Ever been to a music gig? Want to go again? Want to know who is worth seeing?
Music gigs and festivals is a blog dedicated to telling you where and when the coolest bands are playing in NY and the UK. In addition to this I will also be sharing reviews about gigs and festivals I have attended which are definitely worth checking out.
Want to listen to someone that has a bit of oomph about them? Than Azealia Banks is your answer.
Azealia Banks is an American rapper and singer from New York. Despite being around in 2009, Azealia only got her big break in 2011 when she was nominated for NMEs "Cool List."
Despite her musical influences being Beyonce and Aaliyah, Azealia demonstrates her own style by combining singing with rap.
To date Azealia Banks has released a mix tape "Fantasea" (2011), and an EP "1991" (2012). She recently announced she will be releasing her debut album "Broke with Expensive Taste" in February 2013, something I can't wait to check out.
If you can get past the swearing, and love a bit of attitude and rap then this is definitely an artist for you. Hugely involved with the crowd, its no shock to find the audience singing and dancing around in a frenzy during her entire performance.
Tom Odell is a British singer/songwriter signed with Columbia Records. When asked, Columbia Records have said "Using his piano as his weapon of choice , each track rains down the pain second, by second." With an album due to be released next year, all we have, for now, is his recently released EP " The Songs From Another Love." This 4 song collection is by no means upbeat, but rather an offering of pure heart ache and feeling.
Having supported Jake Bugg on his tour last month (November), it is only a matter of time before Tom Odell starts to build up his own fan base. Dubbed as the next Jeff Buckley, Tom Odell has made the shortlist for both Brits Critics Choice and BBC sound of 2013.
Tour Dates:
24th Jan. Pianos - NYC
1st March. The Rainbow - Birmingham, UK
2nd March. The Cockpit - Leeds, UK
3rd March. King Tut's Wah Wah hut - Glasgow, UK
5th March. Night & Day Cafe - Manchester, UK
6th March. Rescue Rooms - Nottingham, UK
8th March. Tekla - Bristol, UK
10th March. Komedia Brighton - Brighton, UK
11th March. Joiner's Arms - Southampton, UK
12th March. Dingwalls - London, UK
23rd May. Electric Ballroom - London, UK
Imagine Dragons is an indie rock band from Las Vegas, that is formed of Dan Reynolds (drums, vocals), Ben McKee (bass ,vocals), Wayne Sermon (guitar, vocals), and Dan Platzman (drums, vocals).
Despite forming back in 2008 it wasn't until 2011 when this band got their big break. Their single "It's Time" proved to be the turning boy for the boys success - going platinum and reaching the top 5 on the Billboard Alternative, and Billboard Rock charts.
2012 has been a year of great success for Imagine Dragons. Not only did they tour around the US and sell out every show (bar 2!), they released their highly anticipated debut album "Night Visions" and released a brand new EP "Hear Me."
Branded as "2012's Brightest New Stars," Imagine Dragons' talent, sound and energy are certainly gaining them the notice and respect that they so clearly deserve.
Django Django are a British Rock band consisting of David Maclean, Vincent Neff, Jimmy Dixon and Tommy Grace. These four first got together back in 2009 when they met at Edinburgh College of Art.
In January of this year (2012) Django Django released their self titled debut album. Although it only reached number 33 on the UK Album charts, the band were nominated for the 2012 Mercury Prize. Songs that feature on this album include; my personal favourite "Default," "Waveforms" and "Storm."
I am a huge fan of this band, I urge you to check them out.
Tour Dates:
21st Dec. O2 Shepherds Bush Empire - London
7th Feb. O2 Academy Newcastle - Newcastle Upon Tyne
8th Feb. Manchester Academy - Manchester
9th Feb. O2 Academy - Leeds
11th Feb. O2 Academy - Glasgow
12th Feb. Rock City - Nottingham
13th Feb. 02 Academy - Liverpool
15th Feb. UEA - Norwich
16th Feb. O2 Academy - Birmingham
17th Feb. Cardiff University SU - Cardiff
19th Feb. O2 Academy - Bristol
20th Feb. O2 Academy - Bournemouth
21st Feb. Brighton Dome - Brighton
23rd Feb. O2 Academy Brixton - London
25th May. Victoria Park - London
Forming in 2007, BOY (made up of Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass) have quietly been doing their own thing...in Hamburg! Despite their own european heritage, and playing and touring around Hamburg, the two girls only sing and perform in English.
Last year (2011) the girls released their debut album "Mutual Friends," which won them the 2012 European Border Breakers Award (EBBA). Despite being relatively unknown in and around the UK, BOY are proving to be quite the hit elsewhere. Last year they won the Hamburg Musician Prize HANS for Hamburgs newcomer of the year.
