Pop, pints and pit-starters: Dork's Day Out 2025 goes off at Signature Brew, London

Our annual summer party takes over London’s Signature Brew brewery, stacked with bona fide favourites and essential ‘need-to-listen-right-now’ spirit. For 2025, that’s never been truer. A Saturday surrounded by mates and soundtracked by a hand-picked bill from yours truly? Go on then.

alphabet unveil Dork’s Day Out in the only way they know how. Their insatiable dream-gaze punch is intoxicating, the kind of band you find yourself whispering about in gig corridors. With tracks like ‘Artificial Life’ and ‘All The Words’, they trade vocals and coat Signature Brew in a dark, shimmering haze. ‘Your Everything’ is a dizzying burst of city-life catharsis. “Happy lunchtime!” exclaims co-lead singer Milo. Too right, alphabet are a band you’ll be telling your mates about in years to come.

So is Nxdia, whose razor-sharp alt-pop sees fans rush to the front for a closer look. The snap of ‘Boy Clothes’ is undeniable. After encouraging boos for JK Rowling and overpriced coffee, they tear into the arena-sized crunch of ‘Boo, Nevermind’. Nxdia turns Signature Brew into a party at every turn, their set bursting with wink, charm and scream-back moments. As ‘She Likes A Boy’ rings out, they stake their claim as an artist destined for bedroom walls and festival stages alike.

By the time Aziya steps up, Signature Brew is rammed. She runs with it, igniting raw alt-rock fizz with instant pop appeal. ‘crush (tom verlaine)’ and closer ‘atomic’ go off like fireworks, pushing the sugar rush into knockout territory. It’s all unfiltered energy and stage-tearing joy. The queue to meet her post-show says it all: Aziya is entering a golden new chapter, and we’re all coming along for the ride.

Picture Parlour bring the evening’s full-throttle rock’n’roll moment. Blasting into ‘Cielo Drive’ and ‘Who’s There To Love Without You’, they make their intentions known; this is not a set you spectate, it’s one you get dragged into. The prowling ‘24 Hour Open’ swirls like a cocktail of menace, while ‘$4 Fantasy’ struts with bass-heavy swagger. ‘Neptune 66’ is a beast, complete with frontwoman Katie Parlour diving into the crowd to kick off a full-blown moshpit. Their Patti Smith cover, ‘Because The Night’, erupts, while the hypnotic ‘Talk About It’ and final bow ‘Norwegian Wood’ seal a set bursting with ambition. Picture Parlour aren’t just the band of the day, they’re the band of the moment.

“Hello Dorks,” announces SOFY, as if arriving at her own house party. Her fizzy indie-pop is built for a day like this. ‘Egomaniac’ bounces, while new single ‘Do Ya’, a pointed jab at the industry, bubbles with swagger. SOFY connects with the crowd like a returning sitcom fave, every song met with arms in the air and smiles all around. ‘Big Talk’ swings, ‘Socks’ shimmers, and as ‘togethertogether’ wraps the set, it’s clear SOFY’s not just summer-ready, she’s coming for every season.

Then there’s Porij. Taking to the stage to the ‘Cha Cha Slide’ blasting out, they prove exactly why they’re one of the UK’s best live acts. Lead singer Egg orchestrates the dancefloor like a pop rave conductor, each track another invitation to joy. ‘Petit Boy’ and ‘Ghost’ dazzle, ‘150’ and ‘My Only Love’ glide, and new single ‘I’m Your Lover (Only)’ drops like a sun-soaked Ibiza banger. Their runaway Black Eyed Peas cover, ‘Pump It’, causes collective chaos. “It’s relentless. It never stops. It’s more energy levels,” shouts Egg mid-set. Absolutely. From ‘Unpredictable’ to ‘Nobody Scared’, Porij take ownership of the night. Hints of what’s next are peppered throughout, but tonight? Tonight is a glorious one-off, a reminder that this band know how to throw a party like no one else.

To close out both Dork’s Day Out and the Dork 100 celebrations, Porij do more than deliver. They elevate the whole thing. That disco ball has never sounded better.