5 must-see livestream sets to tune into this October

Livestreams are still popping off in lieu of 'proper gigs', so here's a list of sets this month we implore you to see.

Posted: 7 October 2020 Words: Tom Curtis-Horsfall

Whilst the majority of government's across the world continue to leave the live music industry by the wayside (particularly the UK, after Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak's egregious comments yesterday) livestreams are becoming more regular, and more vital. Considering lockdown restrictions seem to be tightening, we're going to need them to get a quick fix of joyous jams to keep us fixated on a return to normality throughout what's looking to be a bleak winter.

No need to be entirely downbeat however, as there's still a sumptuous calendar of album releases to keep us plugged into our headphones for the next six months. And they often come with accompanying promotional livestream performances due to the distinct lack of touring schedule. Not ideal, but for those with a 'glass half full' disposition, result!

Here's our must-see livestream sets for this month:

Future Islands present: A Stream Of You And Me - 9th October, 20:00 BST

2020, as for many musicians, marks the year in which they didn't perform at all, in front of actual people at least. Streamed live from their hometown Baltimore, Future Islands ensure this year doesn't go completely performance-free, with a one-off livestream set on the release day of sixth-album As Long As You Are. Renowned for frontman Samuel T. Herring's baritone wail and engrossing on-stage persona, expect a majestic set of newbies and career highlights. If you wanna stay up late, that is.

Buy tickets to the stream here.

The Wedding Present, Live Worldwide Stream From Brighton - 10th October, 20:00 BST

The legendary 80s indie rock band will draw from their hefty back catalogue for this hour-long set, filmed in a currently unknown spot on the South Coast in Brighton. It'll be streaming for 24 hours after it initially airs, so don't fret if you've already planned Saturday beers.

Buy tickets to the stream here.

Arlo Parks: Dummy Live - 11th October, 20:00 BST

Straight-up one of Britain's brightest songwriting talents, bedroom-pop troubadour Arlo Parks is seriously picking up momentum, and this is a prime chance to understand the hype. In conjunction with streaming platform On Air, Dummy Mag are utilising industry production heavyweights for the performance, promising new material and potential guests too. Same goes for Skepta and Octavian shows in the days proceeding.

Buy tickets to the stream here.

Glass Animals: Live In The Internet - 15th October, 20:00 BST

The conceptual psych-pop outfit already adopt vibrant, forward-thinking aesthetics with their live performances, so embracing technology for this striking audio-visual set is a given. Vouching for audience interaction and other pioneering aspects to the livestream experience, Glass Animals look to make headway in the medium. One for the history books?

Buy tickets to the livestream here.

METZ: Live From The Opera House in Toronto - 17th October, 20:00 BST

These chaps make one hell of a racket, likely why they've achieved an unlikely cross-over success between both indie and hardcore heads. Arguably the reason IDLES also invited them on tour last December also, despite the possibility of the place being trashed before the Bristol boys even came on stage. New album Atlas Vending is out on Sub Pop this Friday (9th October), and early reviews touts it as their magnum opus. This is definitely a set to satiate the time between now and when live music returns, so headbanging in the front room is entirely acceptable.

Buy tickets to the livestream here.