The style of these girls is pretty straight forward. Although not completely "folkie," these two do provide that go to upbeat, yet chilled out melodies, with of course, the accompaniment of a guitar or two! If the sounds of Feist, Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles are your calling, then this a band for you.
Athlete, an indie rock band from London, first hit the music scene back in 2000. From the word go these boys have proven popular; their debut album "Vehicles and Animals" which included the hit singles "Tourist," and "Wires" went platinum.
Artists similar to Athlete are Snow Patrol , Aqualung and Travis.
I saw Athlete perform at the 02 Academy in Birmingham UK in 2009 and although I had a good time, I would urge you to think about tickets before you buy them. Athlete have become pretty quiet on the music scene since 2009 and so although Joel Pott (lead singer) is great live, they have very little in terms of recent/ new material. If however you are a fan of athlete and love their old material you will want to check out their latest tour - "Vehicles & Animals Anniversary Tour: Athlete."
When I saw them live, it was a very intimate gig and so I was right up close to the stage - this always makes me enjoy a gig that much more! Deemed by reviewers as the Pinnacle of Housewife friendly pop - this is a safe gig in which you will be promised a good live performance but very little else in terms of excitement and originality.
Tour dates:
8th May. The Junction - Cambridge
9th May. O2 Academy - Bristol
10th May. O2 Shepherds Bush Empire - London
11th May. HMV Ritz - Manchester
12th May. O2 Academy - Birmingham
Maps & Atlases, a four man indie rock band, made up of Shiraz Dada (bassist), Chris Hainey (drummer), Dave Davison (guitar & vocals) and Erin Elders (guitarist), first got together in Chicago back in 2004. To date they have released 2 EPs and a full length debut album "Perch Patchwork" (2010).
Although not particularly mainstream, this band have sure done a lot of touring; supporting the likes of Portugal. The man, Ra Ra Riot, and Foals. Although I only came across this band because a friend had told me to check them out, I must say I am quite the fan. As someone who loves a catchy tune and an uptempo beat, this band was immediately my cup of tea! I urge you to check them out - they're good!
Tour dates:
3rd March. The Ruby Lounge - Manchester, UK
4th March. Brudenell Social Club - Leeds, UK
6th March. Dingwalls - London, UK
7th March. The Green Door Store - Brighton, UK
8th March. The Louisiana - Bristol, UK
If Of Monsters and Men, and Mumford and Sons are your thing, than you have to check out this band. The Lumineers are an American folk band from Colorado. Their self titled debut album "The Lumineers" (which includes their hit single, Ho Hey) was released back in April of this year, and proved to be a great hit - going straight to number 11 on the billboard charts.
In terms of live performances, you can relax - this trio is good! Made up of Wesley Schultz on guitar and lead vocals, Jeremiah Fraites on drums and vocals, and Neyla Pekarek on cello, piano and vocals, these three provide the perfect ingredients for a great folk band. In an interview recently Jeremiah stated "We're not reinventing the wheel or doing anything that different, the songs are super simple" - simple they may be, but rubbish they are not. If their album is anything to go by, this band has huge potential to do as well as other successful folk bands like Mumford.
Having just announced they will be supporting Dave Mathews Band on their N. American tour, this band will also be embarking on their own UK tour early next year.
I got my ticket. Have you got yours?
Tour dates:
17th Dec. Upstate Concert Hall - Clifton Park, NY
20th Dec. iHeartRadio Theater presented by PC Richard and Son - NYC
21st Dec. Barclays Center - Brooklyn, NYC (supporting DMB)
17th Feb. O2 Academy - Liverpool
18th Feb. Stereo - Glasgow
19th Feb. Manchester Academy - Manchester
20th Feb. O2 Shepherd Bush Empire - London
22nd Feb. The Fleece - Bristol
23rd Feb. HMV Institute - Birmingham
24th Feb. The Haunt - Brighton
11th March. O2 Academy - Brixton.
One word to describe this scottish rock band: Phenomenal.
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from East Ayrshire. To date they have released five albums: Blackened Sky, The Vertigo of Bliss, Infinity Land, Puzzle, and Only Revolutions.
Their "Only Revolutions" album (my fav) did particularly well, reaching number 3 in the UK charts and earning them a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize. This album includes the hit singles "Many of Horror," "Mountains," and "That Golden Rule."
This band have recently announced they will be releasing their highly anticipated sixth album "Opposites" very soon. The first single to be released from their upcoming album is "Black Chandelier," which was played for the first time on Zane Lowes radio 1 show on 19th November. If you have yet to hear it, check it out: Black Chandelier
If you have not heard of this band, than shame on you. These boys are true performers and always put on a great show. Despite their success, Biffy Clyro always seem genuinely shocked by the fan base they have built over the years - it is because of this that I urge you to buy tickets asap, as their gigs frequently sell out.
Great talent shared with great personalities - Biffy Clyro always promise a fantastic night of live music. Buy tickets. I will be!
