The Best Music Events in London This February

Club Mix - at Ridley Road Market Bar

Ridley Road Market Bar 8 Feb 2025

Ridley Road Market is an iconic strip of outer London, a vibrant community hub that brings in punters from all over, and at night it just gets better. Market Bar is a well-worn stop off for the London queer community, a short walk from the similarly iconic but much more well known Dalston Superstore. But where Superstore gets rowdy and crowded, Market Bar stars sleek, spacious, and full of fun. 

The long, thin interior, with entrance at one end and dancefloor at the other, makes perfect ground for meeting people, for chatting at the long bar while waiting for a drink, and for dancing, where every Saturday, the house DJs play the best of funk, soul, disco, rare groove, club classics, teetering the line between mainstream floor-fillers and danceable unknowns, spinning to a group of patrons who are really there for the music, the good times, so good in fact you forget you even have a phone.

Caribou - at the Roundhouse

Roundhouse 7 Feb 2025

Putting a finger on Caribou has always been a fools errand. When he began as Manitoba, his debut Start Breaking My Heart combined indie blueprints with electronic habits, teetering on jungle, broken beat, IDM, but really the combinations he created were entirely unique, and utterly pure.

It's a long time coming. While he's spotted at festivals sets and this, that or the other, a proper venue gig is what a musician like him deserves. Releasing his first bit of music in five years (that's how long ago 2020 was, don't forget), it also marks the first time in 3 years he's played a headline show in the capital. Making full use of the Roundhouse's barrely acoustics, expect Caribou to perfect the mix for a glorious evening of the best dance music you've ever heard. 

Illasoul presents Pablo Barrios - at Grow

Grow 8 Feb 2025

The Illasoul series, no doubt named for J Dilla, and inspired by his special brand of hip-hop, soul, and jazz combos, has played host to many important London jazz acts and in genres beyond. Charlie Stacey, Reek0, and Maxwell Owin are among previous headliners, as the Illasoul series catches artists just before their big break. 

Not only will you have rare opportunities to experience these talented artists before they end up at less intimate venues, you also have the chance to see them for the cheap. You can never go wrong with six quid tickets (or free before 9), especially at this particularly scenic Hackney Wick venue, which to our delight, mostly hosts events for the price of nowt.

This week, Illasoul introduce Pablo Barrios, a rising Latin jazz pianist, specialising in wild improvisations and dance-heavy Latin grooves, traversing across jazz and funk as he marauds through influences and styles. The energy will be on point this February at Grow.

Free entry before 9pm 

Numero Group present Eccentric Soul - at The Social

The Social 15 Feb 2025

The minds behind some of the current millennia's most important rereleases, cratedigging label Numero Group have brought a litany of artists from obscurity to fame. Trawling through the back catalogs of defunct labels, record shops, white labels, and people's living rooms, you will continually be scratching your head wondering how exactly Numero find all these quality records, let alone all these records at all.

So how lucky are we, that in mid February the Numero founder and former A&R Manager Rob Sevier comes down to Little Portland Street to show off some of his prized wax. A bag of original 45s, straight from the Numero vaults, making use of The Social's iconic basement woofers. Rare groove, bouncy soul, disco unbeknownst to all - expect everything. 

If, for you, discovering music is almost as fun as listening to it, this is exactly where you wanna be. You're welcome!

The Dilla Effect - at Rich Mix

Rich Mix 15 Feb 2025

At Rich Mix, J Dilla's impact and legacy is getting a proper exploration, featuring DJ sets playing some of his own edits, remixes, and much else more. The 370-capacity venue will no doubt feel like a hip-hop night of old, with punters half-drunk waving one hand up and down fanning the selekta. As much as a night out as it is a community event for hip-hop lovers, the Dilla Effect is bringing back the way it was in the used-to-be. 

Dimitri From Paris - at KOKO

KOKO 15 Feb 2025

Famed for his remixes of disco classics, reworks of modern dance tracks, and his own interdisciplinary versatility, Dimitri From Paris consistently offers top notch DJ sets for the wide spectrum of dance fans. 

Making Camden's KOKO something of his second home, Dimitri returns to the Mornington Crescent venue for another all-nighter. Typically known as a venue for gigs, the KOKOElectronic series has turned the place into a rave spot, with events running til 5am, a much needed force on London's dwindling musical map.

Come for a long evening of sleek, well-tuned disco vibes, suitable for all ages so long as you can boogie. 

Todd Edwards & Izco - at Night Tales

Night Tales 21 Feb 2025

For those who were just getting into the genre, there was a moment of shock when one finally found out that UK Garage originated not from some basement in South London, or from an even deeper basement in Yorkshire, but instead from a devout Christian from Bloomfield, New Jersey by the name of Todd Edwards.

The new generation joins the old, as Izco shares a stage with the great man. Known for the chill garage classic ‘Feel’ from 2018, and for his many, many remixes, Izco is one of the great torchbearers of the 90s genre, keeping it fresh while honouring the old ways. Coming together at Night Tales in Hackney