Indie Weekend Roundup #5
- Editorial Staff
- Dec 21, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 28, 2025
Fresh sounds, artist updates, and indie highlights every weekend.
This week in Indie Weekend Roundup 5: Darling West + Quick Tip for Indie Artists + Did you know? + Merry Christmas
Enjoy the music, share the love & have fun!
Darling West Live in Europe 2026
There’s music you hear – and music you feel. Oslo-based Darling West create the latter. Their songs conjure open roads and campfires under a starry sky – a sound that feels like freedom itself. Blending acoustic depth with electric energy and wrapped in heavenly harmonies, their music doesn’t just play to the ear, it reaches straight for the heart.
Darling West captivate with wide soundscapes, intimate storytelling, and a rare sense of artistry. At the forefront stand Mari Sandvær and Tor Egil Kreken, whose voices – alone or together – radiate both strength and vulnerability. Switching effortlessly between acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, and kick drum, the duo builds a rich sonic world that feels timeless. Some compare them to a modern-day Fleetwood Mac; others simply call them one of Norway’s finest live bands.
But labels are beside the point. Because music is emotion – and Darling West channel it with humor, honesty, and warmth. Their performances linger long after the lights go out, leaving audiences lighter, freer, and quietly transformed. Indie pop, Laurel Canyon folk, Nordicana – whatever you call it, it’s music that connects.
With their European Tour 2026, Darling West bring their heartwarming harmonies and glowing energy to clubs and venues across the continent. The Norwegian trio have toured alongside Bernhoft, Madrugada, and Lucinda Williams, building a reputation for heartfelt, harmony‑driven shows that glow with warmth and authenticity. With over two million streams and half a million Spotify listeners in the past year, Darling West continue to expand their audience far beyond their Nordic roots. Their recent viral live sessions and performances show the band’s raw musicianship and genuine charm; proof that honesty, harmonies, and great songs still travel far.
European Tour 2026:
01/31 Magdeburg, Germany | Volksbad Courage Tickets
02/02 Münster, Germany | Pension Schmidt Tickets
02/03 Hannover, Germany | Hölderlin EINS Infos (free entry)
02/05 Leipzig, Germany | Tonelli’s Tickets
02/06 Cologne, Germany | Wohngemeinschaft Tickets
02/07 Hoyerswerda, Germany | Kufa Tickets
02/10 Frankfurt, Germany | Elfer Club Tickets
01/11 Düsseldorf, Germany | Kultus (Grevenbroich) Infos (free entry)
02/12 Saarbrücken, Germany | Terminus Infos
02/13 Karlsruhe, Germany | Nun Tickets
02/15 Vienna, Austria | Haus der Musik Tickets
02/17 Hamburg, Germany | F+K Tickets
"Still Here” is now featured on the INDIENOXZINE Playlist - follow the playlist to stay updated on new highlights.
Photos by Darling West
🎧 Listen to Darling West here: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube
The video to "Still Here” is also featured on our INDIENOXZINE YouTube Playlist. Check it out for more great videos!
💡 🎚 Quick Tip for Indie Artists
Struggling to write lyrics that feel personal but universal? Try the "one line diary" method!
1️⃣ Write one honest sentence from your day (e.g. "Coffee went cold while staring at the rain").
2️⃣ Turn it into a song hook or verse line, then build imagery around the emotion.
3️⃣ Test it: Does it spark a memory in someone else?
This keeps lyrics authentic without getting too confessional, perfect for indie, folk, or singer-songwriter vibes where real life meets poetry.
Did You Know?
Stiff Little Fingers' Inflammable Material (1979), released on Rough Trade, was the first independently produced album to sell over 100,000 copies in the UK – shattering the myth that DIY records couldn't reach massive audiences. (Wikipedia)
Merry Christmas from INDIENOXZINE 🎄
Another year, another playlist full of late-night discoveries, homemade demos, and songs that somehow said what we couldn’t. To everyone writing, recording, touring, or just listening: thank you for keeping music alive in its purest form.
It’s wild to think that INDIENOXZINE has only been around for just over two months. We’re incredibly grateful for every reader, artist, and supporter who’s joined the ride so far. Your energy keeps this little project moving and we’re ready to hit 2026 running, louder and brighter than ever.
Here’s to slow mornings, loud guitars, and the beauty of doing it your own way. Merry Christmas - see you out there in the new year.
That’s it for this weekend’s Indie Music Roundup! Stay tuned, we’ll be back next weekend with more new releases, live shows, Quick Tips for indie artists, and editorials highlighting the global indie scene.
💜
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