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Klaxons and its extraordinary tales in UK tour dates

February 11, 2011 Electronic, Indie, ticket

With Klaxons’ debut album, we could foresee the future: it was colourful, fun, psychedelic. Above all, it was danceable – the type of dance when arms stand high above heads and feet high above the floor. It was like a trance, and we liked it. Klaxons was so difficult to pin down that the British press created a label just for them: new rave.

But as if following James Murphy’s predictions in the song Losing my Edge, next time we heard about Klaxons they had ditched the turntables and embraced the guitars for Surfing the Void, an album at once dense and dreamy, with heavy guitars, out of time keyboards and vocal that reminds of grunting. Then came the interviews: there were tales of biblical visions and Ayuhasca, collective consciousness and the world shift, bringing together of humanity and shamanism.

It could be worrying but there is no ordinariness in Klaxons and its vision can still be clearly perceived behind it all. They are determined to create something extraordinary, and the only way of achieving it is standing where few people have been before. Unlike Samson, Klaxons strength survived Delilah and they can still wrest a lion a day.

Klaxons UK tour dates: Manchester (Nov 11), Norwich (Nov 12), Bournemouth (Nov 13), Nottingham (Nov 14), London (Nov 16), Cambridge (Nov 17), Oxford (Nov 18), Birmingham (Nov 20), Glasgow (Nov 21), Leeds (Nov 22).

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The Drums contrasting influences in UK tour dates

January 10, 2011 Indie, ticket

The Drums sound like suicide thoughts in a sunbathed beach. Instead of clashing, however, these contrasting feelings somehow complement each other, at once easing the drama and adding some deepness and melancholy to the feel good beats. If post-punk and surf music are a weird combination, it’s even more awkward to see an Americanized version of eighties British music, but the result is an interesting and rich mix of influences and backgrounds. It’s like a band bringing together Ian Curtis and Bez, only less absurd. On stage, the conflicting identity layers persist; instead of the hipsters traditional glooming faces and blasé attitude, they present the audience with energetic performances and flirting greetings.

As it happens, The Drums constant exposure led to criticism, mostly for their lack of originality. But the band’s eponymous debut album justifies the incendiary buzz surrounding the group, exhibiting a well-curated blend of influences as a strength and mixing proudly bits from their favorite bands with their particular tastes and sounds. No one does borrowing like the music industry, and the Brooklyn-based Floridians are the first to admit their influences. Trends repeat themselves constantly so it’s really no surprise that it’s all about 1980 once again.

The Drums UK tour dates: London HMV Forum (Nov 24, 25), Bristol (Nov 26), Birmingham (Nov 27), Glasgow (Nov 29), Belfast (Nov 30), Newcastle Upon Tyne (Dec 03), Leeds (Dec 4), Nottingham (Dec 05), Manchester (Dec 06).

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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club December UK tour and the cherry tree

January 10, 2011 Pop Rock, ticket

Some bands are overrated, others underrated, and a few are simply taken for granted. The reason is not quality related, they have simply been around for such a long time producing consistent songs and in such a steady way that they are seen as part of the musical landscape. More or less like a cherry tree in the street: no one is really surprised or annoyed by it, but everybody gets to eat its fruits and notice its existence when in season.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club belongs to the third category. In a career that spans 12 years, they never promised or were expected to save or revolutionize the rock, they were never the darlings or the next big thing, but they never went downhill either. Many things changed since they started, but the band’s universe remained strangely untouched by time, trends, fashion, and even former drummer Nick Jago’s ups and downs.

Being part of everyday’s scenario doesn’t mean they are unable to occasionally impress, however. The addition of Leah Shapiro, for instance, brought a nice feminine touch not only to drums and percussion but also to the testosterone levels within the band. Beat The Devil’s Tattoo, the first album post new formation and their latest, shows a group in their prime. It’s like a catalogue of what they are about, with one song after the other showcasing BRMC’s typical beats and vibe. They also learned a thing or two about gigging while playing an average 15 gigs a month, something the audience seems to recognize and repay in attendance and enthusiasm. It’s definitely fruit time in BRMC’s garden.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club UK tour dates: Portsmouth Pyramids Centre (Dec 02), Nottingham Rock City (Dec 03), Manchester Academy (Dec 05), Glasgow Academy (Dec 06), Birmingham Academy (Dec 07), Norwich UEA (Dec 09), Bristol Academy (Dec 10), London O2 Academy Brixton (Dec 11).

