London Gigs Diary: 29 October - 4 November

This Week                                        

The leaves have fallen, the clocks have gone back and the Christmas lights are up in Oxford Street…but there’s no rest for the naughty. So it’s full steam ahead, with another packed week of live music across London.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor's recent album, the fantastically named 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! was their first for nearly a decade. Never ones to do things by halves, the Canadian post-rock legends emerged from an eight year hiatus in 2010 to record it and it hit the shelves just two weeks after they announced its completion. We were impressed. They play at the Forum on 4 and 5 November.

Psychedelic Aussies Tame Impala will be showing off their new album, Lonerism, at Brixton Academy on Tuesday. We loved their album, saying: “aural pleasure lurks in every corner of Lonerism…an album of the year contender” and awarded it a massive four-and-a-half stars.

Mercury nominees Roller Trio’s relentless touring schedule brings them to the Cockpit Theatre in Marylebone on Monday. The Leeds group only played their first gig about 18 months ago, but their debut album has caused a storm, and also led to them being nominated for best jazz act at the MOBOs. Painting DIY electronica over rock and experimental jazz, their live show is one to behold.

Ex-Metronomy bassist Gabriel Stebbing’s new project, Night Works, will be coming over all spooky on Wednesday for Hallowe'en. Stebbing's off-beat pop songs have an effortlessly infectious undercurrent – check out his debut live show at Sebright Arms.

If you’re after something a little more raucous, head over to Dingwalls on Wednesday for Fierce Panda/Label Fandango new kids, Dingus Khan. The Essex eight-piece will be playing their debut album Support Mistley Swans. They boast two drummers, so they make a heck of a noise. Think Dananananaykroyd. 

The best of the rest... 

Monday 29 October

The Joy Formidable @ KCLSU

O’Children @ Garage

Roller Trio @ Cockpit Theatre

Coves @ Sebright Arms

Tuesday 30 October

Here We Go Magic // Race Horses @ Dingwalls

Bright Light Bright Light @ Cargo

Peace @ Lexington

Django Django @ Heaven

Bat for Lashes @ Forum

Opossom @ Shacklewell Arms

Efterklang @ Barbican

Tame Impala @ Brixton Academy

Halls @ Birthdays 

Wednesday 31 October

Rolo Tomassi @ Koko

Night Works @ Sebright Arms

Dingus Khan @ Dingwalls

The Walkmen @ Rough Trade East (free)

Thursday 1 November

Little Comets @ Koko

Kate Nash @ Shacklewell Arms

World Party @ Royal Albert Hall

Dry The River @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Robyn + Summer Camp @ Brixton Academy

Delphic @ Village Underground

The Walkmen @ Roundhouse

Friday 2 November

Beach House @ Roundhouse

Jack White @ Alexandra Palace 

Saturday 3 November

Oscar D’Leon @ Roundhouse

Eliza Carthy @ Cecil Sharp House

Mouth of Ghosts @ Roadtrip Bar

Sunday 4 November

Godspeed You! Black Emperor @ Forum

Animal Collective @ Roundhouse

Paper Aeroplanes @ Lexington 

Just Announced 

This week Smashing Pumpkins co-founder James Iha announced a mini European tour to mark his first solo album in nearly 15 years. Look To The Sky (which features guests Nick Zinner and Karen O from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Televison’s Tom Verlaine and Sara Quin of Tegan and Sara) will be aired under the chandeliers of Bush Hall on 4 December – one of just four European dates. 

Fred Perry continues its 60^th anniversary celebrations next month with an incredible line-up at the Garage. Tom Vek, Breton, Coves and Charli XCX play on 21 November – and tickets are just £5. 

The Prodigy have announced they’ll be waving farewell to 2012 with a two shows at Brixton Academy on 18 and 19 December. 

Malian Sidi Toure will play his first UK shows next month. We described his last album, Koima, released on Thrill Jockey, “music of sparse beauty and wonderfully bubbling African rhythms on fantastic instruments”. He’ll perform at Momo on 13 November and Café Oto on 14 November.

London Gigs Diary: 22-28 October

This Week                                     

Last week was a hectic one here at musicOMH, as a seemingly endless stream of bands descended on the capital and we bolted across London to descend upon them. There'll be a bit more of a chance to catch up on some zzzs this week, but there’s still plenty going on – here’s out pick of the bunch. 

Band of the moment Grizzly Bear roll into Brixton Academy on Monday. The New Yorkers have been together for nearly a decade but their most recent album, Shields, released in September, really got people excited. So much so that we gave it four-and-a-half stars – we’ll see you down the front. 

The future financing of music is never far from the front of industry execs’ minds, and one lady who might be able to tell them a thing or two about it is Amanda Palmer. Long considered a  “cult” artist, she hit the headlines earlier this year when she raised an astonishing US$1.2m through internet pledges to record her album, Theatre Is Evil. Expect a typically flamboyant show from the Dresden Dolls singer at KOKO on Tuesday. 