Tour dates:
20th March. Metro Radio Arena - Newcastle
21st March. LG Arena - Birmingham
22nd March. Motorpoint - Cardiff
23rd March. Motorpoint Arena - Sheffield
25th March. Manchester Arena - Manchester
26th March. BIC - Bournemouth
31st March. AECC - Aberdeen
1st April. SECC - Glasgow
3rd April. The O2 - London
So I am going to apologise in advance for this one, but for this post I will be deviating from the norm..
For each post mentioned on this blog I try to write about an artist/ band that is either currently, or about to, embark on a tour of some sort. Although this band has no upcoming gigs on the pipeline I cannot let them go unmentioned, they are just too good!
Smoke & Jackal is a rock band from Tennessee, that first got together in June of this year (2012). Made up of Mona singer and guitarist Nick Brown, and Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill, this is a duo you MUST check out.
In a press statement released by the duo, they announced "coming together just worked." And worked it has. On October 16th Smoke and Jackal released their debut EP "EP1" which includes the tracks "Fall Around" and "No TELL." To hear all tracks from their EP check out: EP1.
I am a HUGE fan of this American indie band from Oklahoma. This band, who originally went by the name Kunek, has to date released two albums; their debut self titled album "Other Lives" and "Tamer Animals."
This band, over the years, has built up quite the strong fan base. Having toured with the likes of Rosebud, Radiohead, and Bon Iver, this band have certainly not gone unnoticed. Although this band has yet to become mainstream, don't be put off, their music is amazing.
Songs to definitely check out by this band are"Black Tables," "Tamer Animals" and "Desert."
For this gig you should expect acoustic performances, very little interaction and a band that uses an assortment of different instruments. Although the music of the Other Lives is certainly not upbeat or even dance worthy it is both powerful and hypnotic, and will leave you feeling moved and transfixed.
Other lives are currently embarking on their N.America tour and will be heading back to the studio to begin work on their third album, which they hope to release sometime in 2013.
If the music from the twilight saga is your calling, than this band is for you. Deep, dark and incredibly indie, I urge you to give em a go! They really are very good.
Tour dates:
28th November. The Bowery Ballroom - NYC
29th November. Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
I first posted about this band in July when I came across them randomly on youtube.
I had known The Staves were going to be supporting Bon Iver on his tour, and so I was very excited to finally see them perform live.
The Staves are a folk band made up of three sisters; Emily, Jessica and Camilli Staveley - Taylor, from Watford, England.
In 2010 this trio appeared on the Tom Jones album "Praise and Blame," and later appeared on Fionn Regan's third studio album "100 Acres of Sycamore." Although they have yet to release their own album, The Staves are looking to release one by the end of the year. After supporting Civil Twilight on their North American tour, The Staves have proved to be very popular, and as a result have gained a lot of positive reviews and attention from both the fans and the media.
These three sisters remind me a great deal of the other sister act "The Pierces." Both bands are able to successfully combine their incredible vocals and harmonise them to make beautiful and meaningful tracks. Their songs are very soulful and it is clear that a lot of thought goes into the lyrics of their songs.
Although I was really impressed with The Staves vocal talent, and was a huge fan of many of their tracks, I have to say I found them incredibly awkward to watch. Despite touring with the likes of Civil Twilight and Bon Iver, the girls looked very uncomfortable and not at all in sync with each other. Between tracks the nerves would show when they tried to have 'banter' with the crowd. Hopefully as the girls tour more this awkwardness on stage will subside, and they will be able to give the performance i know they are more than capable of producing.
Awakwardness aside, The Staves have lovely voices and many great tracks. If you are a fan of folk music than this is certainly a band you should check out.
Tour Dates:
28th - 29th July. Cambridge Folk Festival - Cambridge, UK
17th Aug - 19th Aug. Summer Sundae Weekenderr - Leicester, UK
6th - 9th Sept. Bestival 2012 - Newport, UK
8th Nov. Wembley Arena - London, UK (supporting Bon Iver)
9th Nov. Manchester Arena - Manchester, UK (Supporting Bon Iver)
10th Nov. The SECC - Glasgow, UK (Supporting Bon Iver)
Two Door Cinema Club are an indie band from N. Ireland. Forming together in 2007, this trio have gone on to achieve unbelievable success. Their debut album "Tourist History," which was released on March 2010, won the 'Choice Music Prize' for Irish Album of the Year. Songs from the album that I recommend checking out are "Undercover Martyn," "You're Not Stubborn" and "Something Good Can Work."
On September 3rd, Two Door Cinema Club released their highly anticipated second album "Beacon." Within its first week of release, "Beacon" went straight to number one on the Irish Album Charts. So far only the single "Sleep Alone" has been released from this album, however they have recently announced the follow up single will be "Sun" (18th Nov).
