Christine and the Queens play the Meltdown Festival [Jasa Muller]

FESTIVAL season is upon us again and, while there are countless festivals outside the capital, if you can’t get away, you won’t miss out.

• If folk’s your vibe, award-winning musician Jim Moray marks his 21st anniversary tour with an all-day Folk Festival at Cecil Sharp House (June 17). Jim will be joined by Kitty Macfarlane, Nick Hart, Hibiki Ishikawa, Frankie Archer, Alex Merry (Boss Morris) workshop and talk, The Old Songs Podcast live recording with Jon Wilks, Jim Moray, Nick Hart and Debbie Armour.

• Take That play two big shows in London in the next couple of weeks – first, in one of their most intimate performances in years at Koko on June 21 in aid of War Child. Then, on July 1, they bring their big show to BST at Hyde Park with support from The Script, Sugababes, Will Young and more.

• Hyde Park’s BST Festival begins on June 23 with All Things Orchestral with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted by Michael England ft Alfie Boe and Myleene Klass; P!nk + Gwen Stefani and more on June 24-25. The festival continues over the next two weekends with headline spots from Guns N’ Roses (June 30); Take That (July 1); Blackpink (July 2), Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (July 6 and 8); Billy Joel (July 7) and Lana Del Rey (July 9). Don’t forget that, in between the ticketed gigs, BST’s Open House returns with a street food market, free gigs, cinema screenings, activities and much more for all the family – take advantage of the good weather and join the fun!

• The ever-captivating Christine and the Queens play two nights (June 17-18) at the self-curated Meltdown Festival (June 9-18) presiding over an eclectic programme of music (Bat For Lashes, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs + Low Island, Sigur Ros, Petite Noir, Soap & Skin, Lynks + girli and more), immersive experiences, dance acts and more at the Southbank Centre.

• The festivals continue with Stoomfest at The Garage (June 23-24) – two days of doom / stoner / psychedelic acts including Witchrider, Wet Cactus, Swan Valley Heights, Black Rainbows + others.

• Chef / rapper / wrestler Action Bronson plays Koko on June 27-28 introducing his new album Cocodrillo Turbo. Then, on June 29 Brazilian artist Liniker, the first transgender artist to ever win a Latin Grammy, performs her biggest show to date with support from Afro-Latin percussion & brass duet Ladies of Midnight Blue (Hannabiell and Yilis del Carmen Suriel).

• You have to be of a certain age to remember the cute young one in New Kids On The Block. Unbelievably, Joey Macintyre is now 50 years old and heads to Islington for two nights at the Assembly Hall on June 23-24.

• Django Django mark the release of fifth album Off Planet with an in-store at Rough Trade East on June 16.

• By all accounts Arctic Monkeys’ 2023 tour has been a huge success. They continue their five-night Emirates Stadium series on June 16-18 with The Hives + The Mysterines.

• More upcoming gigs: June 16 – Hannah Peel & Beibei Wang, Spirit of Edens, Kings Place; The Beat with Dave Wakeling + Bow Wow Wow with Annabella Lwin + London Calling, Roundhouse; Mahalia Presents: No Guidnce + Humble The Great + Dido Wilson, Lafayette; Tenacious D, The 02; June 17 – 9 Below Zero Unplugged, The Forge; June 18-19 – Antibalas, The Forge; Hamza Namira, Barbican; June 19 – Patty Griffin + John Smith, Union Chapel; Drake White + Stephen Wilson Jr, Scala; June 20 – Chasing Deer Diamonds In The Rafters album launch show, The Camden Club; Eloise, Koko; June 20-21 – The Master Musicians of Joujouka, The Forge; June 21 – Lone Tree + Flote Solu + Agent Flipper + Monday’s Monsoon, The Dublin Castle; Bella White + Henry Webb-Jenkins, The Lexington; Teenage Dads + Bedroom High Club, Islington Academy; Mic Righteous, Jazz Café; The Weeping Willows, Green Note; June 22 – Kishi Bashi – live with strings, Union Chapel; Barrington Levy, The Forum; Lake Malice, The Dome; Nik West, Jazz Café; Your Mum single launch party + Fantazmaz, The Black Heart; Amigo The Devil, Islington Assembly Hall; June 23 – Motorpsycho, Islington Academy; Sodi Cookey, The Camden Club; Godsticks + Warmrain, Camden Assembly; The Beat ft Ranking Jr, The Garage; June 24 – SOJA Islington Academy; Jovem Dionisio, Jazz Café; Spiers & Boden – The Midsummer Tour, Cecil Sharp House; June 25 – Death Grips, The Forum; June 26 – Duda Beat, Jazz Café; June 27 – Cocorosie, Electric Ballroom; Bala Desjo, Jazz Café; Japanese Breakfast + Indigo de Souza, Roundhouse; June 28 – Tom The Mail Man, Camden Assembly; Flight Call, 100 Club; June 29 – The Original Boys + Surrounded + Brianna Musco, The Fiddlers Elbow.