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The Decemberists
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@ Forum, London (18/11/09)
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To showcase a new album or to play oldies? Colin Meloy's gang solve the dilemma by playing two sets.
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Blue Roses
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@ Bush Hall, London (18/11/09)
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Laura Groves peeps from under her fringe as she and her multi-instrumentalist bandmates plough a furrow 'twixt twee and hip.
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Great Lake Swimmers
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@ Jazz Cafe, London (18/11/09)
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Tony Dekker and his band of fellow Toronto dwellers get mellow in Camden.
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Alexandra Burke
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Little Noise Sessions @ Union Chapel, London (17/11/09)
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The X-Factor's 2008 winner sings for charity on a pop bill also featuring Alphabeat and VV Brown.
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Paul Curreri
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@ Betsey Trotwood, London (17/11/09)
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Very New Americana from a Virginian's album called California, for very tall people, in a very small cellar.
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Rihanna
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@ Brixton Academy, London (16/11/09)
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A streamed-to-the-world event pulverises Brixton for 40 short minutes; time enough for another Jay-Z cameo.
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Editors + The Maccabees
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Little Noise Sessions @ Union Chapel, London (16/11/09)
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With accompaniment stripped back, the soulful baritones of Tom Smith and Orlando Weeks are unleashed.
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Beyoncé
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@ O2 Arena, London (15/11/09)
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The sometime Destiny's Child star goes up against her alter ego Sasha Fierce, assisted by Jay-Z and Kanye West.
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Patrick Wolf
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@ Palladium, London (15/11/09)
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With special guests Florence Welch and Alec Empire helping out, it's the biggest hometown show of his life.
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Melody Gardot
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London Jazz Festival @ Royal Festival Hall, London (15/11/09)
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Diva antics are eventually forgiven as Duke Ellington and Brazil are invoked by the New Jersey native.
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Roberto Fonseca + Mayra Andrade
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London Jazz Festival @ Royal Festival Hall, London (14/11/09)
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A night of Cuban-centric fusion headlined by the Buena Vista Social Club inheritor, with Cape Verde's songbird.
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Martha Wainwright
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@ Barbican, London (11/11/09)
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A concert of evocative Edith Piaf interpretations, showcasing new album Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris.
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Rickie Lee Jones
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@ Cadogan Hall, London (11/11/09)
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The Chicago-born singer is greeted with prolonged adulation in the 30th anniversary year of her big hit Chuck E's In Love.
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Fionn Regan
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@ Deaf Institute, Manchester (10/11/09)
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The singer-songwriter previews tracks from his upcoming second album The Shadow Of An Empire.
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Steve Martin
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@ Royal Festival Hall, London (9/11/09)
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An evening of bluegrass, headlined by a sixtysomething film star, aided by The Steep Canyon Rangers. Has the ego landed?
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MaJiKer
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@ ICA, London (9/11/09)
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Matthew Ker showcases his body-piano-machine techniques, with Bénédicte Le Lay, a camera and a spot of mime.
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Seasick Steve
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@ Apollo, Manchester (9/11/09)
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Whether natural by-product or a crafty profiteer, Steve Wold has found Middle England's buttons and is pushing hard.
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Hope Sandoval And The Warm Inventions
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@ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (8/11/09)
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A tiny, a waif-like girl-creature with a voice that could drown out a tsunami takes to the stage with Mazzy Star and My Bloody Valentine founder Colm O'Coisoig.
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Röyksopp
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@ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (5/11/09)
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A midweek rave aided and abetted by Robyn and Anneli Drecker gets the party started.
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Muse
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@ Arena, Sheffield (4/11/09)
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The Devon trio take The Resistance on tour to Sheffield, with lasers and eerie backdrops aplenty.
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The Miserable Rich
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@ Slaughtered Lamb, London (3/11/09)
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Brahms in a basement as the cover merchants toast with tipples.
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Daniel Johnston
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@ Union Chapel, London (2/11/09)
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With Laura Marling and The Wave Pictures as support, the namechecked sometime cult figure is among friends.
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Grizzly Bear
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@ Barbican, London (31/10/09)
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With the London Symphony Orchestra, arrangements by Nico Muhly and St Vincent supporting, Ed Droste's crew headline Hallowe'en.
