Hear wide-ranging, irresistible music from the band fronted by songwriter and driving force Neil Hannon. With 13 albums, and songs including ‘Our Mutual Friend’, ‘A Lady of a Certain Age’ and ‘To the Rescue’, under his belt, Hannon’s trademark orchestral pop, intelligent lyrics and legendary live shows have turned him into something of a national treasure. 2025 saw the release of the 13th Divine Comedy album, Rainy Sunday Afternoon. Recorded at Abbey Road, it exquisitely covers Hannon’s usual range of emotions: sad, funny, angry and everything in between. Presented by Southbank Centre. This is an 14+ event

Alceu Valença will celebrate eight decades of life in 2026 as he undertakes the largest and most significant European tour of his career. As one of the most influential artists in Brazil, 80 Sunflowers arrives in London after passing through ten Brazilian capitals. It presents Alceu at the height of his artistry, performing his greatest hits with his trademark energy on stage. Alongside songs such as ‘Anunciação’, ‘Belle de Jour’ and ‘Tropicana’, the show revisits his entire artistic journey, from the very beginning to the present day. Throughout his career, Alceu has become known for cultivating Brazilian and Northeastern sonorities in a contemporary, urban language with irresistible popular appeal. Alceu Valença stars in 80 Sunflowers at Royal Festival Hall, accompanied by Tovinho (keyboards and musical direction), Cássio Cunha (drums), Zi Ferreira (guitar), Nando Barreto (bass), André Julião (accordion), Costinha (flutes). Special Guests: Lui Coimbra (cello) and Natalia Mitre (percussion). Presented by Columbo Music. All ages.

Come along for a musical celebration of Bronski Beat’s 1984 debut album The Age of Consent. This re-energised and revitalised performance, originally created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the record, is a collective call to action for the work still to be done in the fight for queer and trans liberation. An unashamed portrait of radical queerness in 1980s Britain, the record was a pivotal moment in LGBTQIA+ cultural history and a beacon of hope for a disenfranchised generation. The Age of Consent is presented four decades on with its message as relevant today as ever, as the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights continues. The show features a powerhouse line-up of Bishi, Planningtorock and Tom Rasmussen (with more artists to be announced). Alongside them, The Chateau Collective, a specially curated queer house band, perform new arrangements of the record. Musicians include KK Brown (percussion), Maxie Cheer (drums), Chris Clarke (harp) and Tom Foskett-Barnes (keys/musical director/arranger) with more to be announced. The Age of Consent is curated and produced by Laurie Belgrave, founder of The Chateau, with arrangements by Tom Foskett-Barnes and curation consultancy by Lulu Manning. The Chateau is an LGBTQIA+ record label and arts incubator born in south-east London. They’ve worked with Glastonbury Festival, British Film Institute and the Southbank Centre’s own Meltdown festival. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Presented by Southbank Centre. This is an 14+ event

Few figures in jazz history have experienced the kind of success that vocalist Samara Joy has, especially at such a young age. Still only 25, she leads a career that can safely be called sensational. A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. While studying in college, she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, launching her into the national jazz spotlight. Praised by audiences and critics alike, she is celebrated as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a modern torchbearer for legends such as Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and Carmen McRae. Joy released her self-titled debut on the Whirlwind label in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which Down Beat said, “With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born.” The album earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in addition to a headline-making win for Best New Artist. A deluxe edition of the album was released, as well as the EP A Joyful Holiday, which took home Grammys for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance in 2025. Her new Verve album, Portrait, which Joy co-produced with the veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, showcases the intimate, soulful chemistry she’s developed with her touring band, already earning her an NAACP Image Award this year for Best Jazz Album. Presented by Serious. 5+ under 14s must be accompanied by an adult

Seventy-five years since the sound of the steel pan arrived in the UK, a suite of new commissions celebrates its heritage and horizons for Steel Scenes. As part of the 1951 Festival of Britain, The Trinidad All-Steel Pan Percussion Orchestra (TASPO) performed in the UK for the first time - forever changing the DNA of British music. Since then, the steel pan instrument has been a symbol of innovation and community-powered creativity. As part of Steel Scenes, Steel Pan Reimagined dives into the musical legacy of steel pan music and cements its central place within the global pantheon of genre-defying music. Working with a fusion of different disciplines, from classical to jazz, the show illuminates the true dynamism of the form and cements steel pan music’s place in the centre of the modern, genre-defying musical landscape. The evening features world premieres and new works. Composers include Nabihah Iqbal, Delphina James, Soweto Kinch and Marlon The Pannist, with more acts still to be announced. Presented by Southbank Centre. This is a 12+ event

