London Music | Friday 20 November 2026
There are live bands, there are cult bands, and then there’s Oh My God! It’s The Church. This November, the genre-defying musical revival heads back out on the road with The Original Sinners Tour, including a London show at The Garage in Highbury on Friday 20 November. Remaining tickets are on sale now.
Here are five reasons to join the congregation.
1. Part gig, part gospel revival
Oh My God! It’s The Church is less a band and more a phenomenon. It’s part rock show, part gospel revival and part psychedelic sermon, fronted by the charismatic Rt Rev Michael Alabama Jackson. Their shows sit somewhere between a gig, a comedic cult and a communal awakening, and fans, known as The Congregation, will tell you they have to be seen to be believed. Pun very much intended.
2. A joyous blast of gospel, funk and soul
Their sound is a collision of gospel fervour, funk grooves, soul power and rock’n’roll abandon, somewhere between the fire of a revival meeting and the swagger of a late-night funk revue. Backed by a chaotic choir, blistering horns and a rhythm section capable of shaking foundations, it’s the kind of music that makes standing still impossible.
3. Critics can’t get enough
BBC 6 Music has called them one of the best live acts around, BBC Introducing gave them an “11/10” and said they were so good it made them cry, and the Evening Standard described them as mesmerising. That reputation has been built largely on word of mouth from people who’ve been to a show and come out converted.
4. You’re part of the show
What really sets the band apart is the feeling in the room. Their shows break down the barrier between performer and audience, turning strangers into believers and venues into joyful, dancing congregations. No two nights are ever the same, but you’ll almost certainly leave uplifted, sweaty and feeling like you’ve witnessed something special.
5. A perfect-sized London venue
The Garage in Highbury is a proper sweaty rock club, which is exactly where a band like this belongs. It’s a great way to shake off the November gloom, and ideal for a night out with friends who like their gigs loud and joyful.
The Original Sinners Tour dates
4 November: The Grove, Newcastle
5 November: King Tut’s, Glasgow
6 November: Future Yard, Birkenhead
7 November: The Parish, Huddersfield
8 November: Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
13 November: Rolling Stone Beach Festival, Germany
18 November: Concorde 2, Brighton
19 November: Trinity, Bristol
20 November: The Garage, London
21 November: The Brook, Southampton
The Garage, 20–22 Highbury Corner, London N5 1RD
Nearest station: Highbury & Islington