London gigs and tours: the best of what's on now and what's coming up

London delivers the goods when it comes to gigs.

The capital is booming with top flight live music venues, from the Royal Albert Hall to the Roundhouse, the Brixton Academy to the Hammersmith Apollo.

Our city has hosted some of the most important concerts in history: Jimi Hendrix blowing the lid off The Scotch of St James in 1966, the Beatles calling it a day on the roof of their Savile Row offices in 1969, the Sex Pistols sailing down the Thames, thrashing away in a 'giant f*** you' to the Queen on her Silver Jubilee, 1977. Later came Queen – the band, this time – at Live Aid, stunning the world from Wembley Stadium in '85, and in 2007, Prince's 21 night residency at the O2.

There will, no doubt, be plenty more moments to come. Don't miss a single one; we've listed the best of what's on now, and what to make room for in your calendar.

The best gigs to see this week

The National

Sept 25-28, Eventim Apollo, W6 (0844 249 1000, eventimapollo.com)

Sleep Well Beast, the venerable indie band’s seventh album, just became their first UK number one. Now they have four shows to demonstrate why they keep getting better and better.

Anna of the North

Sept 26, Omeara, SE1 (0871 220 0260, omearalondon.com)

Norwegian Anna Lotterud and New Zealander Brady Daniell-Smith have made one of the synthpop albums of the year in their fantastic new debut, Lovers.

Lorde

Sept 27, Alexandra Palace, N22 (0870 444 5556, alexandrapalace.com)

At just 20, Ella Yelich-O'Connor has already performed with both David Bowie’s band and the remains of Nirvana. Her two solo albums of brooding, whipsmart pop show why she merits such lofty company.

The best gigs to book up this week

​Rostam

Nov 14, Courtyard Theatre, N1 (0844 477 1000, thecourtyard.org.uk)

Vampire Weekend escapee Rostam Batmanglij has made music with everyone from Frank Ocean to Carly Rae Jepsen. It’s the intricate, eclectic sounds of his debut solo album that he’ll be delving into here.

Soulwax

Dec 15-16, Roundhouse, NW1 (0870 389 1846, roundhouse.org.uk)

Belgian dance-rock brothers Stephen and David Dewaele are prolific DJs and remixers so have never really been away, but released their first studio album in 12 years this March.

Imagine Dragons

Feb 28, O2 Arena, SE10 (0844 824 4824, the02.co.uk)

The big-selling Las Vegas band are further than ever from traditional rock music on their latest album, the aptly titled Evolve. As the joyous single Thunder demonstrates, that’s no bad thing.

Stereophonics

March 2, SSE Arena, Wembley, HA9 (0844 815 0815, ssearena.co.uk)

The veteran Welsh rockers will release their tenth album in November, but don’t need you to hear the new songs to consider it worth booking to hear all the old hits on a spring tour.

Sigrid

March 14, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, W12 (0844 477 2000, o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk)

Norwegian Sigrid Solbakk Raabe’s bombastic single, Don’t Kill My Vibe, is good enough to make her Scandipop’s next breakout star. With only one EP released to date, she’s already announced this big show.

Aldous Harding

March 28, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, W12 (0844 477 2000, o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk)

If you can’t get into the exquisite Kiwi folk singer’s gig at Islington Assembly Hall in November, she’s just announced an even bigger one for next year.