Crime and The City Solution play their only UK date on Friday, as part of their world tour to mark the release of a new series of compilations on Mute Records. Formed in Sydney in 1977, they went through several incarnations before finally splitting up in 1990. The band’s members went on to form the likes of Woven Hand, Dirty Three and 16 Horsepower, but they’ll be taking it back to the beginning at Queen Elizabeth Hall. 

For something a little more sedate, the folky Benjamin Francis Leftwich will be at KOKO on Thursday, with support from the brilliant Marika Hackman. We caught her single launch show at Servant Jazz Quarters back in September and were completely smitten by her Nico-ish voice.

The best of the rest…

Monday 22 October

Grizzly Bear – Brixton Academy

The Tallest Man on Earth - Forum

Tuesday 23 October

Tall Ships – XOYO

Villagers – Borderline

Amanda Palmer – Koko

The Twilight Sad - Dingwalls

Everything Everything - Village Underground

Wednesday 24 October

Scissor Sisters + Bright Light Bright Light – Roundhouse

Toy – Heaven

Breton – Scala

Benjamin Francis Leftwich + Marika Hackman – Koko

Actress – Village Underground

Tim Burgess – Union Chapel

 Thursday 25 October

Left Boy – XOYO

Echo Lake + The Proper Ornaments + Omi Palone – Shacklewell Arms

Francois & The Atlas Mountains – Village Underground

The Jim Jones Revue – Electric Ballroom

Friday 26 October

The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – Shacklewell Arms

Sparks - Barbican

Fossill Collective – Old Queen’s Head

The Unthanks – Purcell Room

Crime and The City Solution + Savages – Queen Elizabeth Hall

Saturday 27 October

Simian Mobile Disco – Fire

Muse – O2 Arena

Just Announced

All Tomorrow’s Parties are known for calling on some of the best bands from across the world for their holiday camp festivals.  They’re usually of a more serious nature, with The National lined up to curate their next get together in December, and now they’re casting their net a little wider, hosting up-and-coming bands at a new night at Sebright Arms. The line-ups for the first few shows have been announced, with Coves playing on Monday 29 October, followed by Young Wonder and Serafina Steer – and best of all, tickets are just £4. 

As this piece of news reached us, somewhere, in a parallel universe, Girls Aloud were announcing their comeback tour to the world’s media. Ten years after Pop Stars The Rivals, the girls are planning to stop glaring at Cheryl and sweep away the tatters of their solo careers for long enough to play two nights at O2 Arena next March. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday. 

Frightened Rabbit have announced a UK tour for February, fuelling speculation about the release date of their fourth album, which is still scheduled for “early 2013”. In London they’re upgrading venues, from 93 Feet East - where we saw them put on a great show last month - to the Forum. Tickets are on sale now.

London Gigs Diary: 15-21 October

This week                                

It’s a chocka week for live music in the capital, with Wednesday looking particularly tempting. It sees Field Music call in at Electric Ballroom, where they’ll be playing tracks from the Mercury-nominated Plumb, as well as their new covers album, Field Music Play…, which sees the Brewis brothers reinterpret tracks by Roxy Music, Pet Shop Boys, John Cale and Syd Barrett, amongst others. 

Also on Wednesday, This Many Boyfriends officially launch their long-awaited self-titled indiepop debut at Lexington, while Dirty Projectors play at Electrowerkz. 

On Monday, Mike Skinner’s post-Streets efforts get an airing at XOYO. He’s teamed up with former The Music frontman Rob Harvey to form the d.o.t. and while it might sound a bit familiar, their first single, You Never Asked (with vocals from Clare Maguire and Danny Brown) is a welcome return to form. 

Erased Tapes celebrates its fifth anniversary with a night at Hackney Empire on Thursday, as part of a short European tour. The London/Berlin based label, which fuses classical and contemporary music, will be marking the occasion with a show featuring three of its biggest artists – Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds and A Winged Victory For The Sullen. 

Hackney Empire also hosts Squarepusher, on Saturday. An electro pioneer since 1994, his latest project, Ufabulum, is an album generated purely from digital programming.He’ll be recreating the record with what we’re promised will be his largest ever light show, in a pretty special setting.

Here's our pick of the best of the rest... 

