London Gigs Diary: 19-25 November

This Week                                                     

There’s some impressive line-ups out and about this week, and they don’t get much more impressive than the one scheduled for Thursday night at the Garage. Tom Vek, Breton and Coves are all set to play as part of Fred Perry’s 60^th anniversary celebrations. And best of all, tickets are just £5.

Mencap’s annual fundraiser, The Little Noise Sessions, gets underway at St John’s Church in Hackney this week. Gary Barlow, Richard Hawley, Olly Murs, The Maccabees, Noah And The Whale and Amy Macdonald are the headliners and there are some high profile support acts too. 

Bobby Womack plays the first of two dates at London’s Forum on Sunday. Expect songs from The Bravest Man In The Universe, his first record in two decades, and appearances from collaborator Damon Albarn. 

First Aid Kit round off a busy year with a date at Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Tuesday. The Swedish folk duo’s second album, The Lion’s Roar, melted our hearts, and this is their biggest UK show to date. 

The best of the rest… 

Monday 19 November

Gong – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Sea of Bees – Union Chapel 

Tuesday 20 November

Saint Saviour – Lexington

CITIZENS! – XOYO

Passion Pit - Forum

First Aid Kit – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Wednesday 21 November

Tom Vek // Breton//Coves – Garage

CHVRCHES – Electrowerkz

Aluna George – Hoxton Bar and Kitchen

Kwes – Sebright Arms

Emily Barker and The Red Clay Halo – Union Chapel

Beak> - Lexington

Neil Halstead - Windmill 

Thursday 22 November

The Magnetic North – Purcell Room

Gallon Drunk – Macbeth

Lucy Rose – Electric Brixton

Fanfarlo – Union Chapel

The Lovely Eggs - Barfly

Chad Valley - Elecrtowerkz

Friday 23 November

The Wedding Present - Koko 

Saturday 24 November

Shearwater – Garage

Crystal Castles – Brixton Academy

Orchestra Elastique – Café Oto

Sunday 25 November

Bobby Womack – Forum 

Just announced 

Stars Of The Lid will play their first London show for four years on 10 December. They’ll be joined by a nine-piece string section orchestra and projectionist at St John’s Church in Hackney. 

Tickets for Patrick Wolf’s spring tour go on sale on Wednesday. He recently celebrated 10 years in music with an acoustic album, Sundark and Riverlight – a collection of reworkings of his back catalogue. He’ll call into Queen Elizabeth Hall on 6 April, but if you can’t wait that long, he’ll perform a free instore show at Rough Trade East on 5 December. 

Caitlin Rose has announced details of the follow-up to 2010’s beautiful Own Side Now. The Stand In is set for release on 25 February, and she’ll play at Dingwalls on 27 February. 

After a highly charged show at Electric Ballroom earlier this month, Death Grips return to London on 2 May, when they’ll play down the road at the Forum.

London Gigs Diary: 12-18 November

This Week                                 

The 20^th London Jazz Festival kicked off on Friday. We were blown away by Jazz Voice: Celebrating a Century of Song, which saw an incredible array of vocalists take to the stage – from Boy George and Imelda May to Gwyneth Herbert and Patti Austin – and this week looks set to be no less spectacular. Highlights include Herbie Hancock, Bill Frisell, Jack DeJohnette and Esperanza Spalding. 

After the success of his Number 1 self-titled debut, Jake Bugg’s show on Wednesday has been upgraded from the Scala to the rather roomier Koko. Support comes from Tom O’Dell, a singer-songwriter who could prove to be the antidote to the swarm of Adele-alikes. Signed to Lily Allen’s record label, he’s got a big voice and an addictive debut single.

His story is like one from a film…so like one, in fact, that someone’s beaten us to it. Rodriguez was thrust into the limelight with the release of Searching For Sugar Man, a documentary which detailed his bizarre career. After releasing a couple of albums in the early 1970s, he remained relatively obscure in the US but unbeknown to him he was a superstar in South Africa. He was believed to have committed suicide, but fans tracked him down and, on the back of the film, his career has spiralled. He plays at the Royal Festival Hall on Saturday.

The best of the rest...

Monday 12 November

Bill Frisell, London Jazz Festival @ Queen Elizabeth Hall

Serafina Steer @ Sebright Arms

Gotye @ Hammersmith Apollo

Herbie Hancock, London Jazz Festival @ Royal Festival Hall

The Lumineers @ Koko

Pepe Deluxe @ Scala

Viv Albertine @ Rough Trade East (free)

Tuesday 13 November

Noisettes  @ KOKO

Jessie Ware @ Brixton Electric

Punch Brothers @ Islington Assembly Hall

Sidi Toure @ Momo

Wednesday 14 November

Ladyhawke @ Forum

Eugene McGuinness @ 100 Club

Adam Green and Binki Shapiro @ Bush Hall

Jake Bugg @ KOKO

Speech Debelle @ Village Underground

Thursday 15 November

Esperanza Spalding, London Jazz Festival @ Royal Festival Hall

Woodkid @ Queen Elizabeth Hall

Swans @ KOKO

Gabby Young @ Bush Hall

Friday 16 November

Jack DeJohnette Group, London Jazz Festival @ Queen Elizabeth Hall

Flying Lotus @ Troxy

Saturday 17 November

Rodriguez @ Royal Festival Hall

The Killers @ 02 Arena

Chickfactor 2012 – The Pastels, The Aislers Set and more @ Bush Hall

Sunday 18 November

Rufus Wainwright @ Hammersmith Apollo

Sea Of Bees @ Union Chapel

Just Announced 

The first acts have been announced for next year’s ATP festivals. TV on The Radio are set to take over the holiday camp on 10-12 May, and have announced Spank Rock, Saul Williams, CSS, Talibam! and Shabazz Palaces are among the bands they’ve handpicked. It’s Deerhunter’s turn on June 21-23, and the’ve chosen Atlas Sound, Dan Deacon, Laetitia Sadier, No Age and Black Lips.  