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Yeasayer
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@ Guggenheim, New York City (30/10/09)
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The Brooklyn band choose a museum to showcase material from their upcoming second album Odd Blood, with two new percussionists.
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Jack Peñate
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@ Fridge, London (29/10/09)
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At the Brixton venue's first gig in 15 years, Londoner Peñate gives his rejuvenating second album Everything Is New a good workout.
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Efterklang
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@ Barbican, London (28/10/09)
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Three drummers and the Britten Sinfonia join the Danish ensemble to perform music from their album Parades.
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The Drums
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@ Barfly, London (27/10/09)
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It may be autumn, but songs from their Summertime EP went down a treat in a packed-like-sardines showcase.
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Passion Pit
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@ KOKO, London (27/10/09)
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Michael Angelakos and his merry band play two sold-out shows at the former Camden Palace, capping off a breakthrough year.
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The Matthew Herbert Big Band
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@ Barbican, London (26/10/09)
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Celebrating the British Council's 75th Anniversary, a 75-strong choir join the big band, one head-turning diva and a hyperactive wizard in tails.
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HEALTH
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@ Garage, London (26/10/09)
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With no time for filler or banter, the LA four-piece showcase a considerable progression in the space of half an hour.
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Maps
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@ Cargo, London (26/10/09)
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James Chapman apologises for being a bad son during a faintly traumatising Monday evening.
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Smokey Robinson
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BBC Electric Proms @ Roundhouse, London (24/10/09)
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From Motown to Camden Town, the Temptations legend celebrates a half century of Detroit's signature sound.
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Shirley Bassey
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BBC Electric Proms @ Roundhouse, London (23/10/09)
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Sparkling and playful, the Tiger Bay Dame is joined by Richard Hawley, David Arnold and James Dean Bradfield.
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Sonic Youth
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@ Forum, London (23/10/09)
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Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo and recent addition Mark Ibold run The Eternal through its paces.
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Carousel: The Songs Of Jacques Brel
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@ Barbican, London (22/10/09)
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Diamanda Galás, Marc Almond, Momus, Arno, Camille O'Sullivan and Arthur H star in an evening of diverse interpretations.
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Doves
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BBC Electric Proms @ Roundhouse, London (22/10/09)
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As eight million people watched a racist on telly, some Mancunians got together with some Bulgarians.
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iLiKETRAiNS
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@ Garage, London (22/10/09)
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Leeds' favourite post-rock sons showcase material from their upcoming second album. Railwaymen's uniforms are still intact.
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Dizzee Rascal
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BBC Electric Proms @ Roundhouse, London (21/10/09)
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The tinker otherwise known as Dylan Mills gets a live band for the first time and sends Camden Bonkers.
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Editors
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@ Hammersmith Apollo, London (21/10/09)
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Anthemic melodies on a brooding aesthetic continue to help Tom Smith's merry men to shift units.
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The Big Pink
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@ Academy 3, Manchester (21/10/09)
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Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell take a breather from arena support spot preparations to bring their thunderous fug up close and personal.
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Robbie Williams
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BBC Electric Proms @ Roundhouse, London (20/10/09)
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The X-Factor and Take That get mentioned as a star returns with new songs and Sir Trevor Horn.
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Girls
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@ Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, London (20/10/09)
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Christopher Owens' fringe issues aside, is this a grunge incarnation of Hanson or something altogether dirgier?
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Soap&Skin
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@ Purcell Room, London (20/10/09)
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Anja Plaschg demonstrates why she's rather more than a precocious talent.
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Vampire Weekend
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@ KCLSU, London (15/10/09)
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A blink-and-you'd-miss-it preview of new material from the Cape Cod foursome.
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Kings Of Convenience
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@ Barbican, London (15/10/09)
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Erlend Øye and Erik Glambek Bøe declare their dependence with a chairdance of sorts.
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Groove Armada
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@ Coronet, London (15/10/09)
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Something changed, and she calls herself Saint Saviour. Are Andy Cato and Tom Findlay preparing a charts comeback?
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Willy Mason
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@ St Giles-in-the-fields, London (14/10/09)
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With his mother on guitar and vocals and sundry other ladies backing him up, the 24-year-old preached to his converts.
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Spiritualized
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@ Royal Festival Hall, London (13/10/09)
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J Spaceman and a choir reprise the glories of Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space.
