Pale Waves

Manchester’s Pale Waves bring their hook-laced indie pop, synth shimmer and pop-rock bite to KOKO, London, on 25 September 2026. Led by singer-guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie with drummer Ciara Doran, guitarist Hugo Silvani and bassist Charlie Wood, the band has drawn a clear line between glossy melodies and darker, goth-tinged imagery since breaking out with There’s a Honey and the EP All the Things I Never Said. Across My Mind Makes Noises and Who Am I?, they’ve honed diaristic songwriting about love, identity and vulnerable moments, then pushed the gain with Unwanted, leaning into a punchier pop-punk and alt-rock feel.

On stage, that evolution translates into bright guitars, immediate choruses and a taut energy built for a packed room. Expect a set stitching early fan favourites to newer cuts with more grit, shifting from synth-led rushes to riff-driven release without losing their pop core. The dynamic between Baron-Gracie’s sharp melodies and Doran’s rhythmic pulse anchors the show, while Silvani and Wood drive the hooks home. At KOKO, Pale Waves channel intimate confession into collective sing-alongs, balancing shadow and sheen in a set made for catharsis.