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The 14 best things to see at SXSW London 2025

The 14 best things to see at SXSW London 2025

Time Out30-05-2025

SXSW London won't just be the debut South by Southwest festival in London but the first in all of Europe. Next week the event – for which Time Out is an official media partner – will take over dozens of iconic Shoreditch venues for a week-long feast of talks, panels, music concerts and film screenings.
Between June 2 and June 7 SXSW London will host literally hundreds of events: a total of 420 talks and panels, 250 film screenings and over 500 gigs. The lineup for the Texan festival's first London event is stacked with big names: included are talks by the likes of actor Idris Elba, comedian Katherine Ryan and footballer Cesc Fàbregas, and gigs from names such as Tems, Mabel and Erykah Badu (the latter performing under her alias DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown).
Heading to SXSW London but still undecided on who or what to see? Here's Time Out's list of the top things to look forward to at SXSW London, featuring the insights of our global film editor Phil de Semlyen and music expert Georgia Evans.
Music
Chosen by Georgia Evans.
Uncle Junior
These kids are far cooler than most of us were at 17 (did we all dress like we were desperate to be in Skins?), bursting onto the London underground music scene in a frenzy of harsh noise, hardcore and experimental rock. Erratic performances at The George and Shacklewell Arms have earned Uncle Junior cult status, despite only dropping two singles so far. The first, 'I Love You, Kenneth Copeland', is a fantastic summation of what the three-piece is all about: ironic lyrics, jagged production and chaotic, youthful energy.
Jaguar Shoes (Main Room), June 2 2025, 7-7.30pm.
Village Underground (Village Underground), June 3 2025, 4-4.30pm.
Pa Salieu
Rapper Pa Salieu first made headlines with his single 'Frontline', which was the most-played track of 2020 on BBC Radio 1Xtra. The following year he released the Ivor Novello-nominated mixtape Send Them to Coventry, cementing his place as one of the UK's most exciting emerging acts. Despite a break in releases (due to being incarcerated) Salieu is still making hits, such as the dancefloor-ready Disclosure single 'King Steps'. Catch him at SXSW to hear his blend of afrobeats, grime and UK drill in an intimate setting at Village Underground.
Village Underground (Village Underground), June 4 2025, 8-8.40pm.
TWST
Informed by the likes of AG Cook and Charli xcx (who played her lead single from the TWST0002 (Upgraded) EP, 'Upgrade (Crook's System Update)' in a DJ set), twst is a hyperpop protégé ready for global domination. Growing up in rural Wales, they spent their early years working at their father's chicken factory. Eventually, twst swapped the countryside for supporting slots with MØ, interviews on BBC Radio 1 and writing with K-pop powerhouse record label, HYBE. Prepare for a dynamic live performance that's filled with glistening electronic flourishes and ethereal vocals.
Jaguar Shoes (Main Room), June 6 2025, 10-10.35pm.
Jasmine 4.t
Manchester-based singer-songwriter Jasmine 4.t's debut album You Are The Morning was produced by US supergroup boygenius and received widespread critical praise upon its release earlier this year. The first UK act to be Phoebe Bridgers' Saddest Factory Records, Jasmine uses her music to shine a light on the saving graces of queer friendship and formative experiences of being a trans woman in this country. Her production methods span sorrowful string arrangements to ferocious guitar solos, all backed with intimate lyrics that make her an absolute must-see.
93 Feet East (Live Room), June 7 2025, 6-6.30pm.
DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown aka Erykah Badu
Performing as DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown, Erykah Badu will be performing alongside multi-instrumentalist Henry Lau on the House of R&B stage. Expect a cosmic blend of jazz, R&B, pop and experimental dance music closing the day of DJ Ace's carefully curated programme Everything R&B. This is an enticing and unusual way to catch the five-time Grammy winner in an intimate setting.
Shoreditch Town Hall (Shoreditch Town Hall Stage), June 6 2025, 11-11.59pm.
Film
Chosen by Phil de Semlyen.
