South London really showed up!

Last week, September 8th to 11th, we made our way to Peckham for TONES of LONDON, for intimate performances and unexpected collaborations in packed rooms filled with excited fans and curious audiences.

Now, we want to share a few highlights from our team, the moments that stayed with us, and the energy from the people who showed up and made the week what it was.

We kicked our evening events off with Dialled In, celebrating the launch of their new record label, showcasing how wide South Asian sound can stretch. From melodic, hypnotic instrumentation paired with meditative elements, to unforgettable vocal runs by Amrit Kaur during a rendition of “A Change Is Gonna Come”, groovy, upbeat pop layered with guitar riffs from Ray Laurél, and dynamic DJ sets.

On Wednesday night, Florence Road took the stage for a performance and special live Q&A, drawing a devoted crowd of fans, some who had been waiting in line since 9 AM that morning, and others who had travelled from outside of England, including a grandmother and granddaughter who had recently seen the band perform in another country and came to London to see them again.

On Thursday, KTmelodies & Friends took things up a few gears. The night started with DJ sets before turning into a surprise live show, with KTmelodies bringing guest artists including Sainté, F3miii and Enny to the stage. The unexpected collaborations brought high-energy that kept changing the pace of the room, with the crowd locked in from start to finish.

For our Head of Curation, Jimmy, there was something particularly special about watching KTmelodies perform in South London, an area he calls home. There was a natural ease to his presence on stage, confident and completely in his element. For Jimmy, it felt like watching an artist on the brink of a breakout, with the sense that a much bigger moment could be just around the corner.

Friday night brought Oracle Collective to the TONES stage for a jam session. The whole show felt exactly how a jam session should: artists stepping on and off the stage, sharing the space, responding to each other sonically, and leaving just enough room for things to happen naturally.

Rachel, our Junior Curation Manager, described it as seamless, as though the artists were making it up as they went, while the audience stayed completely engaged, dancing throughout the set.

KYRA was a particular standout for Jimmy. He shared that her performance stopped him in his tracks. Despite having other work to get to, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the room, staying mesmerized until she stepped off the stage.

During the day, the TONES spaces offered a different pace. Kyra (same name, different person), COLORS’ Chief of Staff, described the Ballantine’s tasting as “a cultural experience”, where guests learned to experience whiskey through sight, taste, smell and, with a curated COLORS playlist, sound. Rachel also got a chance to see the 10 Years of COLORS exhibition, Gold Thread Marketplace's vintage market and the Listening Bar, enjoying the way people could move freely between performances, exhibits, drinks and conversations.

To close out the week, we headed into central London for a final night at Outernet Live, with M Huncho, Bawo, JayaHadADream, Sparklmami, MURPHY and Saint Demarcus bringing their own takes on UK rap and alternative R&B to the stage.

Rachel’s favourite moments included watching Nectar Woode light up at the chance to see Sparklmami, a small reminder of something that kept happening all week: artists showing up as fans, giving each other their flowers, and sharing the same excitement as everyone else in the room.

Maybe that’s what we’ll remember most: not just the performances, but the feeling around them. Different sounds, different generations, different corners of London, all sharing the same rooms.

And now, we’re taking that feeling with us to Paris next month for our next TONES!

Hopefully see you then!