This band has grown a very large and loyal fan base, so don't be surprised if their gigs are sold out. This lively band, with their well polished set, will certainly have you dancing and bopping away to their infectious upbeat tunes. So date, Two Door Cinema Club have proven to have enough raw talent and energy to pull off a great show regardless of the venue and/or crowd size.
This really is a must see band. Check them out, you won't be left disappointed.
Tour dates:
24th Jan. 02 Academy - Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
25th Jan. 02 Apollo Manchester - Manchester
26th Jan. 02 Apollo Manchester - Manchester
28th Jan. Southampton Guildhall - Southampton
29th Jan. Rock City - Nottingham
31st Jan. Solus - Cardiff, UK
1st Feb. 02 Academy - Birmingham
2nd Feb. 02 Academy - Birmingham
4th Feb. Music Hall Aberdeen - Aberdeen
5th Feb. Barrowland Ballroom - Glasgow
7th Feb. O2 Academy Leeds - Leeds
8th Feb. O2 Academy Brixton - London
27th April. Alexandra Palace - London
When I saw Bloc Party last month, it was confirmed why they are one of my all time favorite bands.
To put it bluntly, they were: AMAZING!!
I was fortunate enough to get tickets to their sell out show at the O2 Academy in Birmingham. The evenings set list was: Octopus, 3x3, Hunting for Witches, Positive Tension, Kettling, Waiting for the 7.18, Song for Clay, Banquet, Coliseum, The Prayer, V.A.L.I.S, We Are Not Good People, Real Talk, One More Chance, Flux, Helicopter. Encore: Ares, This Modern Love.
One thing that I appreciated was the diversity of the crowd. There were the older fans, the twenty/thirty years old who remember the bands original music from the albums "Silent Alarm" and "A Weekend in the City," and finally the younger folks who were into the mosh pit and sounds of their latest album "Four."Just a note; due to the intensity of the crowd (and the mosh pit) it was virtually impossible to take any snaps of the band so I am afraid there are no cool shots of the band in action..sorry!
Kele as ever was great on stage. A hugely charismatic guy, with distinct deep vocals, Kele effortlessly worked the whole crowd. The atmosphere was electric, with every soul in the venue squashed together with the hope to get closer to this epic foursome. It came as little surprise to me that the loudest response/applause from the crowd came when Bloc Party played their older tracks; The Prayer, Banquet, This Modern Love and One More Chance. For me the highlight was when they performed Banquet. I may be slightly bias due to it being one of my favorite songs but the packed out venue crowd seemed to be in a frenzy - everyone singing and dancing and quite frankly not caring who the hell was watching. It was brilliant.
I can honestly say if I had the chance to buy tickets to see Bloc Party again I would do so in a heartbeat. Although a long time coming, I can finally say I have seen this awesome band live - and boy were they good!!
Tour Dates:
4th Dec. Apollo - Manchester, UK
11th January. Wellmont Theatre - NJ
For more information regarding tickets and tour dates (N.America and European tour) check out: http://blocparty.com/#live
Joe Purdy is an American folk singer from Arkansas who to has released ten albums: "Stompingrounds," "Julie Blue," "Only Four Seasons," "Paris in the Morning," "You Can Tell Georgia," "Canyon Joe," "Take My Blanket and Go," "Last Clock On the Wall," "4th of July," "This American," and "Joe Purdy."
Although I have yet to see Joe Purdy live, I am a huge fan who hopes to be able to one day. For me Purdy's music is immensely heart wrenching and emotional. I can always rely on a Joe Purdy album when I'm seeking that perfect downtown and chill sound.
Even if you have not heard of this artist before, it is likely you have heard some of his music. Purdy's songs are frequently played on many popular American television shows such as Greys Anatomy and Lost. Songs that I particularly like by Purdy include "I Love The Rain The Most," "Ode To Sad Clown" and "Wash Away."
Joe Purdy is certainly one of those truly underrated artist. Despite not receiving the same level of credit and attention as similar artists of this genre, like Ray LaMontagne, Purdy continues to tour and give exceptionally great performances.
With his guitar and signature long beard, Purdy doesnt rely on any gismos or impressive sets. Instead Purdy captures his audience by singing simple but intimate folk songs that tell a story. I would definitely urge you to see this guy live if folk music is your calling.
This Irish Indie Rock band, named after the first supersonic aircraft Bell X-1, are someone to check out.
Since their arrival onto the music scene in 1999, Bell X1 have released a number of studio albums; "Neither Am I," "Music in Mouth" "Flock," "Blue Lights on the Runway," and "Bloodless Coup."
Bell X1 managed to break the US after their single "Eve, the Apple of My Eye" was featured during 'the' lesbian kiss scene in The O.C. Since this feature, Bell X1 began to really build up their fan base, causing them to tour more and more around N.America and Europe. If you have yet to hear about this band but like the band Radiohead and/or artist Ryan Adams, than this band should be right up your street.
