London Zine of Music, Arts and Miscellaneous Happenings. Monthly updates & seasonal physicals.
/ˈpɪnˌdrɒp/
1) adjective describing the silence produced when a performance leaves the audience speechless (ie: one could hear a pin drop)
2) verb to indicate the location of a particular happening
02
___Famous @ ICA £21.74 Bad Vibrations – After 9 years of activity, Famous, London’s forever-permutating experimental rock band, throws in the towel, announcing an indefinite hiatus just one year after the release of their debut record Party Album. Unimaginably original, with a Frankenstein blend of processed fuzzy guitars, piano and synth, Famous’s anthemic melodies scuttle through extravagant chord changes that sound somewhere between Mozart and The Beach Boys. However, it is the existential poetry of anti-frontman Jack Merrett that ensnares you: faking a subtle American accent, his baritone fry pulls you through absurd and personal vignettes.
Hailing from the same era where BCNR, black midi, Shame, and Squid broke through into stardom, it might seem as if Famous got the wrong end of the stick. Perhaps their originality was both their stand-out feature and their fatal flaw – in creating a sound no one else has been able to replicate, they could not maintain a movement that would place them as progenitors. Yet, there is almost no cult following like Famous has. Every gig packs a hoarse communion of devotees that know every line, in reverence of Merrett. This time, their voices will surely break. Don’t miss what might be the last opportunity to see them. Get on that waitlist!! tickets
03
___Refused @ Brixton Academy £58.25 - The farewell tour for Swedish post-hardcore giants promises a massive night for those privy to the heavier end of the sonic spectrum. Famous for their record The Shape Of Punk To Come, which pushed both the production and composition of hardcore into the 21st Century. Who knows where the genre would be without them? Make sure to catch the ‘90s phxc band Quicksand supporting! tickets
___Tommy Barlow @ The Greyhound £11.4 Bird on the Wire - Blending samples that fold in on themselves with acoustic instruments, Tommy Barlow is showing himself to be one of the most exciting artists coming out of the London circuit in recent times. Performing as a trio, expect heavily effected violins, drum machines and dark atmospheres all underpinned by Tommy’s baritone voice. Featuring support from Polly From The Dirt, who mixes lo-fi bedroom recordings with catchy pop songwriting. tickets
06
___Pindrop Presents: Dog Saints @ Windmill Brixton £6 - Pindrop are back and proud to present a banging night of alternative rock goodness in the capital for your auditory pleasure. We have London’s very own Dog Saints headlining, bringing you their shoegaze infused emo to the stage. Supporting them are Cardiff’s Casual Smart, lofi rockers with a nostalgic heart; Contrail from Leeds with their post rock infused jazz; and London based slowcore band Mother of Three. tickets
07
___Jasper (caroline) @ Horse Hospital £8.8 / 11 / 13.2 - That’s Dr Jasper Llewellyn to you! Being a co-founder of the London band caroline is already quite the accolade, yet admirably, Llewellyn has another focus. Performance art, improvisation and importantly, collaboration stand at the core of his research, and his work often combines video, sound, drawing and sculpture! On the night, he’ll be playing some new songs alongside some friends. Support comes from Italian-born London-bred lo-fi folk songstress Heka, whose sweet voice will hover above a solo set of restrained electric guitar. tickets
___The Glowworms @ Windmill Brixton £6 - The music of LA and London-based group “The Glowworms” is both subtle and endearing. Lying sonically somewhere between Horse Jumper of Love and Elliot Smith, expect satisfying melodies and warm sounds. They are accompanied by London newcomers Little Grandad, whose Americana-Indie sets are littered with beautiful vocal harmonies and tight performances. Art rockers Bugbear start off the night with their talk-sung “emotronica”, reminiscent of the best of early 2000s indie. tickets
08
___The New Eves @ Hoxton Hall £16.83 AEG - Touring their debut self-titled album, The New Eves are performing primal folk punk at the glorious Hoxton Hall. Having had one sold-out night in London, another show was added to fulfil the fan demand. If you haven’t listened to The New Eves, we would recommend you hold off listening to the album and experience your first listen live. Expect to experience ritualistic and raw songwriting that pushes folk rock into new realms of prowess. The band is a must-see modern classic, showcasing the rich creativity of British music. tickets
09