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Wild Beasts
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@ Garage, London (9/10/09)
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Two Dancers teeter on the crest of a wave, ably supported by Blue Roses.
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Bombay Bicycle Club
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@ Heaven, London (8/10/09)
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Now they've finally got that long-gestating debut album out, the London quartet can set about showcasing it.
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Pixies
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@ Brixton Academy, London (6/10/09)
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Frank Black. Kim Deal. GRUNGE. You want a set list? Go and buy Doolittle and read the inlay card. Then add some stuff.
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Magma + JP Massiera + Chrome Hoof
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Celestial Mass @ Barbican, London (6/10/09)
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An intergalactic trip in the French headliners' 40th anniversary year, opened by many-legged Londoners in Bacofoil.
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The Zombies
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@ Jazz Cafe, London (6/10/09)
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Formed 50 years ago in St Albans, Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent's operation has come all the way to the capital.
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Golden Silvers + Marina And The Diamonds + Local Natives + Yes Giantess
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@ Sugarmill, Stoke-on-Trent (4/10/09)
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The NME Radar tour this time pairs American indie-dance with Welsh pop, with everything in between.
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Richard Hawley
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@ Bridgewater Hall, Manchester (2/10/09)
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The Steel City crooner's latest album Truelove's Gutter suggests refinement rather than revolution.
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Luke Haines
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@ Borderline, London (1/10/09)
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After his Britpop book rant comes his attempt at being a 21st Century Man. The sometime Auteurs lynchpin still brings in the faithful.
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Paolo Nutini
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@ Hammersmith Apollo, London (30/09/09)
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With his second album Sunny Side Up recently unveiled, the 22-year-old Scot seems to be on a mission to entertain, in whatever music style he happens to fancy.
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The xx
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@ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (28/09/09)
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As they prepare for their first headline tour, the Putney-based band work out how to translate their minimalist music to a big old theatre stage.
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Slow Club
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@ The Plug, Sheffield (23/09/09)
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The Sheffield duo demonstrate that they could well be the nicest band in the world in their homecoming gig.
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Times New Viking
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@ Cargo, London (23/09/09)
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Launching their latest album Born Again Revisited, the Ohio three-piece tear through a clutch of short, sharp and surprisingly tuneful punk tracks.
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Stornoway
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@ ICA, London (21/09/09)
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The Hebridean name doesn't prepare one for these Oxford boys, whose number includes a working ecologlist with a PhD in ornithology.
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Neko Case
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@ Barbican, London (17/09/09)
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At the end of her Middle Cyclone tour, her glorious voice is still very much intact as she plays with audience moods.
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Mini Viva
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@ Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, London (16/09/09)
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Xenomania's quest for pop domination continues with this sassy duo.
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AU
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@ Cafe OTO, London (16/09/09)
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This Portland-based 'experimental pop' duo have been favourably compared with Animal Collective. Oh, and it's pronounced "Ay-you", you know.
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Dirty Projectors
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@ Scala, London (13/09/09)
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With support from Tune-Yards, there was only one place in London to be on a dull Sunday night.
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The Low Anthem
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@ Deaf Institute, Manchester (06/09/09)
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The Rhode Island trio find their perfect space for a run-through of new album Oh My God Charlie Darwin.
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Magazine
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@ Royal Festival Hall, London (01/09/09)
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Back after 28 years away, Howard Devoto, Barry Adamson and co play The Correct Use Of Soap in its entirety.
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Led Bib
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@ Luminaire, London (28/08/09)
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The 2009 Mercury Prize's 'token jazz nomination' gets in some practice ahead of the ceremony
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Arctic Monkeys
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@ Brixton Academy, London (26/08/09)
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Josh Homme and Dave Grohl are the support act to a fan club gig in the Brixton Academy. And no, this is not Humbug.
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U2
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@ Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield (20/08/09)
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In the clutch of The Claw, with a giant Desmond Tutu on screen and Elbow as support, the stadium rockers banish austerity.
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Erik Hassle
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@ Queen Of Hoxton, London (20/08/09)
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A showcase of a new major label offering, with a ginger quiff. But this one's male.
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Natalie Imbruglia
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@ Lexington, London (19/08/09)
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'Beth from Neighbours' signals her Come To Life comeback with an intimate show featuring some Chris Martin-penned tunes.