The first ever SXSW London film programme offers a typically provocative, edgy and enticing array of movies, shorts and talks from the UK offshoot of the world-famous Austin arts festival. You'll find new films and new voices in its line-up – all of them exciting, all carefully curated to fit the new festival's ethos of discovery. There are two world premieres and 30 UK premieres at the festival – but plenty to look out for across the programme. Here's four films to look out for.
The Life Of Chuck
Love Stephen King? SXSW London is here for you with two new adaptations of the Maine horror legend's work. Alongside a serialisation of his 2019 sci-fi horror The Institute, a spiky sci-fi horror about telekinetic kids being experimented on in a mysterious facility, you'll find Mike Flanagan's (Doctor Sleep) take on this short story from the cheerier end of the King oeuvre. Tom Hiddleston plays an ordinary joe called Chuck Krantz who may hold the key to an impending apocalypse. Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan co-star.
June 7. Rich Mix Screen 1, 8.40pm-10.30pm and Curzon Hoxton Screen 1, 9.15pm-11.15pm.
Stans
The film strand of the festival kicks off with a sideways look at fan culture courtesy of Slim Shady himself, Eminem. The rapper co-produces a doc that turns the camera on fans and fan culture – from the enthusiasts to the obsessive stans – in a 'revealing, edgy, and disarmingly personal journey into the world of superfandom'. Its SXSW London world premiere should give the film programme a turbo-charged lift off.
June 2. Barbican Centre, Cinema Screen 1, 6.30pm-8.55pm.
June 5. Barbican Centre, Cinema Screen 1, 9.15pm-11pm.
Queer as Punk
One of the joys of any good film fest is the chance to dive into new cultures and learn a thing or two about what makes them tick. In the case of this raucous rock doc, it's raw, punk energy as embodied by queer Malay band Shh…Diam ('shut up'). It's a perceptive, empathetic and high-energy journey into what it's like to be trans and queer in a country where same-sex relationships remain illegal. Expect a music doc like no other as this unique four-piece lets rip.
June 5. Rich Mix Screen 1, 8.30pm-10.23pm.
June 7. Curzon Hoxton Screen 3, 2pm-3.38pm.
Everyone Is Lying To You For Money
Crypto bros come under the spotlight in The O.C. star-turned-filmmaker Ben McKenzie's cryptocurrency exposé, another SXSW London world premiere. Filmed over three years and spanning New York, London, Austin, El Salvador and Miami, it'll open your eyes to the shadowy corners of the crypto industry. McKenzie even tracks down big-name fraudsters like Sam Bankman-Fried and Alex Mashinsky to get the scoop on the dark side of crypto. Planning on investing your life's savings in Bitcoin? Book a ticket.
June 6. Rich Mix Screen 1, 6pm-7.55pm.
Talks and panels
Idris Elba
Award-winning actor and household name Idris Elba is one of SXSW London's headline conference speakers. The actor, who is also a musician, entrepreneur, anti-knife crime campaigner and rumoured future candidate for London's mayoralty, will be speaking in a talk named 'Creativity as Capital for Change'. He'll be talking about how creativity can be used as fuel for real economic and social transformation, as well as to 'challenge injustice and unlock new economic models'. If you can't get enough of Elba, he'll also feature in a Q&A alongside rappers Giggs and Nas after a showing of Meji Alabi's film Victory on Saturday (June 7).
Idris Elba in Conversation. Creativity as Capital for Change: Truman Brewery (SXSW London Stage), June 4 2025, 4.45pm-5.30pm.
Victory + Q&A. Shoreditch Town Hall (Shoreditch Town Hall Stage), June 7, 2025, 2pm-3.20pm.
Dame Jane Goodall
Dame Jane Goodall has spent over six decades studying chimpanzees, and at SXSW London she'll impart some of that wisdom upon lucky Londoners. What's more is that Dame Jane won't just be chatting chimps – the 91-year-old ethologist, conservationist and UN Messenger for Peace will be talking (with CNBC broadcaster Tania Bryer) about a wider range of topics including 'hope, humanity, and the future of our planet'. Couldn't be timelier and more essential, if you ask us.
In conversation with Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE. Truman Brewery (SXSW London Stage), June 3 2025, 3.10pm-3.55pm.