___A.G. Cook @ Roundhouse £36.97 dollop. - British producer and songwriter A.G. Cook has recently catapulted into the mainstream with his production credits on albums such as BRAT. Founder of seminal record label PC Music, Cook has been at the forefront of boundary-pushing production for over a decade. Seen by many as one of the key architects of the hyperpop, expect glitchy vocals, erratic drum samples and bubbly synths. tickets
10
___Blawan (LIVE) @ Village Underground £18.54 Communion ONE - South Yorkshire DJ and producer Blawan has been making a name for himself since the early ‘10s for reviving the industrial techno microgenre. Although famous for tracks such as ‘Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage?’ (which was naturally covered by Gilla Band) and a Radiohead remix, his back catalogue is rich with gristly, atmospheric grooves propelled by unrelenting bass. tickets
___Domina EP Release Gig @ Chats Palace £6.5 Far From Presents - The London synth trio have cemented their place in the scene in only a year ‘n’ a bit of gigging with their distinctive style carved out by vintage analogue synths and minimalist orchestration. They’ll be celebrating their debut EP release, which is out on Far From Records, alongside DJ sets from other London electro-groups RIP Magic and Thredd. tickets
11
___Sir Richard Bishop @ Chats Palace £15.89 Upset The Rhythm - Freak-folk guitarist and member of the esoteric experimental-rock group Sun City Girls, Sir Richard Bishop (although not formally knighted) has remained a cult figure for his eclectically influenced works, regularly dipping into strange improvisationary zones, and proficient American Primitivist playing. Support comes from C Joynes, a dastardly fingerpicker and British folk music collector who mixes local tradition with North and West African music and the avant-garde. tickets
___Truthpaste @ George Tavern £7.5 - Truthpaste’s intricate finger picking and sporadic string and brass arrangement result in a sound that is weirdly medieval. The folk act’s writing is both atmospheric and precise. Truthpaste have cut their teeth live, having played as the opening act on Fat Dog’s northern tour last year and the rising stage at this year's Green Man festival. tickets
13
___Dove Ellis @ Horse Hospital AEG - Sell-out warning! From West Ireland to Manchester and now to stardom, the young singer-songwriter has just released his debut single ‘To the sandals’ (though real ones already know it from his Bandcamp EP) to immense success. As part of a select run of gigs taking him to LA, NYC and London, before supporting Geese on the US leg of their album tour, his voice captivates all, a mesmerising fire that thaws even the coldest hearts. You’ll be seeing him in stadiums soon for sure. tickets
___Rabbitfoot @ Windmill Brixton £6 - Spoken word, often very conceptual, poetry, backed by oblique guitars and violins. Rabbitfoot’s sets quickly dot between being catchy, groovy, and unsettling. Joining them are jazz-infused post-rockers Speedial and ambient folk artist Rebecca’s Jewellery, whose music is drenched in drones and drum breaks. tickets
14
___Skydaddy Presents: Works In Progress @ Theatreship £16.28 - Another one of London artist Skydaddy's productions: the Works In Progress night aims to highlight the new developments of diverse songwriters, often pulling back the curtain on the brewing side-projects of some of our favourite groups. Notable mentions for this month’s stacked lineup include Arthur Leadbetter, the synth player from Squid; Jimmy Means Smut, which is the side project of Jasmine from Ugly; New Eve’s drummer and flautist Ella Oona Russell; co-founder of Sorry, Louis o/B; and Myer U Clark of Bristol art-rockers The Scuttlers. Not to be missed! PWYC options are available. tickets
15
___Export / Import @ Corsica Studios £10 Baba Yaga’s Hut - London’s greatest enigma, you never know where Export / Import will appear next. Playing anywhere from jazz clubs, dive bars, squats, or Marylebone mansions, their live sets are just as random. Sometimes, as an apt 8-piece orchestra, they play ’50s pop show tunes; other times, they mime to backing tracks of the same repertoire; catch them covering a Roy Orbison song 6 times in a row or not turning up at all, replaced by a band of confused Craigslist mimes who have to act over 45 minutes of dark-ambient noise. What will they do this time? tickets
16
___Gold Cup @ George Tavern £7 allspells - A fond medley of punk and garage, it is advised to bring a towel or a fresh t-shirt, because you will be laden with sweat after this gig. Manchester punks, Gold Cup, whose raw and rash music has been described as stupid, but to be enjoyed by geniuses. Hot Face returns to the George for support, parading their chaotic garage-psych. Whilst Snub are set to play songs from their short and snappy EP. tickets
18