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Grizzly Bear
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@ KOKO, London (18/08/09)
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Sometimes it pays to go against the grain, as tonight's set from Daniel Rossen, Ed Droste and co proves.
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DeVotchKa
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Cargo, London (11/08/09)
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The perfect mix of pop and progression is achieved, somewhere between A Silver Mount Zion and Bruce Springsteen.
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IN PHOTOS:
Grace Jones
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We Love, Ibiza (09/08/09)
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A Hurricane hits a Balearic paradise between the eyes.
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Goran Bregovic
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Barbican, London (30/07/09)
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The white-suited Serb returns with brass ensemble, Bulgarian ladies and a backing choir of his countrymen to tell all about that most spiritual companion, alcohol.
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A-Ha
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Roundhouse, London (24/07/09)
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The iTunes festival continues as the ageless Norwegian trio debut new album tracks alongside '80s classics.
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Graham Coxon
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Roundhouse, London (23/07/09)
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After the Blur reunion, their axeman gets back to the day job as the iTunes Festival continues, with support from Esser.
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Calvin Harris
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Somerset House, London (20/07/09)
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Even if you're not a girl born in the '80s, his arena-sized new songs should prove quite acceptable.
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United Underground
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Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (18/07/09)
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On the roof, on the terrace and indoors, Riz Ahmed, Theoretical Girl, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and highlight Afrikan Boy mix up music with activism.
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Super Furry Animals
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Somerset House, London (18/07/09)
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Even with a set lasting an hour and a half, Gruff Rhys and co have gems from their nine albums left over.
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Fever Ray
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Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (16/07/09)
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Karin Dreijer Andersson bewitches west London with incense, lamps and an innate sense of drama.
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Bat For Lashes
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Somerset House, London (16/07/09)
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Natasha Khan braves biblical downpours to showcase her Two Suns to a resolute audience
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Marina And The Diamonds
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Sanderson Hotel, London (16/07/09)
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The Welsh wonder headlines a Neon Gold Records night as part of the Sanderson Presents... series.
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Rumble Strips
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Wilton Hall, London (15/07/09)
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Mark Ronson's dropped some strings and brass stardust on their second album Welcome To The Walkalone
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Friendly Fires
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Roundhouse, London (15/07/09)
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Whether they get nominated for a Mercury this year or not, Ed Macfarlane will always be able to dance.
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The Mars Volta
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Somerset House, London (13/07/09)
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Playing for two hours with no support, the band needed to get this gig out of their system.
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Joshua Radin
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Academy 2, Sheffield (13/07/09)
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Zach Braff's best mate brings his self-deprecating songs of heartbreak to Sheffield's Academy.
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Lily Allen
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Somerset House, London (11/07/09)
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Incessant drizzle fails to take much away from the 23-year-old's stopover between festivals as the Summer Series continues.
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The Enemy
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Somerset House, London (10/07/09)
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The Coventry boys, slotting in a headline set amongst Oasis support slots, are upstaged by their own support acts.
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Grace Jones
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Somerset House, London (09/07/09)
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The opening gig of the Somerset House Summer Series raised the tax office courtyard's temperatures by several degrees...
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Elbow and the Hallé
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MIF @ Bridgewater Hall, Manchester (08/07/09)
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Mercury winners Guy Garvey and co are backed by another of the city's institutions, the Hallé.
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The Duckworth Lewis Method
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@ Oval, London (07/07/09)
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Neil Hannon and Thomas Walsh introduce cricket pop ahead of the Ashes, with a view of the ran-sodden crease to boot.
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Amadou & Mariam and The Beating Wing Orchestra
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MIF @ Pavilion Theatre, Manchester (07/07/09)
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The Malian superstar couple team up with an international ensemble of refugees for a unique collaboration.
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Florence And The Machine
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@ Rivoli Ballroom, London (07/07/09)
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Camberwell beauty Florence Welch brings her Lungs to the relatively local splendour of Brockley's well-heeled, velveteen-walled dancefloor.
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M83
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@ KOKO, London (07/07/09)
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Stargazing, Antibes style with Anthony Gonzalez and his crew as Camden falls under an otherworldly spell.
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Antony And The Johnsons
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MIF @ Opera House, Manchester (03/07/09)
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With the 36-piece Manchester Camerata under the baton of Rob Moose, the Mercury winner plays rearranged tracks from his three studio albums.
