Leigh-Anne plays Kokoon Oct 28 [Lucy & Lydia]

ANY readers old enough to remember the scrappy children’s character Bagpuss? Celebrate 50 years of the pink and white striped stuffed moggy at Cecil Sharp House on Oct 26 as its songs and stories are brought to life by Bagpuss music writers Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner, the voices of Madeleine and Gabriel (and several mice) from the TV series, and award-winning folk duo Nancy Kerr and James Fagan. For young and old, attendees are encouraged to dress as their favourite Bagpuss character – mouse masks provided!

• Get an insight into Baxter Dury’s musical influences when he takes over the decks at Dingwalls on Oct 26 for a special DJ set.

• Quirky actress / singer and nepo baby Maya Hawke – who returns to Netflix 80s teen hit Stranger Things for series five next year – brings her side-hustle back to London next year when she plays Islington Academy on July 14 and The Forum on July 16. She has a presence about her – worth a listen.

• Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne brings her debut solo headline tour to Koko on Oct 28. Expect to hear songs from debut EP No Hard Feelings.

• Camden staples – these days via Margate and France – The Libertines return to the borough with their latest album All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade with three nights at the Roundhouse on Oct 30-Nov 1. Return to the messy heyday of the 90s – the fashion is back, has the music ever gone away?!

• Godfather Drum ‘n Bass label Metalheadz marks the final show of its 30th anniversary celebrations with a special set with the extended crew and DJ sets at Koko on Oct 18 ft Goldie B2B Special Request, Ant TC1, Benny L, DJ Storm, Doc Scott and many more.

• Darbar Festival of Indian Classical Music returns to Barbican with four days of spectacular concerts, workshops, lectures and free family events across the venue. This year’s line-up includes performances from Pandit Kushal Das + Ashwini Bhide Deshpande celebrating midnight ragas through the sitar, followed by the Jaipur-Atruli style of khayal (imagination) vocal; a south Indian concert known as a kacheri headlined by Aruna Sairam and a thrilling tabla duet from Pandit Anindo and his son Anubrata Chatterjee. As well as musical performances, the festival features yoga, breathwork, sound baths, mediation, and pop-up markets. There will also be an Indian Music Appreciation Course. The festival will mark its 20th anniversary next year with a concert by virtuoso sitarist Niladri Kumar (Feb 11) and Guru Nanak’s Message of Peace through Music, a celebratory performance inspired by the founder of the Sikh dharam, Guru Nanak (1469-1539), on April 6.

• Head to Brixton for something a little different on Oct 19. The Enemy and The Subways will be covering each other’s songs at Brixton Academy. Support comes from The Holloways.

More upcoming gigs

Oct 18 – Cat Burns, Roundhouse; Nala Sinephro, Barbican;  Mallory Knox, Electric Ballroom; Pale Waves, Here @ Outernet; The Pistols + The Ramonas + Buzzkocks, Islington Academy; Kitty-May + Amber Liadan, The Fiddler’s Elbow;

Oct 18-19 – Maximo Park, Islington Assembly Hall;

Oct 19 – Oysterband + June Tabor, Barbican; Nasty C, Jazz Cafe; All Day Chaos in the CBD, Roundhouse; Aslan + Verbons Future, Islington Academy; The Pioneers, The Forge; Scandinavian Fruit + Sweet Anna + Snöwy + The Liaisons, The Fiddler’s Elbow; Martin Stephenson & The Daintees, The Lexington;

Oct 20 – Silver Cain + The Skive + The Harrison Affair, The Dublin Castle; Starset – Immersion: The Final Chapter, Roundhouse; Guy Davis, The Water Rats;

Oct 21 –  Banks, Koko; BLK ODYSSY, Jazz Cafe; Stogie T, 100 Club; Angeline Morrison, Green Note; UNKLE presents Ronin live, Here @ Outernet; Caravan Palace + Boogie Belgique, Roundhouse;

Oct 22 – The Hard Quartet (Emmett Kelly, Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney + Jim White), Electric Ballroom; Ashbeck, Lafayette; Wallows, Alexandra Palace; Henry Grace, Green Note;

Oct 23 – High Llamas, The Lexington; Brandon Nembhard, The Social; Himalayas, The Underworld; Divorce, Islington Assembly Hall; DoFlame, The Lower Third; The Vaccines + T Truman, Roundhouse; Naomi Bedford and the Ramshackle Band, Cecil Sharp House; BloodWizard, Islington Assembly Hall;

Oct 24 – The 5, 6, 7, 8s + The Voo Dooms, The Forge; Molchat Doma, Roundhouse; Lacuna Coil: In The Meantime … + Blind Channel, Roundhouse; Tim Gallagher, The Camden Assembly; Ragz Originale, Koko; Cosmo’s Midnight, The Garage;

Oct 25 –  Bywater Call, Dingwalls; The Undertones + Pete Wylie & The Mighty Wah!, Electric Ballroom; The Lovely Eggs, The Garage; Borough Council, The Lexington; Tom Rasmussen, Koko;

Oct 26 – Shaila Prospere, The Forge; EMF + Jesus Jones + Echobelly, The Forum; Billy Porter, Palladium; The Estimators + Ball of Fire + Selecta Paul + We Got Killers, The Dublin Assembly;

Oct 26 + Nov 2 – Halloween, Club de Fromage & Not Another Indie Disco ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’, Islington Academy;

Oct 27 – Old Sea Brigade, Lafayette; Ian Prowse (Amsterdam / Pele) and Amsterdam Mersey Hymns, Jazz Cafe; Grime Isn’t Dead, The Camden Club;

Oct 28 – The Pioneers, 229; Elijah Fox, Union Chapel; Henry Moodie + James McVey & Ben Ellis, Roundhouse;

Oct 29 – Public Service Broadcasting + Halo Maud, Roundhouse; Halmia, The Social; Fantastic Negrito, Islington Assembly Hall; Nana M Rose, Cafe Koko; Lalalar, The Garage; Johnny Hunter, The Black Heart; Stephen Wilson Jr + Zandi Holup, Scala;

Oct 30 – Berries, Lexington; Liana Flores, Lafayette; Maddie Morris, Green Note; Forest Claudette, The Forge; CG5, Islington Academy.