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Janelle Monáe UK gigs, political and diva under one quiff

January 10, 2011 Soul and Hip Hop, ticket

The list of illustrious admirers is long and diverse – of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes, Prince, P Diddy – and her performances have gather comparisons with the likes of Bowie and Grace Jones. But Janelle Monáe seems so comfortable in her skin that none of the big names appear to worry or intimidate her. The daughter of a janitor mother and a truck driver, herself having worked as a maid and at Blockbuster, she looks sophisticated and sexy in her gravity defying black power quiff and black and white clothes that seem to belong to Fred Astaire. Monáe is as much about music as she is about image, both being very similar creatures in the arty world she inhabits, the world of elaborated personas, theatrical performances and sheer originality.

Monáe is a diva, and, as such, she’s been defying pop music standards with concept albums that allure to a sci-fi world in which Cindi Mayweather, her alter-ego, becomes a messiah to the android community of Metropolis, a place divided between the “haves” and the “have-nots”, just like that other place we all know about. Not surprisingly, minorities are constantly in her radar screen, be them immigrants, homosexuals or blacks. The Kansas City-born draws inspiration from a wide range of musical and cinematic sources, Fritz Lang’s silent film Metropolis being the main inspiration in her latest album, the terrific The ArchAndroid. Prone to describe her urban-soul-hip-hop songs using words as transformative and liberating, Monáe clearly believes in the power of art. Listen closely to her and you will soon believe in it, too.

Janelle Monáe UK tour dates: London Alexandra Palace supporting Vampire Weekend (Dec 02, 03), London Shepherds Bush Empire (Dec 05), Manchester Academy 2 (Dec 06).

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Black Eyed Peas the E.N.D. world tour comes to the UK

January 10, 2011 Soul and Hip Hop, ticket

Black Eyed Peas have been around for quite some time now, but its only
fair to recognize that Stacy ‘Fergie’ Ferguson brought some fresh air and dusted off what was colourless and dull. Black Eyed Peas was suddenly interesting again. Their third album, Elephunk, was the group’s first to feature the vocals of Fergie and also the group`s first big hit.
Since then the LA group have been constantly surprising with their mix
of techno and RnB, turning the band leader Will.I.Am into one of the hottest names in the music industry. He has since performed with Prince, worked with (and courted) Cheryl Cole and produced the successful Fergie solo album.
Black Eyed Peas last record, The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies), is full of bubble gum songs, computerised voices and electro beats, reassuring their commitment to a good party. Its interesting how they fit into hip hop culture as much as they do into a trendy DJ’s set list, appealing to a vast audience and promoting light-hearted fun. If you are among those trying to ignore Black Eyed Peas ascent and still don’t know how to sing along I Gotta Feeling, well, “you are so 2000 and late”.

The E.N.D. World Tour 2010 comes to the UK in May. Black Eyed Peas play in Dublin, London, Manchester and Birmingham. Tickets are on sale now.
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End of the road for LCD Soundsystem

January 10, 2011 Electronic, ticket

It’s a sad case of a band’s huge influence and success ending upkilling it. Since singing “I’m losing my edge” in LCD Soundsystem first single back in 2002, James Murphy has had less and less time for his group. It turned out he wasn’t losing his edge, but having his heyday. Everyone wanted to work with him, be produced by him, dance his set lists or be part of his record label, DFA.
Rapture, The Juan MacLean, Gorillaz, M.I.A., Chemical Brothers, Soulwax, Hot Chip, Hercules and Love Affair; they all have James Murphy’s finger somewhere in their careers and you can´t mention the dance-punk genre without immensely acknowledging him. The man certainly deserves the fame but sadly the cost of it all is that he has no patience for his brainchild anymore and LCDSoundsystem’s new album, This is Happening, will be also their last.

“I think it’s nice to feel like it’s the last one and we’ll tour really hard and then go do something else”, Murphy has said in a recent interview. Well, we disagree.
But before the grand finale there is yet another chance to see LCD Soundsystem and shook our heads in disapproval.
LCD Soundsystem’s new album, This is Happening, will be released on 17May.

Their next and possibly last UK/Ireland tour begins 20 April.

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Green Day and the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

“Summer has come and passed/The innocent can never last/wake me up when September ends/like my father’s come to pass/twenty years has gone so fast/ wake me up when September ends.”
Yes, 20 years have indeed gone fast and the boys of Green Day are adults now, although you could be forgiven for not noticing it when they played drunk as a skunk a small gig last November in London under their alter ego band Foxboro Hot Tubs for an equally intoxicated audience of teenagers. It was a gig full of energy and immensely chaotic, just the type to make your inner punk pogo dance happily.
But Green Day is an altogether different story. Green Day is serious business and when playing this role Billie Joe Armstrong and co are pop punk professionals, never too loud, never too drunk but also never too behaved. They walk the safe line and that’s probably why, two decades on, they are still playing concerts to huge audiences, making records and turning themselves and their music into a game and a musical. More than a case of split personality, it is perhaps a story about survival of anarchy within the industry. Most people would agree that enjoying punkish music without someone pouring beer in your head is a bliss. To those, Green Day is playing two stadium shows at London and Manchester in Summer 2010.