Bimini
Former Time Out cover star Bimini Bon Boulash will host a live episode of podcast The Pieces with Bimini at SXSW London, with reality TV star Olivia Attwood (of Love Island and The Only Way is Essex) as their guest. Drag queen, author, recording artist and model Bimini's podcast is all about revealing the moments that shaped their guests' identities, and the live edition will be at Shoreditch Town Hall on Friday.
The Pieces With Bimini. Shoreditch Town Hall (Shoreditch Town Hall Stage), June 6 2025, 12.05pm-12.35pm.
Dina Asher-Smith
Former world championship gold medal-winning runner Dina Asher-Smith will be joined by ELLE editor-in-chief Kenya Hunt to talk about the relationship between women in sport and luxury fashion. Asher-Smith, who is currently a contributing editor at ELLE and has been on the cover of the mag several times, will talk about the 'growing relationship between sport and luxury fashion', as well as delve into her career on and off the track.
How The Power of Women in Sport is Influencing Luxury Fashion. Shoreditch Town Hall (Shoreditch Town Hall Stage), June 6 2025, 1.05pm-1.35pm.
Various AI talks
Still baffled by AI? Over its six days SXSW London will host some of the biggest cheeses in artificial intelligence, here to discuss how AI will impact stuff like videomaking, business, journalism and industry, as well as talk about AI ethics. Our picks? 'The AI Voice Revolution' with Mati Staniszewski (CEO of AI audio firm ElevenLabs), 'AI in 2030' with Azeem Azhar (founder of future-focusing newsletter Exponential View) and 'The Video Revolution' with Victor Riparbelli of AI video company Synthesia.
The Video Revolution. Truman Brewery (SXSW London Stage), June 5 2025, 12.40pm-1.05pm.
The AI Voice Revolution. Truman Brewery (SXSW London Stage), June 4, 2025, 11.45am-2.10pm.
AI in 2030. Shoreditch Electric (Shoreditch Electric Stage), June 2, 2025, 10.15am-10.45am.

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But it was Skins - the seven series show about the hedonistic lives of Bristol sixth formers, which she joined later that year - which marked her real breakthrough. The actress said: 'I stand by some of Katie's decisions, not most of them. I 100 per cent believe she would have had an Only Fans, if she was a real person, by now. 'I think she would have done content with JJ [character on Skins, played by Ollie Barbieri]. 'I think she would have had him under her thumb and she would have been like, "Look, this is a good business decision". He was smart, he would do it.' Bella also asked, to simply an awkward laugh from Megan: 'Was Skins just a TV show or was it just a really long-form social experiment to see how much [E4] could push child exploitation laws?' She also questioned what life is like for the star now: 'On a scale of one to full breakdown in the smoking area, how hard is it handling fame in your thirties?' Megan replied: 'I mean, it's nice when Gen Z came up to me and recognise me from Skins. A 15-year-old did the other day and I felt relevant. 'But to be honest, I don't get really anyone coming up to me in the UK. In America, more so.' Skins was known for depicting notoriously heavy subject matter, such as mental illness, eating disorders and substance abuse - which both women commented on. Bella asked: 'How do you feel having the weight of an entire generation's teenage trauma on your shoulders, just from your role?' Megan responded: 'I mean, it's great, sorry guys.' The interviewer also joked: 'At what point did you realise that Skins was just preparation for dating emotionally stunted men in your twenties?' The actress laughed back: 'During, probably!' In reference to the star's varied career trajectory, Bella commented: 'Your character arc is way better than any Netflix movie that there is.' Megan spoke to The Sun in 2022 about her use of OnlyFans: 'If it wasn't for OnlyFans, I wouldn't have been able to survive the last two years without working seven days a week in menial jobs.' She started the page in April 2020, after a delay in getting furloughed: 'I had zero money and was told by a friend who has worked as a stripper for years that people were guaranteed to subscribe because they had watched me in Skins. Megan spoke out in 2022 about her use of OnlyFans: 'If it wasn't for OnlyFans, I wouldn't have been able to survive the last two years without working seven days a week in menial jobs.' 