievous looseness to this show. Lip Smacker and Trinkets become interactive rituals, fans hurling gifts onstage as part of the now-established exchange. A giant locket frames one moment, a deliberately tacky prop punctuates the next. It’s chaotic, but it’s controlled chaos — every joke, every grotesque flourish, carefully placed.

Mid-set, Skin Cleared lands as a glitter-coated purge, equal parts self-care anthem and exorcism. The emotional temperature spikes with Toxic/Invitation, the latter cutting through the theatrics with stark clarity. Ashnikko doesn’t soften the message; she delivers it bluntly, reclaiming space and agency in a room that roars its solidarity back at her.

From there, the show spirals gleefully. Chichinya is feral and ridiculous, Manners and STUPID resurrect earlier viral snarl, and Tantrum feels like a pressure valve exploding. The Halloweenie medley — spanning Seven Days, Innards, The Moss King and Possess Me — turns Brixton into a sweaty goth carnival, strobes slicing through the dark as the crowd jumps in unison.

WEEDKILLER remains a towering moment, its dystopian punch reasserting Ashnikko’s ability to weld hyperpop gloss to something heavier and more abrasive. Possession Of A Weapon and Wet Like keep the intensity high before Full Frontal tips the night fully into camp body-horror absurdity, complete with mock medical props and chants shaking the balcony.

“I want my boyfriends to kiss!” she commands, and Brixton obliges. ‘I Want My Boyfriends to Kiss’ is one of the loudest singalongs of the night — a queer manifesto wrapped in pure pop delirium. Liquid glistens with club-ready sensuality, while It Girl and Itty Bitty lean into maximalist mischief.

By the time Slumber Party hits, the floor feels elastic beneath hundreds of jumping bodies. And then, of course, there’s Daisy. The breakout anthem still bites, still struts, still feels like a declaration of independence screamed into the void. Confetti cannons erupt as Ashnikko stands centre stage, blue hair blazing under white light, conductor of her own deliciously unhinged universe.

What makes the spectacle cohere isn’t just the high-production surrealism or the weaponised sexuality — it’s the atmosphere of permission. In Smoochie World, excess is encouraged, queerness is celebrated and shame is left at the door (preferably the tiny one at the back of the stage). Brixton doesn’t just host a pop show tonight; it becomes a sanctuary rave disguised as a theatre production.

On the first of two nights at O2 Academy Brixton, Ashnikko doesn’t simply perform. She builds a world, invites us inside and hands us the glitter-covered keys.

Photography of Ashnikko at O2 Academy Brixton, London on 19th February 2026 by by Neil Lupin / neillupin.com.

MIKA Brings Glitter, Gears And Glory To Wembley Arena

The post Ashnikko Opens The Door To Smoochie World At O2 Academy Brixton first appeared on Rockshot Magazine.

MIKA Brings Glitter, Gears And Glory To Wembley Arena

Rockshot — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 19:27:42 +0000

Twenty years into a career built on falsetto acrobatics and fearless theatricality, MIKA doesn’t so much play Wembley Arena as conquer it. From the rafters to the balconies, this is pop as grand spectacle — maximalist, joyful and gloriously unhinged.

Mika @ Wembley Arena

Mika @ Wembley Arena (Neil Lupin)

The stage itself resembles a steampunk fever dream: spinning gears, clockwork mechanisms and towering platforms that stretch skyward. His seven-piece band and backing singers — all whip-smart choreography and dramatic silhouettes — are stacked across multi-level risers, giving the entire production a sense of vertical drama. But the real gasp comes before a note is even sung. Suspended high above the stage is a giant rotating wheel, and inside it — running, spinning, descending like a ringmaster entering his circus — is MIKA.

Opening with Modern Times and Eleven, he appears in a sharp black tailored suit, all sophistication and control. His voice is as elastic and powerful as ever, leaping effortlessly between registers as Wembley rises instantly to its feet. Relax (Take It Easy) turns the arena into one giant choir, the crowd bouncing in unison beneath swirling lights.

Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. is a storyteller as much as a showman, introducing songs with anecdotes that offer glimpses into his wonderfully eccentric inner world. Hyperlove comes wrapped in a tale about a dog; other tracks arrive with context that makes each moment feel personal rather than purely performative. It’s a masterclass in how to hold an arena in the palm of your hand.

The monochrome elegance doesn’t last. By the time Lollipop rolls around, he has swapped black for a blazing pink suit, grinning as he asks the crowd, “I wasn’t gonna wear black all evening, was I?” He frames it as “pink versus the darkness — pink in a world of grey,” and suddenly the entire arena feels brighter. Oversized props amplify the sense of playful excess: a giant megaphone emerges for Grace Kelly, and at one point a rainbow quite literally bursts from his piano like a pop-up storybook brought to life.

Mid-set highlights come thick and fast. We Are Golden and Lola shimmer with communal euphoria, while Spinning Out, Dreams and Science Fiction Lover showcase his knack for blending emotional nuance with pop flamboyance. During Immortal Love and Excuses For Love, there’s a quieter intimacy, phones lighting the darkness as his voice cuts cleanly through the arena air.

Mika @ Wembley Arena

Mika @ Wembley Arena (Neil Lupin)

If there’s a peak — and it’s difficult to choose — it’s Big Girl (You Are Beautiful). Abandoning the stage entirely, MIKA dives into the crowd and eventually makes his way up to the balconies. He speaks of the now-vanished Butterfly Lounge and urges the audience to recreate its spirit. The result is joyous chaos: dancing, hugging, strangers united in sweat and glitter.

