Rough Trade to takeover London’s Southbank Centre to celebrate 50th birthday
Pulp, Scritti Politti and caroline to lead the celebrations with unique one-off gigs taking place between 17-19 July 2026
Rough Trade Books to stage two special events, plus a special screening of Ken Loach’s Kes with live orchestra will close the weekend
Rough Trade Records is set to mark 50 years since its beginnings with a one-off, special series of concerts and events at London’s Southbank Centre, which will take place between 17 and 19 July 2026.
The weekend will see Pulp play the Royal Festival Hall on Saturday 18 July, performing their latest album More in full before exploring their back catalogue. On the same day, Scritti Politti will make a welcome return to the stage, playing two shows in Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Scritti Politti will play a matinee set at 3pm, before returning for a second show that evening at 8pm.
On Sunday, 19 July caroline will play a show in the Queen Elizabeth Hall with special guests My New Band Believe, while on the same afternoon Jarvis Cocker will introduce Ken Loach’s classic 1969 film Kes in the Royal Festival Hall. The unique screening will feature the soundtrack being performed live by an orchestra.
Rough Trade Books will also present two events during the weekend, hosting an evening of one-off performances and readings with their writers, artists and collaborators on Friday 17 July in Queen Elizabeth Hall, before producing a new staging of Hannah Patterson’s debut novel Ungone in the Purcell Rooms on Saturday 18 July.
A presale for Southbank Centre Members starts on Wednesday, 15 April at 2pm, before tickets go on general sale at 2pm on Thursday, 16 April (all times BST). See https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/events/rough-trade-50/ for full details.