Sound recordists Chris Watson and Izabela Dłużyk present new work in the old John Lewis. A performance and installation based on field recordings made at Puszcza Białowieska – Europe’s last remaining primaeval forest, on the Poland–Belarus border.
Music picks
Make some dates with excellent bands and artists, with a hand from our Tom's picks of the gigs coming soon in Sheffield – or streaming online from the city to the digital world.
Browse the What's On calendar for even more music events.
Chris Watson and Izabela Dluzyk present Bialowieska
Fri. 12 September 2025 — Sat. 13 September 2025
Cole Store (former John Lewis building), Barker's Pool, Cambridge Street, S1 1EP
Lunar Dirt, Desired Effect, Knorke
Sat. 13 September 2025
Hatch
All the way from Australia, Lunar Dirt use analog synths and live drums to create hypnotic, otherworldly dance music. Desired Effect play dub inspired post-punk, while Knorke take influence from psychedelia, kraut-rock and weird time signatures.
Interworld x 2 Crends Deep: Renslink, Kom Kom, sclews @ FORGE Workroom
Fri. 12 September 2025 — Sat. 13 September 2025
FORGE Warehouse, 148 Effingham Road, S4 7ZB
A night of live electronics, DJing and CRT visuals at the FORGE Workroom – a skeumorphic good time!
Alpaca Festival
Fri. 12 September 2025 — Sat. 20 September 2025
A festival on algorithmic pattern-making in anything from heritage crafts to tech. With an algorave, a concert with pattern-based instrumental music, talks and workshops around patterns in juggling, textiles, music and more.
Folk Balladry
Sat. 20 September 2025
Juno Books
Join Jennifer Reid, along with Sheffield Feminist Archive at Juno Books, for a morning spent together exploring folk balladry to mark the autumn equinox.
Float Along Festival
Sat. 27 September 2025
Float Along music festival returns to Sheffield city centre to do it all again for the third year running.
Mark Fell and Okkyung Lee
Sat. 27 September 2025
Firth Hall
Electronic innovator Mark Fell teams up with South Korean cellist Okkyung Lee for a night of glitchy textures and visceral cello.
Modern Nature
Fri. 3 October 2025
Sidney & Matilda
Modern Nature create meandering, elegant and expansive soundscapes on themes of nature, religion, social ignorance and literature. Support comes from Ancient History, a new project from James Levitt (Tye Die Tapes) and Eoin Loveless (Drenge).
Hidden Track
Multiple dates
The Beaten Track, 44–46 Campo Lane, S1 2DE
A free monthly contemporary classical music night. Half programmed performances, followed by a jam for both experienced and new improvisers alike.
Footprints Open Jazz Jam
Multiple dates
Alder
An open jam session led by the Footprints house band. All musicians and vocalists are invited to join – or just come down to enjoy the music.
Three Acres and a Cow
Thu. 9 October 2025
Crucible Theatre
A history of land rights and protest in folk song and story. Part history talk, part folk club sing-a-long, part storytelling session.
No Bounds
Fri. 10 October 2025 — Sun. 12 October 2025
A weekend of bleeps, beats and sweaty grins – bringing together music, visual art and technology. Lineup for 2025 to be confirmed.
The Divine Comedy
Thu. 16 October 2025
Sheffield City Hall
Formed in Northern Ireland in 1989 The Divine Comedy are known for their lavish orchestral arrangements, depiction of British cultural archetypes and dry wit. Back with their 13th album, on mortality, memories, relationships and political upheaval.
Self Esteem
Sat. 18 October 2025
Sheffield Arena, 45 Broughton Lane, S9 2DF
Rotherham’s own Self Esteem has spent the past few years conquering the UK to become a fully fledged pop icon. Rebecca Lucy Taylor's live shows invoke celebration and joy, laughter and tears, introspection and moments of shared ecstasy.
Harben Kay Quartet
Fri. 24 October 2025
Crookes Social Club, Mulehouse Road, S10 1TD
A Sheffield Jazz debut for tenor saxophonist Harben Kay with a stellar rhythm section. Kay's original compositions reflect their experiences in their homeland of Scotland, time spent living in London and New York, and themes of identity and change.
Sounds Of Now: Konnakol, Drum Kit and Code
Sat. 8 November 2025
Playhouse
Konnakol (vocal percussive music from the South Indian Carnatic tradition) artist BC Manjunath, live-coder Alex McLean and drummer Matt Davies present an evening of live-coded electronic music and percussion.
Ibibo Sound Machine
Sat. 8 November 2025
Foundry, Sheffield Students' Union, Western Bank, S10 2TG
Formed in London and fronted by charismatic Nigerian singer Eno Williams, Ibibo Sound Machine fuse disco, post-punk, electro and West African highlife. Known for their high-energy performances, it might be a good idea to fuel up before the show.
Golden Dregs
Thu. 13 November 2025
Delicious Clam
The Golden Dregs' latest album Godspeed is a paean to the people of London set to an indie rock soundtrack. Frontman and founder Benjamin Woods delivers stories and vignettes in a lulling baritone often compared to Leonard Cohen and Bill Callahan.
Get Together
Sat. 16 May 2026
Kelham Island
A joyous one-day festival of independent music, taking over warehouses, breweries and bars of Kelham Island and Neepsend. Save the date and come back soon for details of the Get Together 2026 lineup and tickets.
Sheffield Chamber Music Festival
Playhouse
Nine days of intimate and inviting classical music performances for all ages. Sheffield Chamber Music Festival usually takes place each May – come back soon for details of the 2026 event.