According to Billboard, other than U2, Bell X1 have the most airtime on irish radio for any Irish band. Over the duration of their music career, this band have been nominated for many awards including the Meteor Music Awards and Choice Music Awards.
Bell X1 are certainly a well oiled band when it comes to their live performances. With the success of the bands first live rooftop gig held at Facebook's headquarters in Dublin, Bell X1 are going from strength to strength - note the success of their recent 2012 N.American acoustic Tour. For me, an acoustic/ raw performance can be the difference between a good performance and a great one. With charisma, vocal ability and tour experience all behind them, this band is sure to deliver a string of great gigs.
Check them out...you won't be left disappointed.
Tour dates:
22nd November. Empire Music Hall - Belfast
23rd January. King Tut's Wah Wah Hut - Glasgow
24th January. The Ruby Lounge - Manchester
25th January. Bush Hall - London
Bon Iver is an indie folk band who first formed back in 2007. The bands debut album "For Emma, Forever Ago" was released in 2007 and includes the tracks "Flumes," "The Wolves (Act 1 and 11)," "Skinny Love" and "Lump Sun." In June 2011 Bon Iver released their second album "Bon Iver." This album proved to be equally as successful as their first, with over 100,000 copies sold during its first week in the US alone.
If you like bands such as Fleet Foxes, Tallest Man On Earth, and Iron & Wine, than this is a band for you.
I have been hoping to see Bon Iver live for a number of years now, so when I was fortunate to get tickets to their Manchester gig I was ecstatic. Having got there early enough, I was able to get prime standing position (3 people from the very front) and boy was it amazing.
I can say without any doubt that this is by far one of the best live performances I have ever seen. The vocal and musical ability demonstrated by the band was breathtaking. The set list for their manchester performance was; Perth, Minnesota (WI), Brackett (WI), Towers, Flume, Creature Fear, Hinnom (TX), Wash, Woods, Calgary, Blood Bank, Holocene, Lisbon (OH), Beth/rest. For the encore, they performed; Skinny Love, and For Emma. (I was a little disappointed they didn't perform their hit single "Wolves").
With all nine members in their positions, this hour and half gig was everything I hoped. True to their album, the sounds created by the band were intense and highly emotional. Justin Vernon was fabulous - a great character who had the entire arena crowd eating from the palm of his hand. He put everything into each song, and created awesome banter between tracks,
I can't stress how truly magnificent this show was. If you have the chance please check them out - they are definitely worth it. For me the highlight of the show was Bon Iver performing skinny Love and Flume - two great singles, and personal favourites of my mine.
As someone who is all for hearing about new music/bands, I introduce to you: House of Essex.
This american eclectic rock band first got my attention when they sent me a message on Twitter. After looking up House of Essex, it became clear this five person band from New Jersey is both diverse and hugely talented. Between them, these musicians have toured around the world, played with Bruce Springsteen and Carly Simon, and worked for a number of hit broadway plays, such as Hairspray.
The band includes lead vocalist Tim Welch, bass and vocalist Gregory Jones, percussionist David Longworth, harmony vocals Lora McFarlane, and lead guitarist Courtney Sappington.
When listening to the tracks of House of Essex you will instantly hear the strong influence of rock, jazz and soul. Although not a band for everyone, this band certainly deserves to be checked out! The music generated by this band reminds me a great deal of artists like Santana and Bruce Springsteen, and I would even have to add - listening to Tim Welch reminds me a great deal of Chris Cornell.
Noah And The Whale are a folk band from London, UK.
This band first hit the music scene in 2006 and have since proven to be very popular. To date, they have released three albums "Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down," "The First Days of Spring," and "Last Night on Earth," and have performed at numerous festivals including Latitude, Glastonbury and V.
I would say that since the departure of Laura Marling in 2009, the group definitely changed the style of their music. Instead of more traditional sounds represented in songs "Give a Little Love," "5 Years Time" and "Mary" from their first album, Noah and the Whale have become a lot more main stream and indie.
The lead singer Charlie Fink has a very distinct and unique voice it always makes it easy to identify a Noah And The Whale song. Noah and the Whale are a melancholic group that sing mostly about love, making it the perfect choice for a chilled out session on a Sunday afternoon. Due to sounding as good live as they do on their albums, this gig may not be the most action packed, but it does promise to deliver some great tunes and quality music.
Tour dates:
24th Nov. St John at Hackney Church - London
I saw this band from birmingham when they supported Dry The River at the HMV Institute.
Before seeing them I can honestly say I had never heard anything about them or their music. Although a relatively unknown band, Goodnight Lenin has grown quite the fan base, with gigs frequently selling out. In addition to performing at gigs, Goodnight Lenin have been playing at a number of festivals including the Wood Festival and Glastonbury.
