London Gigs Diary: 12-18 March 2012

This particular week of live music in London opens with a handful of shows by a several new acts that are sure to rise in stature as the year goes on. Lianne La Havas plays a headline show at the Scala on Tuesday, NZCA/LINES promote self-titled debut album at the Barfly on Monday while on the same night Michael Kiwanuka plays a free show at Rough Trade East.

Shows by Mark Lanegan at Shepherd’s Bush Empire and The Felice Brothers at The Macbeth on Tuesday provide live music of a more grizzled, lived-in nature on Tuesday.  Fellow American songwriter Damien Jurado also returns to London this week to play a full band show at Cargo on Monday, after the earlier solo gig he played at the Enterprise in January.

Later in the week sees a pair of gigs centred more around the worlds of orchestral and chamber music take place. The North Sea Radio Orchestra have built up a modest reputation over recent years for combining both the ancient and the modern on their three albums released to date, and they play a small show at Westminster Kingsway College on Thursday. Friday sees two highly-regarded figures of crossover contemporary classical, Nico Muhly and Owen Pallett, give the world premieres of their respective Cello and Violin concertos at the Barbican with the backing of the Britten Sinfonia (just one of several excellent contemporary events being hosted by the Barbican this year).

Friday also sees a number of gigs at the Southbank Centre in celebration of the 10^th birthday of BBC 6music. Public Image Ltd, Gruff Rhys, Laura Marling, Anna Calvi and Beth Jeans Houghton are all scheduled to appear. The Royal Festival Hall also hosts two concerts by Joan Baez on Friday and Saturday – read what we thought about her show in Cambridge here. Finally, the QEH has two stand-out jazz concerts this week – the Neil Cowley Trio promoting latest album The Face Of Mount Molehill on Thursday and ECM-signed pianist Tord Gustavsen appearing on Sunday.

Elsewhere on Friday, Timber Timbre play a show at Islington Assembly Hall whilst Xiu Xiu promote 9^th album Always in a show at Rich Mix in Bethnal Green.

Also taking place this week:

Diagrams – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen – 13^th March

Megaphonic Thrift & Daniel Land – Buffalo Bar – 14^th March

Veronica Falls & Male Bonding – Scala – 14^th March

Inspiral Carpets – KOKO – 16^th March

Caro Emerald – Roundhouse – 16^th March

An evening with Jah Wobble – Vortex – 16^th March

Blanck Mass – The Nest – 16^th March

Debukas - KOKO – 17th March

Tall Firs – Upstairs at the Garage – 17^th March

Icarus Line – Windmill – 17^th March

Just announced:

Santigold – Heaven – 26^th April

Ben Kweller – Water Rats – 9^th May

Ian McCulloch – Union Chapel – 12^th May

Beach House – Village Underground – 24^th May

Kathryn Williams – Union Chapel – 29^th May

Brian Jonestown Massacre – Shepherd’s Bush Empire – 7^th July

Grimes – Heaven – 5^th September

Radiohead – O2 Arena – 8/9^th October

Dead Can Dance – Royal Albert Hall – 26^th October

The Civil Wars – Roundhouse – 6^th November

Andrew Bird – Roundhouse – 8^th November