___kiss gem.burn (In The Round) @ George Tavern £6.50 Lau’s Birthday Party - Playing with space, for this gig, the stage is irrelevant. Set up on the main floor of the George Tavern, gig-goers will be able to see every string plucked, drum whacked, and knob turned. Ear throbbing supergroup KissGem.Burn, who have grown into a mysterious instrumental display of rasping anti-songwriting. KGB boast a Noah’s Ark approach to band line-up, there are doubles, maybe even triples of almost all instruments, amplifying their brutal noise. With support from The Boxmen and Gegenpress, expect raw melodic rock power from both bands. tickets
21
___YHWH Nailgun @ Scala £18.71 Bird On The Wire - Pindrop favourites YHWH Nailgun are possibly the most intoxicating group to come out of NYC in a hot minute. With their unique, almost atonal noise of shimmering and disorientating guitar and synths churned by blunderbuss shots of intricate, grooving drums, their instrumentals are alone enough to turn heads. Frontman Zack Borzone, though, is who transforms every live show into something addictive: dripping in sweat and gyrating in a way that would make Elvis faint, he barks freakish verse that will have you waiting on every spat syllable and breathy pause. tickets
27
___Moor Mother @ Horse Hospital £11 / 16.5 / 22 - Philadelphia-based poet, musician and influencer Moor Mother has been reigning in critical acclaim for more than a decade for her experimental productions and politically progressive verse. She’s worked with plenty of like-minded artists spanning every genre, including Eartheater, Show Me The Body, Sons of Kemet, The Bug, and her own Jazz poetry quintet Irreversible Entanglements. There clearly is no better place to house her than the Horse Hospital, Russell Square’s very own experimental venue and gallery space. Last time she was here, the show sold out before we got a chance to recommend it, so move quickly! Moor Mother will be playing two shows, including a matinee gig. tickets
29
___Max Winter@ Club Cheek £11.5 - Experimental pop artist and producer Max Winter of electronica collaboration project Thredd celebrates his debut record with a night at Brixton’s newest venue. He mixes sweeping orchestral chords and vibrant sound design with hooky vocals and those cool, lethargic trip-hop grooves that are so in right now. Check out the support from Asha Lorenz of Sorry’s solo project Sprite of O. tickets
by MLT
Embarking on their first-ever European tour, the California natives, Shearling, stop in London, gracing the stage of the Windmill not once but twice for our own Pindrop night! With support from noisy bands HAAL, paper hats, and Allarme (from Poland). Even if one doesn’t have a penchant for hellish post rock, upon hearing Shearling’s debut record, Motherfucker, I am Both: “Amen” and “Hallelujah…”, no one should rule out seeing a gig this challenging, for it might change your life. All that was known prior to the show was that the band had one song and that your ears would be left throbbing.
Tightly packed in front of the stage, the audience welcomes the band members with cheers of anticipation. The five-piece take a moment, hugging one another, sharing an apt moment of calm together before ascending into utter havoc. Frontman, Alex Kent, introduces the band: Elizabeth A. Carver (sampler, keyboard, mellotron, and guitar), Wesley Nelson (bass and shaker), Andrew Chanover (drums), and Sylvie Simmons (guitar).
The crash of the drums leads the start of the set, a tumbling cacophony of rasping guitars shifts the atmosphere of the room instantly. A cold air of terror drenches the room as heads begin to thrash back and forth. Screeches of sliding guitars ring unsettling chords, immediately turning ear canals red. As a sample of grandiose orchestral music kicks in, you can't help but feel like you’re in a fever dream, profusely trying to process what you’re hearing and seeing. Kent’s vocal delivery is hauntingly operatic, above the chaos of ghostly chopped-up samples of tempestuous drums and eerie strings, which grow gradually glitchier. In order to deliver such a cohesive vision of dangerous music, synchronicity is key. Kent is both frontman and conductor, navigating this band through murderous meanders that exceed the expectation of dynamic and tempo play. But this is no regular band, this is Shearling goddamit!
Chanover’s sticks begin to pad around the kit, a bouncy cowbell and sleigh bells are played for a sliver of time, until an ever-ascending swell of swirling guitar riffs and thumping bass enter the rhythmic battle. All three guitarists adorn a drumstick in their left hand, dragging the sticks up and down the instrument's neck, mimicking the meows of hungry kittens. Kent drops to his knees, just when you expect this ever-growing fight to reach its descent, it simply all blurs into one. The pure raw stamina of Shearling is baffling at this point. The tumbling dissonance churns as they move into a perfectly syncopated section that gets faster, then louder, then faster, then louder, arriving at the final movement of the night.