I really enjoyed these boys performance. A folk-esq band with the enthusiasm and spirit of Mumford and Sons when they perform, these boys definitely deserve a chance. With strong vocals and a vast array of instruments there was nothing dull about their set. When listening to the boys I was reminded a great deal of Low Anthem - in terms of both vocal and music style.
The evenings set list included: Shield Your Eyes, New Ceremony, History Book, Demons, Weights & measures, No Rest, Bible Belt, and Lion's Den. For their encore, they performed my personnel favourite single Shaker Hymns (see video below).
For me, the highlight of the night was definitely the encore performance of Shaker Hymns. Not only is this a truly great single, but the five boys performed it unplugged on the main floor, amongst the crowd. With lights only coming from crowd members phones, this was one stripped performance like no other. Peter Liddle's high, torturing but purely beautiful vocals were on top form, which combined with the onstage banter and high energy from the rest of the band, made for the perfect evening of chilling and emotive music.
I would definitely suggest seeing this band live if you have the chance to. Despite being relatively unknown and charging only 8 pounds for tickets, this band sure did attract quite the crowd. What was surprising to me however was the diverse following that they seem to have accumulated - the old, the young, the rocker, the businessman, and student, all there together to experience the show.
Keane, made up of front man Tom Chaplin, backing vocals Tim Rice-Oxley, Jessie Quin, and Richard Hughes, are an alternative rock band from Sussex.
Keane hit the big time in 2004, when their their debut album "Hopes and Fears" became the second best selling British album of the year. Proving to not just be a one time wonder, Keane followed this album with "Under the Iron Sea" which not only topped the UK album charts, but also made the top 5 on the US billboard 200 chart.
Now, fifteen laters, Keane have released their fourth album "Strangeland" (May) which went straight to number 1 on the UK album charts.
So what makes this "band with no guitars" so great? Well for one, like the quote suggests, Keane have separated themselves from all the other rock bands out there by the continual feature of pianos in their tracks.
Although regarded as a seriously awkward guy who struggles to create any sense of rapport between himself and the crowd, no one can dispute his vocal talent. A seriously powerful voice that hardly ever falters, Tom Chaplin is in his own way the perfect lead singer.
With a hugely successful past, it comes as no surprise that this band has accumulated quite the following. Due to this I would say if you are hoping to get tickets you will have to do so quick as their gigs frequently sell out.
Tour Dates:
19th Nov. Usher Hall - Edinburgh, UK
22nd Nov. Waterfront Hall - Belfast, UK
28th Nov. Capital FM Arena - Nottingham, UK
29th Nov. Manchester Arena - Manchester, UK
30th Nov. The O2 Arena - London, UK
2nd Dec. Brighton Centre - Brighton, UK
3rd Dec. Winter Gardens - Blackpool, UK
4th Dec. BIC - Bournemouth, UK
31st Jan. Radio City Music Hall - NYC
Band of Horses, is an American Rock band from Seattle. Since forming in 2004 these boys have released four albums, the most recent being "Mirage Rock" in September of this year.
The band, formed of Mat Brooke, Bridwell, Ryan Monroe, Tyler Ramsey, Bill Reynolds and Creighton Barrett received the greatest success in 2010 with the grammy nominated album "Infinite Arms." I first became aware of this band many years ago when I heard their single "The Funeral" (see below) feature on an episode of One Tree Hill. This track is one of those songs that no matter how much you listen to it, it never gets old. From this single I was eager to hear the rest of the bands music, and I was in no way left disappointed.
Similar artists to Band of Horses include; The Shins, My Morning Jacket, Iron and Wine, and Mumford and Sons.
With any band that has been together for a long time, these boys are well practiced live performers, resulting in some serious superb show. A tight knit group with a huge fan base, it comes as no surprise that Band of Horses play to sell out crowds. With an endless list of great tracks you can be sure of an enjoyable night of live entertainment.
Tour dates:
15th Nov. HMV Institute - Birmingham
16th Nov. O2 Academy - Glasgow
19th Nov. Manchester Academy - Manchester
20th Nov. Hammersmith Apollo - London
11th Dec. Manhatten Center Grand Ballroom - NYC
I absolutely love this band. I was truly ecstatic when I heard, back in 2011, that they were returning from their short break. With the fantastic single "Runaways" and the recent release of their fourth album "Battle Born" (18th September) I am certainly one very happy person!
I was fortunate enough to see The Killers live when they headlined at Hard Rock Calling held at Hyde Park, London. They were truly fabulous live. The uproar from the crowd when the four piece band walked onto stage and opened with "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll" was huge. As predicted Brandon Flowers particularly stood out - he was his usual self, an extremely talented natural performer and a great singer, who can work a crowd of any size.