Origin Of Love and Grace Kelly land like career-defining mic drops, the latter delivered through that oversized megaphone with camp bravado and pristine vocals. Happy Ending brings a swell of emotion before the main set closes with the exuberant Elle Me Dit.

Ahead of Elle Me Dit, the 42-year-old reflects on his multilingual upbringing and wrestles aloud with whether to perform in French (he was born in Beirut to American parents but grew up between Paris and London). The crowd answers for him with a deafening roar. When he launches into it, Wembley sings along phonetically and passionately — a reminder that his appeal transcends borders as easily as genres.

For the encore, he returns in a shimmering green sequined suit, igniting the arena with Love Today. By the time Yo Yo (R3HAB remix) detonates into a full-throttle dance finale, Wembley is a sea of ecstatic faces and bouncing bodies.

Twenty years on, MIKA remains less a pop star and more a ringmaster of unfiltered joy. In an era of minimalist staging and moody restraint, he doubles down on colour, scale and storytelling. Wembley Arena doesn’t just host a concert tonight — it becomes a kingdom of glitter, gears and unashamed celebration.

Photography of Mika at Wembley Arena, London on 12th February 2026 by by Neil Lupin / neillupin.com.

The Last Dinner Party: Brixton Triumph Caps A Meteoric Rise

The post MIKA Brings Glitter, Gears And Glory To Wembley Arena first appeared on Rockshot Magazine.

Better Joy’s Rise Continues As Manchester Indie-Pop Breakout Commands London’s Hammersmith Apollo

Rockshot — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:39:57 +0000

Better Joy’s upward momentum shows no sign of slowing as Bria Keely brings her shimmering indie-pop project to the vast stage of Hammersmith Apollo on 20th November 2025, opening for Amy Macdonald. It’s a landmark moment for the Manchester-based songwriter, whose journey from intimate rooms to arena-sized crowds has accelerated at remarkable speed over the past eighteen months.

Better Joy @ Hammersmith Apollo

Better Joy @ Hammersmith Apollo (Kalpesh Patel)

Taking to the stage with quiet confidence, Keely opens her set with What A Day, immediately setting a warm, melodic tone that carries across the cavernous venue. There’s a clarity to Better Joy’s sound that cuts through the scale of the room — bright guitar lines, pulsing bass, and Keely’s expressive vocals combining to create something both intimate and expansive. This Part Of Town, one of the standout tracks from her recent run of releases, lands with particular resonance, its reflective lyricism drawing the audience in despite the early slot.

Midway through the set, new single Plugged In underlines just how far Better Joy has come. Taken from Keely’s second EP At Dusk, the song captures a subtle shift in tone — still rooted in accessible indie-pop, but deeper, more assured, and emotionally direct. As Keely has described it, the track reflects “the moment of finally connecting with someone and understanding love for the very first time,” and live it carries a sense of genuine release. Quiet Thing and Steamroller continue to showcase the evolving palette of the project, balancing vulnerability with moments of driving energy.

Better Joy @ Hammersmith Apollo

Better Joy @ Hammersmith Apollo (Kalpesh Patel)

Closing with Dead Plants, Keely leaves the stage to a strong and appreciative response, having made the most of a high-profile support slot that could easily overwhelm a less self-assured performer. Instead, Better Joy sounds completely at home, offering a compelling snapshot of an artist in the midst of defining her next chapter.

That chapter follows a breakout year. After releasing her debut EP heading into blue in March 2025 — which sold out its limited baby blue vinyl pressing and was followed by a predominantly sold-out debut headline tour — Keely has continued to build momentum with singles This Part Of Town and Plugged In. Both feature on her second EP At Dusk, released on 31st October and produced by Mike Hedges (The Cure, U2, Manic Street Preachers, Travis). Recorded at Chale Abbey Studios on the Isle of Wight and mixed by Caesar Edmunds and Robbie Nelson, the EP marks a conscious evolution in sound and mindset.

“I like that the Better Joy sound is evolving,” Keely has said. “It’s what we do as people, so it’s only natural the sound grows with me.” At Dusk stands as a sister release to heading into blue, shaped by a period where the 27-year-old stopped trying to fit expectations and instead focused on defining the project on her own terms.

From BBC Radio 6 praise to major support tours and now arena stages, Better Joy’s rise feels both rapid and well-earned. Her performance at Hammersmith Apollo is less a surprise and more a confirmation: Bria Keely is no longer just one to watch — she’s already on her way.

Upcoming 2026 Live Dates:

FEBRUARY
4th – DUST, Brighton
5th – Tunbridge Wells Forum

MARCH
17th – Exchange, Bristol
18th – Gorilla, Manchester
20th – Oslo, London

APRIL
17th – Upstairs at Whelan’s, Dublin

Photography of Better Joy @ Hammersmith Apollo, London by Kalpesh Patel on 20th November 2025.

Amy Macdonald Warms A Frozen Hammersmith Apollo With Heart, Humour & Huge Hits

The post Better Joy’s Rise Continues As Manchester Indie-Pop Breakout Commands London’s Hammersmith Apollo first appeared on Rockshot Magazine.

The Last Dinner Party: Brixton Triumph Caps A Meteoric Rise

Rockshot — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:41:49 +0000

The Last Dinner Party close out 2025 on a remarkable high, returning to London for a two-night stand at O2 Academy Brixton that feels less like the end of a tour and more like the coronation of Britain’s most talked-about new band. Photos from the first night on 7th December — captured by photographer Neil Lupin — show a group not merely riding a wave of hype, but commanding it.