Some rock legends are coming to Berlin in July – in particular, I can’t wait for The Black Keys on the 1st, Neil Young on the 3rd, and Patti Smith on the 11th. But aside from the big names, there are many more fantastic lesser-known bands playing.

Here are my top picks of gigs and events coming up this month. Keeping it simple: check out the videos and links, get a feel for the music, maybe you fancy going too.

The Black Keys – thick, freaky, heavy blues rock

Neil Young – rock legend, pioneer, international treasure

Featuring heavy-prog rock from Kaskadeur

Sydney Valette – dark, enigmatic electronica

Alice Gift – a ‘a toxic mélange of shoegaze, darkwave and synthpop’

RUHR – minimal aesthetic, high contrasts and screamed political lyrics

Patti Smith – rock-punk poet and pioneer

Fangs on Fur – female-fronted goth-punk/deathrock

Totenwald – ’80s-inspired dark-punk

Berlin’s best clubnight for ’70s hard-rock, proto-metal, and ’80s heavy metal

She Past Away – dark wave/post-punk duo with Turkish roots

Isla Ola – dissonant wave duo from Dortmund

William Bleak – Berlin-based post-punk/cold-wave

Schokoladen celebrates its 35th Hoffest with a weekend festival both inside and outside in the courtyard, featuring punk, indie and post-punk bands and artists.

Minor Citizen – alt-rock/grunge-pop from Amsterdam

The Myrrors – droning textures, trance-like rhythms, and fluid improvisation

Abanamat – Berlin-based heavy psych-rock

Humans as Ornaments – experimental indie noise-rock from Berlin/Leipzig

Zylva – avant-pop and indie from Berlin

The Anti-Queens – rock ‘n’ roll from Toronto

Alex Born to be Wild – QueerPunkRiotGrrrl

Michael Beach – experimental psych garage pop/folk from Melbourne