11 h. ago Prominent UK women tell rightwingers: stop linking immigration to sexual abuse

Exclusive: Open letter says politicians are exploiting violence against women ‘to fuel hate and division’Prominent women including cultural figures, politicians and campaigners have signed a letter criticising rightwing attempts to link sexual violence in Britain to asylum seekers.Signatories include the musicians Paloma Faith, Charlotte Church and Anoushka Shankar as well as Labour, Green and independent MPs including Kim Johnson, Ellie Chowns, Diane Abbott and Zarah Sultana. Continue reading...

Events

29 h. ago Gorillaz review – after 25 years, Damon Albarn’s cartoon band are still riveting and relevant

Copper Box Arena, LondonDressed like a vicar, Albarn leads his band – joined by a choir, a string quartet, De La Soul and more – in renewing Demon Days’ downbeat dramaGorillaz are 25. In 2000, this cartoon-fronted project seemed like something fun for Damon Albarn to do between Blur albums, hiding behind Jamie Hewlett’s comic-book animations, but they’ve overtaken Blur almost everywhere but Britain. The number of children in the audience testifies to Gorillaz’s powers of self-rejuvenation – an ever-changing vehicle for Albarn’s ceaseless curiosity.Gorillaz are marking the occasion with an immersive exhibition, House of Kong, and four era-specific shows. This second night revives 2005’s Demon Days. Co-produced by Danger Mouse, it remains the most satisfying expression of the Gorillaz concept: focused in both its themes (innocence and violence) and personnel (rappers and the rap-adjacent). Dressed like a hip vicar, Albarn serves double duty as a frontman and a conscientious host, alth...

Politics

29 h. ago Gorillaz review – after 25 years, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s cartoon band are still riveting and relevant

Copper Box Arena, LondonDressed like a vicar, Albarn leads his band – joined by a choir, a string quartet, De La Soul and more – in renewing Demon Days’ downbeat dramaGorillaz are 25. In 2000, this cartoon-fronted project seemed like something fun for Damon Albarn to do between Blur albums, hiding behind Jamie Hewlett’s comic-book animations, but they’ve overtaken Blur almost everywhere but Britain. The number of children in the audience testifies to Gorillaz’s powers of self-rejuvenation – an ever-changing vehicle for Albarn’s ceaseless curiosity.Gorillaz are marking the occasion with an immersive exhibition, House of Kong, and four era-specific shows. This second night revives 2005’s Demon Days. Co-produced by Danger Mouse, it remains the most satisfying expression of the Gorillaz concept: focused in both its themes (innocence and violence) and personnel (rappers and the rap-adjacent). Dressed like a hip vicar, Albarn serves double duty as a frontman and a conscientious host, alth...

Politics

64 h. ago Gorillaz joined by special guests as they play Demon Days album in full

The band are playing four shows at the Copper Box Arena on east London’s Olympic Park.

Politics

3 d. ago The Guide #206: Indie bands are quitting Spotify, what could it mean for the future of music streaming?

In this week’s newsletter: T he platform has shaped how music is consumed a nd how it is valued. But recent controversies suggest the bargain may no longer feel worth itAt the moment, the Spotify exodus of 2025 is a trickle rather than a flood. A noticeable trickle, like a leak from the upstairs bathroom dribbling down the living room wall, but nothing existential yet. The five notable bands who have left Spotify in the past month – shoegazers Hotline TNT last week, joining Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, Godspeed You! Black Emperor (GY!BE) and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – are well liked in indie circles, but aren’t the sorts to rack up billions of listens. Still, it feels significant if only because, well, this sort of thing wasn’t really supposed to happen any more.Plenty of bands and artists refused to play ball with Spotify in its early years, when the streamer still had work to do before achieving total ubiquity. But at some point there seemed to a collective recognition that resis...

Events

3 d. ago Gorillaz kick off run of four London shows with debut album in full

It was the first time the band had performed at their House Of Kong venue in the Copper Box Arena at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Culture

5 d. ago Gorillaz – House of Kong review: Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's exhibition is magical, musical alchemy

A quarter of a century on, Albarn and Hewlett are still legions ahead of the pack

Politics

1 week ago The Celebrity Traitors is coming in October: From Stephen Fry to Paloma Faith, who is in the final line

Celebrity Traitors is coming to TV screens in October, but which stars will be trying to deceive the faithfuls?

Politics

1 week ago Hidden message behind Gorillaz 'exposed' as fans 'work out' meaning 27 years on

Gorillaz, a virtual band thought up by Blur mastermind Damon Albarn, have been going for almost three decades and fans are beginning to theorise what their name means

Politics

2 w. ago Gorillaz – House of Kong review: Damon Albarn's exhibition is magical, musical alchemy

A quarter of a century on, Albarn and Hewlett are still legions ahead of the pack

Politics

2 w. ago Rats painting mini masterpieces using paws as teen sells them for £500 a pop

Ella Woodland decided to see if her eight pet rodents had an artistic flare when she let them play with some paints, using their paws on mini canvases - she now sells the prints on Vinted

Economics

2 w. ago I've made £2,000 on Vinted from selling paintings made by my pet RATS

Ella Woodland, 18, from Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, was curious to see whether her eight pet rodents had any artistic qualities and therefore let them play with paint in February.

Economics

3 w. ago Paloma Faith, Lola Young and The Cure urge Starmer to block Rosebank development

The letter urges the Government to follow the science and states ‘any new application to exploit Rosebank’s reserves must be refused’.

Politics

3 w. ago Bastille and Damon Albarn among artists announced for Brian Eno’s Palestine gig

The event will take place at the OVO Arena Wembley next month.

Politics

3 w. ago ‘Together For Palestine’: Damon Albarn, Bastille, James Blake and more for London charity gig

‘Together For Palestine’: Damon Albarn, Bastille, James Blake and more for London charity gig  NME

Politics

3 w. ago Damon Albarn and Paloma Faith among artists playing Brian Eno’s Palestine fundraising concert

Event at London’s Wembley Stadium aims to raise vital funds for humanitarian relief in stricken Gaza

Culture

3 w. ago Together For Palestine: Brian Eno, Damon Albarn & more to perform in solidarity and fundraise for Gaza

The event looks to raise funds for UK organisation Choose Love, in their efforts to provide aid to Palestinian-led humanitarian efforts

Politics

3 w. ago British holidaymaker arrested in Florida resort after 'trying to drown daughter

Mark Gibbon, who has worked on music videos for Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Paloma Faith, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and battery

Events