Selector Live brings the most innovative new music from the UK to Ukraine — live.

In support of and as an extension of Selector Radio, the British Council Ukraine has organised a series of concerts of new British music — Selector Live. We’re bringing some powerful new UK talent to Ukraine to put the depth and diversity of British music and society on stage before Ukrainian audiences.

Selector Radio has long favoured emerging artists over the mainstream and the list of performers that have made the trip to Kyiv to perform live has been consistent with that ethos. From post-punkers O.CHILDREN to Scottish hip-hoppers Young Fathers and the foundation-shattering baritone of vocalist Gabriel Bruce, electronic maestro Max Cooper and the indomitable Ghostpoet, Kyiv’s top venues have been hit by a British wave of musical innovation and the Ukrainian capital has never been more ecstatic.

Live performances drawn from current Selector Radio playlists, award winning acts, and artists about to top the UK charts – they’re all coming to Selector Live in Kyiv. You come too.

Selector Live Ukraine Timeline

  • 2013 — Selector Live launches at Ukraine’s biggest music event — Koktebel Jazz Festival with a line-up of Patrick Wolf, The Submotion Orchestra, and British Sea Power… and an audience of 8,500+;
  • 2014 — post-punkers O.CHILDREN and London funk trio Belleruche;
  • 2015 — Mercury Prize-winning Scottish hip hop trio, Young Fathers, followed by gigs from Ghostpoet, Slaves, and Everything Everything;
  • 2016 — Ukrainian debut of Scottish rockers Holy Esque, and riveting solo shows by Gabriel Bruce and Benjamin Clementine;
  • 2017 — BBC Sound of 2017 winner Ray BLK, and a return gig by Ghostpoet and electronic musician Max Cooper presents his Emergence audio-visual work;
  • 2018 — explosive punkers Shame and playful indie from Teleman for the first time in Ukraine;
  • 2019 — listened to beautiful harmonies from Penelope Isles in March, opened grime for Ukrainians with two events – Ghetts became the headliner of the Rap.ua Awards in June, grime rising star Yizzy melted the hearts of Kharkiv on the Rap.ua Showcase in September, and in November Kyiv flooded with indie waves of Сirca Waves from Liverpool.
  • 2020 — the year remembered by the cosmic energy of The Comet is Coming, Georgia's breakaway dance beats and soulful hip-hop from the Jungle Brown trio.
  • 2020 — watched the performance of Sinead O’Brien broadcasting from the UK as an integral part of the Selector PRO forum.

British Council partners for Selector Live series are event agencies Happy Music GroupH2DVA concerts. Info partners: Radio Aristocrats, Comma. For more about upcoming Selector Pro workshops and Selector Live concerts — Yes! They work as a team! — visit Selector Pro webpage.

Media Coverage of the Selector Live Concerts

•“Sentrum and the British Council have managed to pump new blood into the capital’s music scene, bringing bands whose debut releases have just dropped and who have somehow already appeared at the Glastonbury Festival. We couldn’t make this up if we tried. First came Young Fathers who rolled over Kyiv in a wave of relentless energy, and now comes Ghostpoet and his band…” — LiRoom musical portal  

•“At their recent Kyiv concert, Britain’s mod punk band Slaves killed two birds with one stone. They were like a blast of fresh air in off the North Sea. It was, at one time, the fish and chips you expect and the choicest cut of beef…”— vgorode.ua