The crowd was certainly not left disappointed that night with the set list: Glamorous indie Rock & Roll, Spaceman, Somebody Told Me, For Reasons Unkown, Smile Like You Mean It, Losing Touch, Bones, Bling, Shadowplay, Human, A Dustland Fairytale, Moon River, Read My Mind, Mr. Brightside, All These Things That I've Done.
Encore: This Is Your Life, Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, When You Were Young.
With the string of big hits The Killers have released over the years, it came as no surprise when the park was soon filled with hundreds of dancing and singing bodies. Despite the poor weather and cool temperatures, people were having a great night. The only time spirits were dampened was when The Killers came to the end of their set. With "When You Were Young," and fireworks signalling the end of the show - it was safe to say The Killers lived every bit up to the hype that surrounds them. These boys really are great artists and so all that there is left to say is buy tickets NOW - it will be worth it!
Tour Dates:
26th Oct. SECC - Glasgow
27th Oct. AECC - Aberdeen
31st Oct. LG Arena - Birmingham, UK
1st Nov. LG Arena - Birmingham, UK
3rd Nov. Capital FM Arena - Nottingham,UK
4th Nov. Metro Radio Arena - Newcastle Upon Tyne
5th Nov. Motorpoint Arena - Cardiff, UK
8th Nov. Motorpoint Arena - Cardiff, UK
9th Nov. Liverpool Echo Arena - Liverpool
13th Nov. Manchester Arena - Manchester
14th Nov. Manchester Arena - Manchester
16th Nov. The O2 - London
17th Nov. The O2 - London
I recently posted about Emeli Sande. I was fortunate enough to win tickets to see Emeli Sande perform at the iTunes Festival.
Before the show I can honestly say I never really listened to Emeli Sande that much. However after her live performance I can confidently say I am a fan. An incredibly humble individual who took the time between each of her songs to thank the audience and explain the thought presses behind each of her tracks, she is certainly a lot more than a good voice.
The set list for her performance was: Daddy, Tiger, Every Teardrop is a Waterfall (Coldplay Cover), My Kind of Love, Suitcase. Breaking the Law, Maybe, Read All About It (Part 111), Wonder, Mountains, Where I Sleep, One Love/No Woman, No Cry, Heaven. Encore: Next To Me.
For me the highlight of the night was her stripped performance of SuitCase which she sang with her bassist. In addition to this, Emeli did a great cover of Bob Marley's 'One Love' - urging the entire crowd to sing along and get involved.
Overall I had a great night and would definitely recommend people to see her live.
Tour Dates:
6th Nov. The SECC - Glasgow
8th Nov. Symphony Hall - Birmingham
11th Nov. Royal Albert Hall - London
12th Nov. Bridgewater Hall - Manchester
17th January. Webster Hall - NYC
So tickets for Glastonbury Festival next year sold out in record time (1hr 40) leaving the people who were not so lucky thinking in despair "where do I go now?" Well I have your answer: Tomorrowland.
Tomorrowland is an electronic dance music event held in Belgium. The festival started in 2005 and has gone on from strength to strength ever since with bigger crowds and more renowned djs playing every year. Last year the festival attracted many big names including Avicii, Steve Aoki, and David Guetta.
I am seriously pumped for this festival and have made it my mission to get tickets for next year. Although tickets are yet to go on sale the dates for Tomorrowland 2013 have been released and are: 26th, 27th and 28th of July.
I would urge you all to check this out - it looks epic!
I first posted about this guy in March when he was a complete newcomer to the music scene.
Benjamin Francis Leftwich is a singer-songwriter from York, UK who has, in the last six months, really began to make a name for himself. Benjamin released his debut album "The Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm" in July and has since gone on to receive a great deal of support and positive reviews.
Benjamin Francis Leftwich has particularly earned respect for his songwriting abilities and it is partly because of this that in my eyes Benjamin falls into the same category as Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran.
I first came across this artist when his video popped up as an advertisement on Google. Since then I have become quite the fan of his music - his soothing and gentle voice singing combined with his beautiful and meaningful lyrics makes him the perfect playlist choice for chilled out session of music. Although he is a solo artist, Benjamin Francis Leftwich not only relies upon his voice, but also on the accompaniment of a guitar.
Due to Leftwich being such a newcomer his shows are going to be nothing on performances by bands like Mumford & Sons or Ray Lamontagne, but I don't think that should be a reason to skip it. This quiet kid has confidence and a back bone - not many performers are willing/or able to stray from the mic and give an equally strong vocal performance without it than with it. Although his songs are soulful and he has a no fuss style - no gizmos or stunts - his vocal performance will certainly hold you captive and attentive. With this in mind it is clear why you shouldn't expect a raucous night of music, but rather allow yourself to be lost in the peaceful trance which he emits through his songs.
I would give this guy a chance. His sounds offer that perfect ingredient for that downtown music session when all you want to do is relax and chill out. Give him a try - I did!