The captivating four-piece LA band conjures their own dreamlike world through intricate guitar lines, hypnotic vocals and driving rhythms. With more than 20 years together under their belt, Warpaint has won fans globally with ethereal sound and gorgeous harmonies. Through landmark releases including their 2010 debut The Fool, 2014’s Warpaint and 2022’s Radiate Like This, Warpaint have honed their own haunting sound. Warpaint is renowned for their immersive live performances, and their previous Meltdown appearance in 2023 was praised for its ‘goosebump inducing’ (Gigwise) atmosphere. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Trip-hop textures and one-of-a-kind pop structures create the artist’s dreamy, freewheeling and effortlessly cool sound. Blending elements of R&B, pop and electronic music, Erika de Casier’s sonic style floats and lingers, filling the empty spaces of the night like a whisper in the ether. de Casier pulls from the past to curate sonic and visual references with intention, and then transforms them into something uniquely hers. Always thoughtfully composed yet effortlessly cool, de Casier’s vision isn’t just about what she creates, but how she makes us feel when we listen. Her fourth album, Lifetime, is a sonic moodboard and an exploration of the passage of time, mortality, intimacy and solitude. From the dreamy detachment and self-aware humour of ‘Delusional’ to the constant beat of ‘Miss’ - these are tracks that settle in, unbothered by urgency and firmly rooted in a sense of calm. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Multi-instrumentalist and jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington pays tribute to John Coltrane and Miles Davis in celebration of their 100th birthday. Join Washington for a special set merging the most notable songs of two legends of jazz into a concert experience that reimagines their iconic work. Washington is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader born and raised in Los Angeles. His four bodies of work to date - The Epic; Harmony of Difference, an EP originally commissioned for the 2017 Whitney Biennial; Heaven and Earth; and Fearless Movement - have attracted widespread acclaim and seen Washington lauded as the new face of jazz. Kamasi Washington: Jazz Legends Reimagined is not the first time Washington has brought his own spin to the work of other iconic artists. In 2021, Washington contributed a cover of Metallica’s ‘My Friend of Misery’ to the band’s Metallica Blacklist covers project. Washington’s artistic reach expands beyond his solo career to numerous collaborative projects across music and onto the screen. He’s co-founder of the supergroup Dinner Party; has won two Grammy Awards for co-production and co-writing on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX album; collaborated with Herbie Hancock and Florence + The Machine; and written an Emmy and Grammy-nominated score for the Michelle Obama documentary Becoming. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Strap in for a rare sonic experience as the jazz saxophonist leads his eight-piece band through the landscape of his acclaimed 2024 album, Fearless Movement. Kamasi Washington is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader born and raised in Los Angeles. His four bodies of work to date - The Epic; Harmony of Difference, an EP originally commissioned for the 2017 Whitney Biennial; Heaven and Earth; and Fearless Movement - have attracted widespread acclaim and seen Washington lauded as the new face of jazz. Washington’s artistic reach expands beyond his solo career to numerous collaborative projects across music and onto the screen. He’s co-founder of the supergroup Dinner Party; has won two Grammy Awards for co-production and co-writing on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX album; collaborated with Herbie Hancock and Florence + The Machine; and written an Emmy and Grammy-nominated score for the Michelle Obama documentary Becoming. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

The ‘father of Ethio-jazz’, and one of Ethiopia’s most celebrated musicians and arrangers, performs timeless classics from across his career. Best known for changing the face of Ethiopian music during the ‘Swinging Addis’ era of the late 1960s and 70s, Mulatu Astatke is a true pioneer. As the ‘father of Ethio-jazz’, the composer, vibraphonist and multi-instrumentalist created a movement born in the late 1960s, fusing jazz, Latin music and traditional Ethiopian music. For six decades, Astatke has been developing this signature sound, with classics like ‘Yèkèrmo Sèw’ and ‘Yègellé Tezeta’ ensuring his enduring legacy. Beyond leading his own bands, Astatke has worked as an arranger for many of Ethiopia’s leading artists, famously using traditional instruments in new ways. His influence culminated in the early 1970s through landmark recordings and high-profile collaborations, including a historic performance and mutual tribute with Duke Ellington during his tour of Ethiopia. ‘Throughout my life, I wanted to bring Ethio-jazz to all corners of the world for people to enjoy and I feel that I have succeeded in that,’ says Astatke. The world of music would definitely echo those sentiments. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

