London Gigs Diary: 5 March – 11 March 2012

Last week, our London Gigs Diary couldn’t help but notice the abundance of talented female performers lined up to entertain the capital’s gig going population.

Well, it appears to be a case of déjà-vu this week. Laura Marling cements her position as one of the leading singer-songwriters around with a show at the Hammersmith Apollo on Wednesday while Florence & The Machine celebrate their victories at last week's NME awards by playing three nights at Alexandra Palace from Thursday to Saturday. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings play Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Friday, while identical female twin-boasting School Of Seven Bells promote new album Ghostory at a show at the Garage on Thursday. Finally, the Southbank host their weekend-long Women Of The World festival, featuring performances from the likes of Emmy The Great, Sinead O’Connor, Jess Mills, Katy B. and Emile Sandé.

Elsewhere, several cult guitar acts also appear in London this week. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion return to the live circuit with a relatively intimate show at the Scala on Thursday, whilst the night before sees the return of Elephant 6 psychedelicists The Olivia Tremor Control at Cargo. Meanwhile, the Barbican hosts shows by Andrew Bird on Monday (promoting new release Break It Yourself) and revered alt.country types The Jayhawks on Thursday. Similar Americana-toned sounds can be heard at the Borderline on Monday which will be the setting for a show from LA quartet Dawes. Other notable shows include Chairlift and Youth Lagoon promoting their new respective new albums at the Borderline and Electrowerkz on Tuesday and Three Trapped Tigers appearing at Village Underground on Wednesday.

Finally, Dalston’s Café OTO has another impressively wide-ranging line up this week. Cult underground artist Momus opens with a show on Monday, followed by two nights by Group Doueh on Wednesday and Thursday before Roscoe Mitchell, John Edwards and Tony Marsh play their own pair of shows over Friday and Saturday.

Also taking place this week:

Gang Colours – Vortex – 8^th March

Killing Joke – Roundhouse – 8^th March

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Islington Academy – 8^th March

The Civil Wars – Rough Trade East – 8^th March

Cass McCombs – Union Chapel – 9^th March

Natural Snow Buildings – Victoria – 10^th March

Laura J Martin – Union Chapel – 10^th March (12:00-14:00 free entry)

Earth – Union Chapel – 11^th March 

Just announced:

Nina Nastasia – Macbeth – 2nd April

JG Thirlwell’s Manorexia – Union Chapel – 12^th April

Nedry – Lexington – 25^th April

Ane Brun – Shepherd’s Bush Empire – 28^th April

Bowerbirds – Cargo – 7^th May

Dexys – Shepherd's Bush Empire – 8th May

Simian Mobile Disco – Fabric – 18^th May  

Simian Mobile Disco – Magnet – 19^th May