Goat Girl, Sweat, Cosmo Pyke, Girl Ray to play free Hello 2017 London shows

Every January, we take up residence in London’s The Old Blue Last, putting on a bunch of great free gigs featuring the best new bands.

In 2017, we’re putting on five free shows across the month. Headliners include the previously announced Dream Wife (who also play our Hello 2017 tour across the UK - more details), go-to escapists Swimming Tapes, South London hellraisers Goat Girl and the steamed-up pop of SWEAT.

We’ve also confirmed South East London teenager Cosmo Pyke, 80s-nodding newcomers Her’s, the alt-pop heroics of Girl Ray and the ravaged grunge of FISH.

Loads more bands are being announced soon, so it’s best if you keep every Tuesday in your diary free. RSVP on Facebook here.

For a foolproof guide to each act on the bill, head below.

Every Hello 2017 show is 18+. Turn up early to guarantee entry, as queues tend to snake round Curtain Road.

3rd January

The first Hello 2017 show is all about South London’s stupidly exciting scene, led by the almighty Goat Girl. Signed to Rough Trade, they’re an uncompromising, truth-spilling shock to the system.

Goat Girl

FISH played one of their first ever shows for Hello 2016, and they’ve taken huge steps up musically ever since, while also supporting Wolf Alice. We’re bringing them back for 2017.

FISH

One of the city’s most exciting live prospects, these guys have supported Partybaby and The Orwells in recent months. Their frustrated, razor-toothed noise has hints of something special.

Dead Pretties

Poetic, politically-charged newcomers YOWL made one of the year’s best EP’s with ‘Before the Sleep Sets In’.

YOWL

Swimming Tapes’ sun-dappled escapism dreams of journeying away from London - one listen will have you in another world.

10th January

6 Music favourites with a league of sharp-witted, fully-charged pop songs. The Moshi Moshi signings put out their first single this November.

Swimming Tapes

18-years-old, this newcomer somehow wound up on Frank Ocean’s ‘Nikes’ video earlier this year. His own first step, debut track ‘Social Sites’, is a genre-dodging statement of intent.

Girl Ray

Heady, slung-out pop for the 4am crowd, Jacob Allen captures London’s nights and their far-reaching, ponderous thoughts.

Cosmo Pyke

These guys require little introduction. The trio’s no-bullshit pop produces fireworks night after night, and they’re headlining our Hello 2017 tour. What a start to the year.

Puma Blue

The project of Meg Williams and Ben Thompson (ex-Nai Harvest), Luxury Death’s noisy embrace has already landed them a single deal on go-to label PNKSLM.

17th January

Last year’s Tom Vek-nodding ‘Summer/RIP’ remains one of the best low-key bangers around - since then, presumably, Venture Lows have been storing all the best stuff up for January’s show.

Dream Wife

Glasgow via London garage-rockers Dama Scout swerve between sentiment-laced songwriting and forthright, uncompromising fuzz.

Luxury Death

These South Londoners marry straight-up pop songwriting with a steamed-up, nightglow aesthetic.

Venture Lows

The Liverpool duo’s 80s-nodding pop helped define this summer. ‘What Once Was’ is especially special, a surefire chart-topper if it was released 30 years back.