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La Roux
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@ Forum, London (01/07/09)
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Elly Jackson gives a free gig on a stifling night ahead of her debut album's release.
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Tindersticks
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@ Serpentine, London (01/07/09)
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Stuart Staples and co close the 2009 Serpentine Sessions in Hyde Park.
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The Dead Weather
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@ Forum, London (24/06/09)
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Jack White tries on another hat with his new supergroup. Should he focus on the day job?
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Ornette Coleman
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Meltdown 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (21/06/09)
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The second of the Meltdown curator's two gigs focuses on the seminal free jazz album This Is Our Music.
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Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid
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Meltdown 09 @ Front Room, London (20/06/09)
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Four Tet main man and his 65-year-old collaborator hypnotise in the Queen Elizabeth Hall's bar.
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Mike Patton & Fred Frith
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Meltdown 09 @ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (18/06/09)
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Faith No More and Tomahawk front man gets experimental with 60-year-old avant garde multi-instrumentalist.
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Jarvis Cocker
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@ Troxy, London (17/06/09)
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The master of scissorkicks brings his two solo albums to a kitsch, carpeted space in Stepney.
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Bobby McFerrin
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Meltdown 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (17/06/09)
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The multiple Grammy winner workshops with his audience in a set strong on improvisation.
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Moby
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Meltdown 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (16/06/09)
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Ahead of his new, self-released album Wait For Me, he reins in his dancier side for an all-seater venue.
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Baaba Maal
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Meltdown 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (15/06/09)
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With special guest VV Brown on hand, the 55-year-old even indulges in a spot of breakdancing.
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Yo La Tengo
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Meltdown 09 @ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (15/06/09)
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Ornette Coleman's Meltdown continues with a trio celebrating 25 years together.
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Broad Casting featuring Joe Bataan and James Pants
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@ Cargo, London (11/06/09)
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Salsoul star Bataan joins Karen P's eclectic bill for his first London gig in three decades.
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The Horrors
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@ Electric Ballroom, London (05/06/09)
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Faris Badwan and co thrill girls and boys with new album Primary Colours, demonstrating just how far they've come since their debut.
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Oasis
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@ Heaton Park, Manchester (04/06/09)
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Blown generators and blowy weather can't blow the Gallagher brothers off course at the first of three, 70,000 capacity homecoming gigs.
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Omar Souleyman + Group Doueh
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@ Unitarian Hall, Cambridge (30/05/09)
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Seattle's Sublime Frequencies bring Syria's biggest pop star to a tiny church hall, with breaking Western Saharan support.
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Rokia Traoré + Sweet Billy Pilgrim
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@ Barbican, London (29/05/09)
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Mali's superstar unleashes her impressive lungs to showcase Tchamantché; support from Tim Elsenburg's art-pop collective.
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Antony And The Johnsons
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@ Hammersmith Apollo, London (27/05/09)
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Antony Hegarty tinkles the ivories as he ranges over three albums of material.
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Crystal Stilts
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@ Luminaire, London (25/05/09)
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Sombre mood, inter-song chitter-chatter and profane requests make for curious bedfellows.
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Metric
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@ Electric Ballroom, London (19/05/09)
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Emily Haines unleashes her fantasies as the Canadians set out their arena-sized ambitions.
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Saint Etienne
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@ Bloomsbury Ballroom, London (15/05/09)
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Debut album Foxbase Alpha gets dusted down and showcased on Pete Wiggs' birthday.
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Shearwater
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@ Union Chapel, London (12/05/09)
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Jonathan Meiburg and his multi-instrumentalist friends showcase birds of a feather.
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Tori Amos
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@ Savoy Theatre, London (11/05/09)
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The Cornflake Girl showcases new album Abnormally Attracted To Sin.
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Jay Brannan
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@ Bush Hall, London (09/05/09)
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A packed room sings sweetly along to the unlikely line: "I want to be a housewife. What's so wrong with that?"
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Devo
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@ Forum, London (06/05/09)
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In 30 years have they evolved? Energy dome hats at the ready for a journey through time...
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Alec Empire
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@ Underworld, London (01/05/09)
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Aided by a bewinged Patrick Wolf, the Digital Hardcore founder throws himself on his audience's mercy.