'I thought I may as well try and it went very well. I only do what I'm comfortable with and log on when I want to because it takes a lot out of you.' Before starting the page, she had participated in three bodybuilding competitions and attended an international championship. She had also tried out various odd jobs, from being security guard, to a nanny, to a children's entertainer - before working as a dancer at a strip club. She explained: 'I'm in a much more privileged position than some others in the sex industry but for me, it takes away the stress of paying bills and allows me to have the energy to be creative.' Megan spoke of the stigma surrounding sex work, disproportionately affecting women: 'It's potentially career-ruining for a woman, despite people loving Channing Tatum when he performed in a neon G-string in real life.' The actress just finished two runs of a one-woman show - called Really Good Exposure, like her podcast - at London's Soho Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with another to return to the former venue in September. The synopsis reads: 'Molly was a child star, now she's considering getting into porn. 'What would you do if your acting career peaked in 2009 (well before the MeToo movement) and you hadn't booked another role in years? 'Exposed for working as a stripper, dumped by her agent and shunned by the public, Molly's giving mainstream success one last shot. 'Enter a world of child stars, strip clubs and casting couches – and question what it means to earn a living as a performer.' Megan has also been diagnosed with autism and ADHD in recent years, taking to Instagram in 2023 to get candid about her experience. She admitted pretending to be neurotypical made her 'exhausted, anxious and depressed', as she called for more conversations about women with autism. The actress also confessed at the time, she still had not told some family members about having autism, for fear their response would be 'pretty upsetting.' Megan insisted autism 'isn't a superpower' but could be a 'gift' if the world were more accessible to neurodiverse individuals. She wrote: 'In December 2021, I was diagnosed as autistic. 'Since then I've been slowly getting comfortable with explaining this to people I know but I've been nervous to say anything on here about it because of how badly misunderstood autism in women is by most people... She admitted pretending to be neurotypical made her 'exhausted, anxious and depressed', as she called for more conversations about women with autism 'When I was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, telling people didn't feel as nervewracking as telling everyone I'm autistic feels. 'And I think because despite ADHD in women still being misunderstood, there is at least starting to be a decent amount of resources available for people to learn more about it. The same can't be said for autism in women.' 'When I've told people I am autistic, the response I've got most often is something along the lines of, "Well, everyone's on the spectrum a bit", which, although it might be well-intentioned, is a pretty s*** response to someone telling you they're autistic. 'Firstly, that response sounds like you're trying to console the autistic person by saying, "Don't feel bad, we're all a bit like that", which implies that not only is autism a bad thing, but it also completely invalidates the struggles that that autistic person may have experienced throughout their life.' Megan explained how some people downplay her diagnosis as if it's 'not a big deal because it's something everyone experiences and you're just not as good at dealing with it'. It comes after news in recent years that many members of the young cast of Skins felt 'unprotected 'during 'compromising' sex scenes and a lack of safeguarding. Skins captivated its audience with gritty and realistic storylines. Moving away from glossy American teen dramas, the E4 series shone a spotlight on the antics of adolescents as they experimented with drugs, sex and partying. It was hailed for its approach to real life issues, as its characters dealt with wide-ranging problems from mental health struggles to addiction. The programme was dubbed the first of its kind, casting real teenagers to play college students of the same age to achieve an edgy and raw result. Viewers watched as carnage ensued in each episode, where drug-fuelled house parties and raves were the norm, as were the crashing come downs the next day. But since the show aired, many of its cast members have admitted they were living the same life off-screen, with little support. The show garnered controversy for its glamorous portrayal of sex and drugs, especially with regard to its young actors, who later said they felt 'unprotected'. Kaya Scodelario, who played Effy Stonem, for instance, has previously shared her thoughts on the matter. Speaking on the Dish podcast with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Harnett last year, Kaya said: 'Back then, there wasn't the same amount of safeguarding with young actors, there wasn't anyone checking if we were okay.' It follows a long line of claims from her Skins alumni, including April Pearson, Jack O'Connell, Laya Lewis and Nicholas Hoult.

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