EMF - Are back in the UK and hitting the Garage

June 6th, 2026

London, Highbury, Garage, UK

****

Enjoying a night with the fans

EMF **** It’s a Saturday night at The Garage in Highbury, Islington, and the air is thick with excitable anticipation. The crowd, all seated in the Famous Cock pub on the opposite side of the road to The Garage are mostly glammed-up ladies, sporting Boyzone and Bewitched t-shirts. “They’re down the road at The Emirates Stadium, you say?” Well, that explains that then!. Elsewhere, dotted around are a mix of seasoned Indie-Dance veterans and curious new fans, looking to pack the Garage for a band that has experienced a massive creative resurgence in the 2020s. But before EMF took us to the heights of the early ’90s and beyond, the night was opened by a band that defies easy categorisation.

EMF is currently in the middle of a triumphant era. Re-energised by the release of their 2024 album ‘The Beauty and the Chaos’ (their second full-length record in a two-year span), the band has proven they are far more than a nostalgia act. The biggest talking point of their current run, however, is the hiring of powerhouse drummer Robin Goodridge. Best known for his multi-platinum, stadium-filling tenure with the alt-rock juggernaut Bush (driving hits off ‘Sixteen Stone’ and ‘The Science of Things’), Goodridge brings a massive, muscular foundation to EMF. His playing style, famous for its driving clarity rather than over-the-top ornamentation, anchors EMF's frantic, sample-heavy Indie-Dance sound perfectly. His addition signals a band that is serious about elevating their live show to the highest possible standard.

When James Atkin and the rest of EMF hit the stage, the Garage erupted. The band wasted no time proving that Goodridge was the right man for the job, locking into a tight, relentless groove. The setlist was a masterful blend of the old and the new, bouncing from classic tracks off ‘Schubert Dip’ to the biting, politically charged anthems of their modern era. A massive highlight of the night came midway through the set. Atkin invited Roush and Komodromos of Ecce Shnak back out onto the stage. The two opening singers flanked Atkin, bringing their chaotic, joyous energy to a collaborative performance of ‘LGBTQ+ Lover’, a track the two bands officially recorded together.

The crowd hit a fever pitch during an insane mid-set dance medley, a seamless mashup of 'Reach for the Lasers' interwoven with massive '90s club anthems like C+C Music Factory / Technotronic and Faithless, before blowing the roof off with the obligatory, immortal shout of "Oh! You're unbelievable!" With Goodridge locked in on the kit and their recent studio albums proving they still have plenty to say, EMF is showing no signs of slowing down. They are continuing their UK run through June with upcoming stops at Gorilla in Manchester and The Factory Live in Worthing.

Looking further ahead, the band is gearing up for the summer festival circuit, including a highly anticipated slot at the Splendour Festival in Nottingham this July, and a performance at this year's Henley Royal Regatta on June 30th. A little bird tells me to look out for a new album early 2027. Another little bird told me earlier today that 'Schubert Dip' is getting the remaster treatment with a release before the end of 2026. We can't wait

Review and Photos by Adrian Hextall (My Global Mind)

EMF - Setlist
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The Day the Music Died
I Believe
Lies
Hands in the Air
They're Here
Dance Medley: (Reach for the Lasers / Gonna make you Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) /
Pump up the Jam / Breathe / Blue Monday / Insomnia / Reach for the Lasers)
Children
Long Summer Days
LGBTQ+ Lover (Feat. David Roush / Bella Komodromos of Ecce Shnak)
Unbelievable
I'm a Believer (The Monkees Cover)
Inside
Just can't get Enough (Depeche Mode Cover)