London Live: 6-12 July

Jul 062009

TINARIWEN

Gig of the Week: Tinariwen @ Roundhouse

Continuing my love affair with most things Malian, desert band extraordinaire Tinariwen hit the Roundhouse this Thursday as part of the third iTunes festival. Their follow up to 2007′s fantastic Aman Iman, Imidiwan, is garnering similar levels of adulation from both music and mainstream presses. Tickets for this show and all the others during the month long run at the Roundhouse are available for free from the iTunes festival Facebook page, or through their site here.

Elsewhere this week Welsh trio The Victorian English Gentlemen’s Club make their London return, in support of stomping new ‘un Parrot. Catch them Monday at The Lexington. Other recommendations include the incredible live experience that is !!! at Electric Ballroom, M83 wrapping up (surely!) their tour surrounding our 2008 album of the year Saturdays=Youth with support from the returning Maps. Also on the comeback trail are Jealousy faves Honey Pine Dresser, now with all members on the same patch of earth for the first time in months. They’re playing as part of the all-dayer on Saturday at the Cross Kings. Finally, in unusual venues of the week Morton Valence play on the Battersea Barge, their tales of Bob and Veronica surely set to rock the boat… cue groans.

Tinariwen – Tahult In

Check out the rest of this week’s fantastic haul below.

Photo: Mick Orlosky, Coachella 18.04.09

Continue reading »

London Live: 22-28 June

Jun 212009

Neil Young

Gig Of The Week – Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park

Despite it’s frankly ludicrous comfy slippers and Daily Mail name this three day festival in Hyde Park has thrown up some very juicy acts indeed. Friday is probably the weakest headliner but strongest overall day, with The Killers topping off a bill including Howling Bells, Metric, Silversun Pickups and Echo & The Bunnymen. Saturday sees the incomparable Neil Young play along with Fleet Foxes, Seasick Steve and not really anyone else of interest. If you’re still going by Sunday you’ll be tested by one of The Boss’s marathon sets after already gone through the purgatory of drivel like James Morrison and Starsailor. The pick of the day lineup is openers The Low Anthem. Expect corporate music hell in terms of surroundings and atmosphere, but when you have artists of that quality present shouldn’t it all be about the music? Somewhat bizarrely only the Saturday has not yet sold out, so grab a ticket; it’ll probably be the cheapest you’ll ever get to see Neil Young!

If that’s not your thing there’s a massive glut of bands playing the Zonino 4.5 all-dayer at Brixton Windmill, along with a bill topped of by Jonquil at OXSW2 at the same venue come Sunday.

The Killers -Where The White Boys Dance

Neil Young – Cinnamon Girl (Live)

Bruce Springsteen – Thunder Road

Photo: Andrea Barsanti, 22-6-08 Firenze

Read on for the capital’s best gigs this week…

Continue reading »

London Live: 15-21 June

Jun 152009

Yo La Tengo

Gig Of The Week – Yo La Tengo @ Queen Elizabeth Hall

The Ornette Coleman curated Meltdown festival dominates the London gig listings this week, with my pick being an appearance from Yo La Tengo tonight at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Not only are the New Jersey trio rarely over here (and as an aside – where are the Condo Fucks appearances this side of the pond, hey?) but for the festival they are showing up in ‘Freewheeling’ mode. Moving away from the traditional setlisted gig this is an opportunity for fans to holler at the band – conversations, requests I guess anything goes! One of my biggest gig regrets is that I didn’t catch the band whilst over in NYC in December ’08 during their residency at Maxwells on their home patch, and alas I’m not able to make good that fact tonight. Tickets are long gone, but Scarlet Mist and Ebay are your friends.

Yo La Tengo – Sometimes I Don’t Get You

Read on for the rest of the week’s recommendations…

Continue reading »

London Live: 18-24 May

May 172009

dananananananaykroyd
Gig Of The Week – Stag & Dagger @ 93 Feet East

I know Stag & Dagger is a multi-venue, many band extravaganza but I’ve got to pick the Fact Magazine line-up at 93 Feet East as gig of the week. They hold court with Everything Everything, TEETH!!!, Dananananaykroyd (pictured), The Twilight Sad and Kicker Conspiracy – easily the best of any of the venues. Tickets still available at a relatively reasonable £16.50 – and are valid for any of the venues across town.

Elsewhere Ladyhawke rolls into Koko surely on her final bit of touring around her stupendous debut, likewise the Ting Tings (only without the stupendous debut bit) at Brixton Academy. Idlewild provide a twist on the ‘play an album as a gig’ schtick as they plump for a comprehensive review of work old and new over three nights at Dingwalls. I’d pick the middle night of 100 Broken Windows and Warnings/Promises. Other picks: Metric, Vivian Girls, Datarock and especially The Soft Pack!

Dananananaykroyd – Black Wax
The Twilight Sad – I’m Taking The Train Home
Everything Everything – Photoshop Handsome
TEETH!!! – If I Ever (Video)

Photo: sugicy

For all the recommended gigs around town this week read on…

Continue reading »

London Live: 11-17 May

May 102009

saintetienne

Gig of the Week: Saint Etienne @ Bloomsbury Ballroom

Saint Etienne spend two evenings in the Bloomsbury Ballroom this week revisiting their 1991 album Foxbase Alpha alongside the pick of the rest of their catalogue. Although I remain unconvinced by this practice, usually in the form of the Don’t Look Back series, the opportunity to catch this classic of English electropop would be too good to miss. Tickets sold out a long time ago so if you are overcome with need Ebay or the touts might be your only chance.

Elsewhere about town it is a good week with plenty of options on pretty much every night. Highlights include the Vivian Girls revisiting the Brixton Windmill on Sunday – the scene of their first UK gig last year. Marnie Stern is in town on Monday playing the smaller of the capital’s two Domes at Tufnell Park. Corsica Studios has a very different, but equally excellent, couple of nights with Grails and Nathan Fake on Tuesday and Friday respectively.

Saint Etienne – Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Click below for further shows this week…

Continue reading »

Older Entries Newer Entries