Monday 15 October

the d.o.t. – XOYO

Johnny Hallyday – Royal Albert Hall

Nada Surf - Scala 

Tuesday 16 October

Liars – Scala

Shonen Knife – Cargo

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart // Echo Lake – Dingwalls

Fear of Men – The Old Blue Last

Wednesday 17 October

The Gaslight Anthem // Blood Red Shoes – Brixton Academy

Field Music – Electric Ballroom

This Many Boyfriends // Evans  the Death – Lexington

Dirty Projectors // Callers – Electrowerkz

Nadine Shah – Victoria, Dalston 

Thursday 18 October

Erased Tapes Anniversary Tour – Hackney Empire

King Krule – Electrowerkz

Rachel Zeffira – St Andrew’s Church

MyTigerMyTiming – Shacklewell Arms

Portico Quartet – Roundhouse

Friday 19 October

Hot Chip // Django Django – Brixton Academy

Gallows  - Underworld

Courtney Pine – Islington Assembly Hall

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Dingwalls 

Saturday 20 October

The Cribs // Edwyn Collins // Mazes – Forum

Chilly Gonzalez – Barbican

GREATWAVES – Seabright Arms

Teengirl Fantasty and PY - Birthdays

Squarepusher – Hackney Empire

Sunday 21 October

Beak> 

Just announced

Another band have announced they’ll be fitting in a London show while they’re over here for The National’s All Tomorrow’s Parties in December. This week Mission Of Burma confirmed they’ll be playing at Birthdays, in Dalston, on 6 December.

Night Works – aka Gabriel Stebbing, formerly of Metronomy and Your Twenties –  will debut his live show, The Eveningtime, at Sebright Arms on 31 October. New single Modern
European, released on 12 November, recalls his past incarnations with a nostalgic pop wash – expect this and more at the free show.

Walk The Moon released their debut album last week but the Ohio band have already announced a UK tour. They’ll play at Scala on 27 February.

The 2013 festival season might feel a long way off but the folks at Primavera are keen to remind us of sunnier climes; they’ve confirmed Blur will play at the festival in Porto and Barcelona in May. If you can’t wait that long for your fix of music by the seaside, The Big Reunion has announced the acts to top the bill at Butlins in Skegness this November. Sub Focus, Katy B, Pigeon Detectives, Lethal Bizzle, Sway, Judge Jules and DJ Fresh are lined up to play over two weekends.

London Gigs Diary: 8-14 October

This Week  

Didn't get Glastonbury tickets on Sunday? Console yourself at the rather more affordable, less muddy and long-drop-free Southbank Centre, whose celebration of musical innovation, technology and experimentation, the Ether festival, returns for an 11^th year. It kicked off last weekend, with shows by The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble and Ghost Poet and Soap&Skin, and there’s plenty going on throughout the week. Highlights include a celebration of John Cage’s centenary led by Darragh Morgan and John Tilbury on Monday. On Tuesday Tyondai Braxton, formerly of Battles, performs Central Market with London Sinfonietta and the following day iamamiwhoami plays for the first time in the UK. Saturday’s a busy day, with John Cale headlining at the Royal Festival Hall and, in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, a bill featuring Mount Kimbie, Raime and Bass Clef. 

One of the most talked about bands of the year, Savages, play at Electrowerkz on Wednesday. We’ve loved every show we’ve seen them play – we even gave their gig at Shacklewell Arms in May an almost unheard of four-and-a-half-stars. 

If you’re after something a bit gentler and more melodic, Rough Trade have some great instore guests this week, with Tall Ships (Monday) and Philco Fiction (Tuesday) leading the way. 

And finally, WHY? bring their blend of hip hop infused college rock to Electric Ballroom on Tuesday. Their new album Mumps, etc is released on Monday, so expect plenty of high-energy new tracks.

Here’s our pick of the best of the rest… 

Monday 8 October

Radiohead – O2 Arena

Angus Stone + Luke Sital-Singh – Lexington

Tall Ships – Rough Trade East (free)

Tuesday 9 October

Carolina Chocolate Drops – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Kyla La Grange – Scala

Why? – Electric Ballroom

Philco Fiction – Rough Trade East (free)

Devon Sproule – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen

Van She – The Old Blue Last

Wednesday 10 October

Aphex Twin – Barbican

…and you will know us by the trail of the dead – Scala

Theme Park – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen

Savages – Electrowerkz

Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Upstairs at Garage

Iamamiwhoami – Queen Elizabeth Hall 

Thursday 11 October

Marina and The Diamonds – Forum

Lianne Le Havas – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Micachu and The Shapes – XOYO

Egyptian Hip Hop – Corsica Studios

Friday 12 October

Azeaia Banks – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Show of Hands – Cecil Sharp House

Two Wounded Birds – Lexington 

Saturday 13 October

John Cale – Royal Festival Hall

Seth Lakeman – Cadogan Hall

Mount Kimbie – Queen Elizabeth Hall 

Just announced

Kate Nash this week announced two teeny tiny dates in London ahead of the release of her third album. The record’s still under wraps, but her label promise it’s going to “fuse elements of punk, rock and shoegaze to create a distinctive and unique soundscape". If it’s anything like the last thing we heard from her, Under Estimate The Girl, it’s going to be quite unlike her last two albums. Kate plays at Hackney Picturehouse on 31 October and Shacklewell Arms on 1 November.