The revered singer and composer shares album Laughter in Summer, a love letter of memory, grief and joy, created with his wife and artistic partner Elizabeth. From the moment we are born, we begin the long walk home. Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Elizabeth started down the path together nearly half a century ago, and have been trailing it since, hand in hand and song by song. Together, they’ve made a life sharing their hearts through art and community, encouraging us all to take our own dance down the road with elemental love and grace. Now, as Glenn lives with a form of dementia known as LATE, their walk has taken on a different weight. Out of this season comes Laughter in Summer, an album the couple made together - a tender ledger of memories, shared devotion, grief and joy. Growing out of a friendship and partnership rooted in music and spirituality, their romance only emboldened their shared vocation to make art in service of community. Laughter in Summer marks a return to the collaborative spirit that first bound Elizabeth and Glenn together all those decades ago. Now, Elizabeth has taken her place as producer of Glenn’s work, shaping Laughter in Summer alongside their music director, Alex Samaras. Each track was recorded in a single take with a choir of Canadian voices, creating a work that recalls their shared history and communicates the enduring power of love. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Devonté Hynes premieres sublime new compositions alongside Tariq Al-Sabir, Adam Tendler and Cæcilie Trier. Devonté Hynes is one of contemporary music’s most remarkable figures - ‘The polymath musician is a whole new model of artist, daubing his signature sensibility over music, film, dance and everything else he touches.’ (New York Times) In this premiere performance of new compositions, Hynes brings together an ensemble of glittering talent. Tariq Al-Sabir is an internationally distinguished interdisciplinary artist, composer and music director whose work spans performance, improvisation, sound design, movement, poetry, theatre and film, with a practice rooted in genre-fluid experimentation and collaboration. Grammy-nominated pianist Adam Tendler is a pioneer of DIY culture in classical music who has been called ‘the hottest pianist on the American contemporary classical scene’ (Minneapolis Star Tribune). Cæcilie Trier is a critically acclaimed cellist, singer and composer whose classical training infuses her varied and boundary-pushing musical projects and collaborations. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

The South London-raised producer, composer and drummer brings emotion, intensity and rhythmic, spiritual energy to his electrifying live performances. The Brit Award-nominated artist Yussef Dayes is a tour de force behind the drums who brings an exhilarating combination of technical prowess and deep feeling. Dayes’ Ivor Novello-winning debut solo studio album, Black Classical Music, propelled him into the musical spotlight. The record featured on multiple 2023 ‘best of the year’ lists from the likes of Spotify, NPR Music, Rough Trade, BBC Radio 6 Music, the Boston Globe, PopMatters and AllMusic. Just a quick glance at the collaborators on the album serves as a clear testament to Dayes’ work: Masego, Chronixx, Jamilah Barry and Tom Misch all feature, to name a few. Dayes’ sold-out tours have taken his music across the UK and around the world. Online, his popularity is clear - he became the first-ever solo drummer to headline a viral A Colors Show performance, amassing over 3.2 million views in three weeks. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Age Recommendation 2 - 7 years Performance Dates 11 Dec 2026 - 3 Jan 2027 Performance Times Various at 10.20am or 1.30pm Content Warning TBC Run time TBC Venue Queen Elizabeth Hall About There's a Bear on My Chair They’re a mischievous pair, are the mouse and the bear… pull up a seat for puppets aplenty and lots of laughs as Ross Collins’ books come alive on stage. Poor Mouse! A Bear has settled in his favourite chair and it isn’t big enough to share. Mouse tries all kinds of tactics to move the pesky Bear, but nothing seems to work. Before long, the tables are turned, and Bear finds himself with an unwelcome guest of his own … the cheeky Mouse won’t leave his house! In this visually enchanting stage adaptation of Ross Collins’ much-loved books, which are bursting with character and invention, puppeteer Toby Olié (Spirited Away, Animal Farm and War Horse) brings Bear and Mouse to life with the magic of puppetry. Returning to the Southbank Centre this Christmas, There’s a Bear on My Chair is the perfect festive treat for families – a heartwarming, funny and enchanting theatrical experience for children and grown-ups to treasure together. Based on the books There’s a Bear on My Chair and There’s a Mouse in My House by Ross Collins, licensed by Nosy Crow Limited and adapted for stage and directed by Toby Olié. Presented by Fuel in association with the Southbank Centre.

The singer and songwriter is a master of heartfelt lyrics and splendid storytelling. Stephen Fretwell’s honest songwriting and folk, rock and indie-infused style are introspective, often deeply touching and a favourite among other artists. His songs have been recorded by big names including Self Esteem, Arctic Monkeys and Michael Ball. As a performer, Fretwell has shared the stage with The Pogues, Elbow and Feist, as well as touring in support of his own album releases. His song ‘Run’ is a familiar signal of comfort and warmth for millions of households as the iconic theme song of the BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey. The ticket price includes a £2 venue restoration levy. Part of Harry Styles' Meltdown. For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.