Features Live & Kicking: Looking back on DIY’s 100th celebrations

It’s been six long, lonely months since we took in the sweet, slightly sweaty smell of live music - and not even the firmest believers in the incoming powers of Libra season really know what the fuck’s going to happen next - but for one glorious week in September, there was a much-needed light at the end of the tunnel.

Setting up shop at Walthamstow’s Signature Brew taproom, we marked our big 100th issue (presents welcomed - our postal address is on the website…) with a week of sensible, socially-distanced gigs and DJ sets. And you know what? Sitting down watching some of our faves rock out didn’t even feel weird.

Kicking off the week with a special DJ set, cover stars IDLES’ mustachioed guitarist Mark Bowen proved that dropping Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas’ before autumn’s even really settled in is actually a glorious idea. While closing things off on the Friday, Sports Team’s resident double act Al’n’Oli redeemed themselves from their minimal techno DJ set for our virtual lockdown DIYsolation festival with a bangers-filled party slot. Thank the lord.

In between those most delightful of bookends, meanwhile, came gigs - real ones! - courtesy of three artists who’ve graced their fair share of pages across the last 100 mags.