Former Girls frontman Christopher Owens has announced his first live shows. His debut album Lysandre was apparently inspired by the goings on during his former band’s first ever tour, back in summer 2008. He’ll play his only UK dates at St Giles Church on December 10 and 11. 

Theme Park have announced their biggest show to date. The Dalston trio have been nudging their way up to bigger venues throughout 2012 – they’re playing at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen next month, and will headline at Heaven on 14 March. Their new EP, Two Hours, due on November 26, includes covers of tracks by Jessie Ware, The National and Hot Chip. 

Folk’s rising star Benjamin Francis Leftwich tops off a mammoth 32-date UK tour…by announcing new dates for next year. His new EP’s out on November 19, and you can hear title track In the Open here. He’ll call into the Forum on 23 May. 

Bombay Bicycle Club will play at Koko on 22 December to raise money for charity Freedom from Torture. The band will be supported by Trophy Wife at the show to mark International Human Rights Day.

London Gigs Diary: 5-11 November

This Week                                                 

Godspeed You! Black Emperor kick off the week with the second of their two gigs at Kentish Town’s Forum. It’s their first time on these shores for a long time, in support of their first album in a decade, the magnificently titled 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!. 

Following Alt-J's success at the Mercurys last week, promoters may well be wishing they’d booked a bigger venue. Certainly, a more high profile tour is on the cards for next year, but on Monday fans can enjoy the relatively humble surrounds of Electric Ballroom. They’ll be supported by one of our favourite news bands of the year, Stealing Sheep, whose album we awarded four stars – definitely worth getting there early for. 

It’s been a trying week for Death Grips. Following an almighty bust-up with their record label, Epic, after the hip hop group posted their new album, No Love Deep Web, online as a free download, they were unceremonially dropped. We’re told their show at Electric Ballroom on Wednesday will still go ahead, so expect an extra kick to their show.

Former Radio 2 Folk Awards-nominee Martha Tilston will bring her new album, Machines of Love and Grace, to Bush Hall on Thursday. Mixing the personal with the political in her velvety, at times fragile, voice, it’s vying for position as her best release yet. 

Eighteen years ago, Soundgarden were the first ever band to play at Shepherd’s Bush Empire – and this week they return to showcase tracks from their new album, King Animal – their first studio album for more than 15 years. They play on 9 November – two days before the album’s released, so catch a sneak peak here. 

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

Monday 5 November

Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Forum

Young Wonder – Sebright Arms

How To Dress Well – XOYO

Spiritualized – Roundhouse

Alt-J + Stealing Sheep – Electric Ballroom

Darren Hayman and the Long Parliament – Vortex Jazz Bar

Tuesday 6 November

Chromatics – Heaven

The Civil Wars – Roundhouse

Cloud Nothings –Village Underground

Meursault – Islington Assembly Hall

Tiny Birds – Notting Hill Arts Club 

Wednesday 7 November

Maximo Park – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Ty Segall – Garage

Bellowhead – Roundhouse

The Divine Comedy – Royal Festival Hall

2:54 – XOYO

Death Grips – Electric Ballroom 

Thursday 8 November

Twin Atlantic – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Gaggle – Electrowerkz

M83 – Brixton Academy

Martha Tilston – Bush Hall

Andrew Bird – Roundhouse

The Hysterical Injury – Upstairs at the Garage 

Friday 9 November

Soundgarden – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Charley Pride – Indig02

Lambchop – Cadogan Hall

The June Brides -229

Saturday 10 November

Shrag – Buffalo Bar

Sunday 11 November

Sivert Hoyem – Bush Hall

Lucinda Williams – Royal Festival Hall

Spector – Shepherd’s Bush Empire 

Just Announced 

In case you missed their rather low key announcement (ahem), Stone Roses are set to play three huge outdoor gigs next June – one in Glasgow and two at Finsbury Park on 7 and 8 June. Support for these shows has yet to be announced, but in Scotland they’re taking Primal Scream, Jake Bugg and The View along for the ride. 

Tom Jenkinson – aka Squarepusher – wowed a sold-out Hackney Empire last month
with his stunning Ufabulum visual show. As our photos show, it was quite something. This week he announced he’d be shifting things up a notch, by upgrading to the Roundhouse for a show on 30 March at what is surely his dream venue. 

The Be Good Tanyas will bring their pitch-perfect blend of deep country, blues and gospel to the Barbican on February 3, as part of a seven date UK tour in support of new album A Collection (2000-2012). 

Esben And The Witch announced a double whammy this week, revealing their new album, Wash The Sins Not Only The Face, will be released by Matador on 21 January, followed by a show at the Scala on 26 February. The Brighton trio’s return is welcomed in these quarters - the words ‘intoxicating’ and, erm, ‘spellbinding’ passed our lips in reference to an early outing we witnessed in February 2010.

Fresh from supporting Bella Union label mates The Walkmen on tour, Wild Nothing have announced a date at the Scala, on 21 March. We loved their album Nocturne, calling it: “a big step up from Gemini which still, intriguingly, hints at even better to come.”

It might seem a world away, but Lana Del Ray has announced details of her spring tour. She’ll be calling in at Hammersmith Apollo on 19 May.

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.