Kent reassumes his position front and centre. Majestic symphonies ring out on the sampler, being intercepted by sputtering static. Kent shouts, “I know, in my heart of hearts, that this, is, my ass. I know in my, heart of hearts, that these are my spots.” This final movement showcases the haunting, contrasting fragility of Shearling's lyricism. A delicate glockenspiel solely accompanies Kent as he croons his final verses, jabs of horrifying white noise splutter over. Kent bludgeons the microphone into his forehead as he looks into the ocean of people before him, a steady stream of bright red begins to pour down his face, dripping down his neck, he begs, “Please, please, please. Don’t bury me in Idaho. See yah, Alexander Kent.”
If Shearling’s sound is what you’d expect to hear when you land in hell, we can’t wait to arrive.
by JR
The last time Jerskin Fendrix played the Windmill Brixton, the landscape of the scene was entirely different. Isaac Wood was still in BCNR, TLDP was but a twinkle in everyone’s eye, and black midi… still existed. Indeed, since the release of his debut Winterreise, Jerskin’s career has itself seen a sea change, with the artist going from Windmill-affiliated curiosity to Oscar-nominated composer. And yet, perched behind a grand piano artfully plunked on the Windmill stage, Jerskin doesn’t seem at all phased by this change. He’s right at home in the venue, shouting out beloved booker Tim Perry directly while reminiscing about his early days at the venue.
Filing through an intimate crowd–thinned out by the tube strikes no doubt–Jerskin pushes onto the stage before giving the audience a self-satisfied nod. He sits down, beginning with an unreleased song, most likely off his forthcoming album Once Upon A Time In Shropshire. His baritone voice and slow, methodical chord placement produce the image of a forlorn lounge singer, as he recollects the Shropshire of his childhood. Then, something shifts, and he plunges into a new depth of emotion, as if he is feeling all of these feelings for the first time.
This emotional range is all the more evident on “Beth’s Farm,” the lead single from Once Upon A Time… While Jerskin’s recorded output tends toward a hyperpop-inflected sound, one where distorted vocals become an instrument in and of themselves, the acoustic nature of this set allows his compositional skills to shine through. On “Beth’s Farm,” this translates to a rendition which is more emotionally raw than the recorded track, mostly because the simplicity of its composition allows for a sense of sweetness to come through that is less accessible in the original version.
An undoubted highlight of the set is a second unreleased track, a ballad where Jerskin laments a lost love. The acerbic cynicism from his Winterreise isn’t to be found here: instead, he wonders “who will stop me when I’ve said enough, how will I know how to fall in love?” The subtle homoerotic lyrics, with Jerksin stating “maybe she will love him more than I will ever know,” are a fascinating departure from the staunchly heterosexual relationship dynamic to be found on previous tracks like “Manhattan” and “I’ll Clean Your Sheets.” The stripped-back piano allows the sense of loss to shine through, but it never gets too cheesy to bear.
Not one for mawkish sentimentality, Jerskin returns to his trademark sense of humour. After a brief intermission (a first for the Windmill, certainly), he states the next song is just for him before playing a cover of “Reflection” from Mulan. There are some additional quips about his “side hustle” as a soundtrack composer before he plays “Bella” from the Poor Things soundtrack. It’s refreshing to hear something so compositional in a venue like the Windmill, and Jerskin adjusts the song to the space by humming along where a buzzing synth usually sits within the song.
There is, then, an obvious reason why tickets for this set were so difficult to come by. Jerskin Fendrix has a genuine stage presence, and his sense of humour with the crowd shines through in his intricate lyrical storytelling. Yet, this set allows audiences to see another side of someone whose career is shaping up to be the stuff of legend. Indeed, somewhere between the warm piano and the depth of emotion conveyed in the vocals, Jerskin leaves the audience with a different, grander iteration of what music at the Windmill can look and feel like.
JK
___Girl From The North Country by Bob Dylan (US, 1963)
___Revelation by Famous (UK, 2025)
___To The Sandals by Dove Ellis (UK, 2025)
JR
___Irreplaceable by Beyoncé (US, 2007)
___Devon by Grimes (Canada, 2010)
___If You Can't Do It Good, Do It Hard by All Against Logic (US, 2024)
MLT
___Trenton by Parts Work & Frances Quinlan (US, 2025)
___RPG IRL by Wazlo (UK, 2025)
___Second Sleep by Magdalena Bay (US, 2025)
MGB
___Islands of Men by Geese (US, 2025)
___Pick Up 52's by Mestizo & Mike Gao (US, 2005)
___Tracy by Mogwai (UK, 1997)
Pindrop is JR, SE, GKA, EM, JK, MGB, MLT, PM, & P
Contact us at @pindropzine (instagram) and pindropzine@gmail.com (email)