Deerhoof will call into the capital while they’re in the country for All Tomorrow’s Parties in December. The band are scheduled to play at the event, curated by The National, and they’ll also play at Garage on 4 December.

Two charity events were announced this week. The first, a fundraiser for Save The Children, sees Lauren Laverne curate an evening of festive-themed music, comedy, poetry and literary readings at Union Chapel on 14 December. Fyfe Dangerfield and Kodaline have already confirmed, with plenty more due to be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for Mencap’s annual Little Noise Sessions go on sale on 8 October. This year they’re taking place at St John at Hackney church from 20-25 November and the line-up includes Richard Hawley with support from First Aid Kit; The Maccabees and Noah and The Whale with Villagers, Lucy Rose and Daughter. More names will be added over the next few weeks.

Eugene McGuinness will bring his quirky, off-kilter pop to 100 Club on 14 November. Riding on the success of his debut, The Invitation To The Voyage, it’ll be a great setting for the end of his mini-UK tour.

London Gigs Diary: 1-7 October

This Week

This week sees Nas return to the capital to play three surprisingly small shows across. But this intimacy comes at a price - tickets are an eye watering £32 for the shows at Village Underground, XOYO and Under The Bridge. 

Elsewhere Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble call in at Queen Elizabeth Hall on Friday. Unlikely as it sounds, German trio Brandt Brauer Frick’s first
album You Make Me Real merged techno with classical music, blending lush pianos
with warm synth bass.  They’ve now swelled to 10 members, rebranded at the Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble and ditched the computers to play their handcrafted grooves completely live. 

Jesca Hoop plays at the Borderline on Tuesday. The Californian may have been taken under the wing of Guy Garvey and made Manchester her home these days, but that’s done little to change her other-worldly vocals. Tom Waits’ former nanny will play tracks from her recent third album, The House That Jack Built. 

Over in east London, Scandinavian duo Nude On Sand will bring their understated blues, spoken word and fragmented pop to Café Oto on Monday.  Singer/songwriter/artist Jenny
Hval and guitars Havard Volden promise to “rip apart the idea of how a guitar/voice
duo should sound”. 

Here’s our pick of the best of the rest… 

Monday 1 October

Shonen Knife – Cargo

Nude On Sand – Café Oto

Echo Lake – Lexington

The Hysterical Injury – Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen

Tuesday 2 October

Aiden Grimshaw – Scala

Jesca Hoop – Borderline

Nas – Village Underground

Wednesday 3 October

Richard Hawley – Brixton Academy

Tori Amos – Royal Albert Hall

Man Like Me and Mike Skinner – Electric Ballroom

Thursday 4 October

The Temper Trap – Hammersmith Apollo

Claudia Aurora – Green Note

Ultrasound – Scala

Lisa Marie Presley and Ed Harcourt – Bush Hall

Friday 5 October

The Lovely Eggs and Shrag – London Palladium

The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble – Queen Elizabeth Hall

Jacques Greene – XOYO

Filthy Dukes and Ylhscd – 93 Feet East

Saturday 6 October

Soap&Skin and Ghost Poet – Royal Festival Hall

Sunday 7 October

Serj Tankian – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Cheryl Cole – 02 Arena

Just Announced 

Award-winning music director Woodkid, or Yoann Lemoine to his mum, is best known for producing videos for the likes of Moby, Mystery Jets, Katy Perry, Lana Del Ray, Drake and Rihanna, but he’ll soon be taking centre stage himself.

Legend has it that he was inspired to try life on the other side of the lens after guitarist Richie Havens gave Lemoine a banjo during a video shoot.  His debut EP, Run Boy Run, showed he’s not left his eye for breath-taking visuals behind. His only UK show of the year, to mark the release of his first album, The Golden Age, will be in the grand setting of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, on 15 November. See the video for Iron here.

Beak>, featuring Geoff Barrow of Portishead, have announced they will play a second show at Lexington on 22 November after a first, the night before, sold out. The band will again be hand-picking their support acts, so expect a genre-bending night of music.

Mercury-nominated Jessie Ware will take to the road for a full UK tour next spring, following a string of sold out dates in November. It kicks on in Cambridge on 6 March, and calls in at Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 13 March.

Fierce Panda/Label Fandango signing Dingus Khan have announced their first headline tour. Channeling the energy of the late Dananananaykroyd, the Essex eight-piece boast three drummers, three bassists, and an electric ukulele and make a helluva noise. They’re supporting Underworld at the Scala on Wednesday, but will be back in London, at Dingwalls, on 31 October. See the video for Made a List here.