Tour dates:
17th October. Birmingham Irish Centre - Birmingham
20th October. Nottingham Rescue Rooms - Nottingham
22nd October. The Brickyard - Carlisle
23rd October. Stanley Theatre - Liverpool
24th October. KOKO - London
25th October. HMV Ritz - Manchester
26th October. The Sugarmill - Stoke-on-Trent
This indie folk band from Iceland are absolutely awesome.
After being crowned winners of an annual battle of the bands competition in Iceland, this six piece have gone from strength to strength. Their single Little Talks has so far been the bands most successful single to date - and not just in Iceland. Within the States this band has proven already to be a huge hit, and have even been deemed by Rolling Stone as the "new Arcade Fire."
Of Monsters and Men released their debut album "My Head Is an Animal" earlier this year. Despite the occasional play on UK radio, this band still remains off the radar - not for long though. I would jump on the bandwagon soon - this band are expected to achieve great things.
I am a huge fan of this band and have already secured my ticket to see them - I urge you to do the same!
Tour Dates:
20th Nov. Terminal 5 - NYC
22nd Feb. O2 Academy - Glasgow, UK
24th Feb. Ritz Manchester - Manchester, UK
25th Feb. Rock City - Nottingham, UK
26th Feb. HMV Institute - Birmingham, UK
27th Feb. O2 Academy Bristol - Bristol, UK
1st March. O2 Academy Oxford - Oxford, UK
2nd March. Pyramids Centre - Portsmouth, UK
3rd March. Norwich UEA LCR - Norwich, UK
5th March. O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, UK
6th March. O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, UK
Cat Power (Charlyn Marie Marshall) is an American singer/songwriter from Georgia.
I am a big fan of Cat Power - her raspy and soulful voice create songs that are perfect for that evening of chilled music. Her unique voice also makes it impossible to not recognize her songs which include "Maybe Not," "Sea Of Love" and "Werewolf." Another song to check out is her incredible cover of wonderwall by Oasis.
Cat power has a number of albums; Dear Sir, Myra Lee, What Would the Community Think, Moon Pix, The Covers Record, You Are Free, The Greatest, Jukebox and the recently released Sun. Sun, which was released on September 3rd, has proven to be a great hit, with reviews stating it to be "a passionate pop album of electronic music filtered through a singer-songwriter's soul. "
Cat Power has previously received bad reviews for her live performances - being seen as "unpolished" and "erratic." However after a breakdown which she describes as a "psychotic break" and publicly admitting to a drink problem, Cat Power has become sober and as a result seen her career flourish. She now performs on stage with great confidence, and repeatedly delivers a polished, professional and emotional performance.
Go on. Check her out.
Tour dates:
18th Oct. The State Theatre of Ithaca - Ithaca, NY
Jake Bugg is an English singer/songwriter from Nottingham. He scored his first big break back in 2011 when he was chosen by the BBC to appear on their introducing stage at Glastonbury Music Festival, and was then given a contract with Mercury Records.
Jake's debut self titled album is due to be released on the 15th October.
This 18 year old boy with his mod haircut is certainly one to check out - his distinct and unique voice screams 'forget me not.' In a number of reviews Jake has been likened to Bob Dylan, and listening to him I really couldn't agree with this more. I am a huge fan of this guitar playing country/folk-esq guy and definitely feel he has the talent and potential to match the success of Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran.
Check him out. It'll be worth it!
Tour Dates:
16th October. Sub89 - Reading, UK
20th October. O2 Academy - Oxford, UK
12th November. HMV Institute - Birmingham, UK
13th November. Wedgewood Rooms - Southsea, UK
14th Novemer. KOKO - London, UK
15th November. Thekla - Bristol, UK
17th November. Manchester Academy - Manchester, UK
18th November. The Cockpit - Leeds, UK
19th November. Fibbers - York, UK
20th November. O2 Academy 2 Newcastle - Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
23rd November. Rescue Rooms - Nottingham, UK
This seemingly unknown American indie folk band is definitely worth checking out if you listen to bands such as 'Iron and Wine,' and 'Tallest Man on Earth.'
The thing I particularly like about The Low Anthem is they have no intention playing any of their songs in the same way night after night. Since each of the band members play an array of different instruments, The Low Anthem are successful in achieving this goal and as a result continually perform great gigs.
Something that should also get a mention is the bands willingness to deliver a great show to their fans. For their gig in Boston on 10/21/11 The Low Anthem took their gig outside as they had not finished their set list by the time the venue had to close for the night. Its not often you hear bands willing to do this, so with this in mind I urge you to give this band a go and see them live.
Songs I recommend checking out are "Charlie Darwin," "To Ohio" and "The Horizon is a Beltway."
Tour dates:
27th October. Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts, Pace University - NYC