Green Day will perform Manchester Lancashire County Cricket Ground on June 16 and Wembley Stadium on June 19.

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Dead Weather’s new album, Sea of Cowards, out in May

January 10, 2011 Indie, ticket

“Jack White says hit Seven Nation Army almost overlooked as a single.”“Jack White will ‘eventually’ record solo album.” “Jack White teams with Jay-Z for new track.” “Jack White produces wife Karen Elson’s debut album.” “Dolly Parton considering an album with Jack White.”“Jack White and wife welcome baby boy.” “White Stripes documentary to hit UK theatres.” “Alicia Keys and Jack White team for Bond theme.”
Every other week Dead Weather`s drummer and mastermind is in the headlines for some reason. The Detroit-born is involved in so many successful projects that it was surprising to see their first album receive so many negative reviews. Dead Weather is a band full of credentials and it seemed only natural to be adored. But not even the beauty and furious performances of Alison Mosshart (The Kills), the experience of Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age) and the talent of multi-instrumentalist Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs), together with Jack’s Midas touch, were enough to convince. For those who love White Stripes, Dead Weather may be too noisy. For the Raconteurs’ fans, too grunge. And for The Kills followers, probably too Jack White. Be brave – their second album, Sea of Cowards, is out soon.

Dead Weather’s new album will be released in May. They are currently touring Australia and US but UK dates might be added.

Welcome to the fabulous (and sticky) world of Gogol Bordello

January 10, 2011 Punk, Metal, Hardcore, ticket

“What’s to like in shirtless, ugly, hairy and sweaty guys jumping up and down?” a woman complained to another during a Gogol Bordello gig last November in Rio de Janeiro. She was probably not alone in finding them ugly, but most of the audience seemed pretty delighted. In fact, it is quite refreshing to see musicians take up the stage without make up, specially designed frocks and well defined bodies.
The Rio gig wasn´t exactly fortuitous – the band has been out and about quite often since its frontman, Eugene Hütz, moved there 2 years ago. Hütz, a Soviet refugee from the Ukraine who lived in several countries until arriving in New York in 1988, is the heart and soul of a truly multicultural band of gypsies that includes a Russian violinist, a Israeli guitarist, Ethiopian bassist and so on. Their songs are a exotic mix of punk, ska, polka, samba, salsa and reggae that, together with Gogol Bordello’s captivating stage presence, has turned the band into a very hot global act. Sweaty they may be, but in their gigs chances are that you will be too sticky to notice it.

Gogol Bordello`s new album, Trans-Continental Hustle, will be released on April 27.

Pre-order the album on Play.com.

They will  play six UK gigs in May – London Hammersmith Apollo on May 7, Manchester on May 8, Glasgow on May 9, Norwich on May 10 and Birmingham on May 11.

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In the midst of a soap opera and an opera, there goes a flourishing Rufus Wainwright

January 10, 2011 Folk, Pop Rock, ticket

Lust, love, death, family rivalry, tortured relationships, deception, violence, drug abuse…
For almost every human drama, there is an episode in Rufus Wainwright life. And for every episode, there is a song. Lauded by his peers as the most extraordinary songwriter of his generation, Rufus sings of imaginary love, absent fathers, narcotic romance and foolish aspirations in a operatic way, with violins swirling as he unpacks his heart in self-revelatory songs.
All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu, his latest work, was acclaimed by critics and loved by fans and it’s his most intimate and moving work to date and a welcome shift from the increasingly extravagant previous albums. With no full band to hide behind, the Canadian-American artist mourns the passing of his mother in an intense performance of piano and voice. Its this less exuberant albeit more complex side that Rufus Wainwright will be showing in his many UK concerts.
A much more lavish Rufus was available to UK audiences recently as his debut opera, Prima Donna, showed in the Sadler’s Wells. If his songs are like his life and his life is like an soap opera, it seemed a natural move when the musician announced he was composing an actual opera. But the ambitious project received mixed reviews and failed to impress the traditionally conservative opera-goers and critics. Nevertheless, Rufus deserves respect for challenging himself recklessly while he could have stayed in the comfort zone of his acclaimed performances. But then, there would be no drama – and that’s a no no.

Rufus Wainwright is currently on tour with many dates scheduled for the UK. He plays Gateshead on April 19, Birmingham on April 20, Manchester on April 22, Bristol on April 23, Nottingham on April 25, Oxford on April 26, Dublin on April 28, Ipswich on April 29, London on July 03, Brighton on July 04, and a Royal Albert Hall gig on November 22.

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