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Micachu / Thecocknbullkid / Alessi's Ark
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@ ICA, London (29/04/09)
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More of a mini festival than a gig, Actionaid 6 Degrees brought together bands, DJs and fundraisers for women's rights.
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Basement Jaxx
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@ Roundhouse, London (28/04/09)
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Ahead of the expected autumn release of their first album in three years, Felix and Simon bring the carnival back to their home turf.
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Yeah Yeah Yeahs
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@ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (25/04/09)
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Karen O and a giant inflatable eyeball blitz the place.
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Neil Halstead
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@ St Giles-in-the-fields, London (24/04/09)
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The sometime Slowdive stalwart welcomes worshippers to church for tunes new and old.
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St Vincent
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@ Hoxton Bar + Kitchen, London (21/04/09)
|
Annie Clark acts out at her sole UK date ahead of the release of second album Actor.
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PJ Harvey & John Parish
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@ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (20/04/09)
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Polly Jean and her guitar teacher showcase their second album A Woman A Man Walked By with ukulele, thrash and barks.
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Noise Of Art
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Ether 09 @ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (19/04/09)
|
The Juan Maclean headline an eclectic evening of deep space disco as the South Bank Centre's Ether 09 continues.
|
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The Prodigy
|
@ Wembley Arena, London (17/04/09)
|
Wembley gets invaded by the triumvirate of Howlett, Flint and Maxim.
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Frightened Rabbit + We Were Promised Jetpacks
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@ Scala, London (14/04/09)
/
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Kings Cross fills with Scots for FatCat-signed talents from north of the border.
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David Byrne
|
Ether 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (12/04/09)
|
Ether 09's headliner shows off the fruits of his working relationship with Brian Eno, dusting down Talking Heads and solo material.
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Röyksopp + Fever Ray
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Ether 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (11/04/09)
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Karin Dreijer Andersson's chilling debut solo UK gig as Fever Ray upstages her recent collaborators.
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Peaches
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Ether 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (10/04/09)
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Opening the South Bank Centre's Ether 09 events series, Merrill Nisker and human lightbulbs face an all-seater venue.
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Simon Bookish + Deathray Trebuchet
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@ Vortex, London (10/04/09)
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Jazz acts in the very loosest sense descend on Dalston, and Bookish has taken '80s nostalgia in a Miami Vice direction...
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The Field
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@ Cargo, London (03/04/09)
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A free gig on a Friday, with multibuy offers on lagers, proved a curious introduction to Axel Willner's second album.
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Frankmusik
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@ Dingwalls, London (01/04/09)
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Vince Frank and clusters of imitators celebrate a return from backpacker travails at a nicely draped single launch.
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Alela Diane
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@ St Giles-in-the-fields, London (30/03/09)
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The Californian lady, with her father in tow, gets drummed out of church.
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Tunng with Tinariwen
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@ KOKO, London (26/03/09)
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Desert bluesmen and London folksters combine their talents for a unique collaborative evening.
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Mr Hudson
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@ Scala, London (24/03/09)
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Inexplicably the latest protege of Kanye West, Ben Hudson had postponed his entire tour save for this date. Should he have spared LDN awhile too?
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Etienne De Crecy
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@ matter, London (24/03/09)
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The power of three - Etienne de Crecy brings his 'Beats and Cubes' show to the dark matter.
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Animal Collective
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@ Forum, London (24/03/09)
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Avey Tare, Grizzly Bear and Geologist bring Merriweather Post Pavilion back to London, but they're still not keen on banter.
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Patrick Wolf
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@ Heaven, London (12/03/09)
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A showcase of new album The Bachelor, with costumes Leigh Bowery might have worn if the Marquis de Sade were his tailor.
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Hafdis Huld
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@ Slaughtered Lamb, London (11/03/09)
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The Icelandic quirkstress showcases material from her forthcoming second album.
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Franz Ferdinand
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@ Hammersmith Apollo, London (10/03/09)
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On the penultimate date of their UK tour, the Glaswegians paint the town red.
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Elbow
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@ Academy, Sheffield (03/03/09)
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In case you've never heard of them, they're rather good. Tonight Guy Garvey's even blowing his own trumpet.
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Eliades Ochoa
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@ Barbican, London (28/02/09)
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Buena Vista Social Club's distinctly Cuban answer to Johnny Cash warms up London with a selection of his own and BVSC's many timeless tunes.
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Amadou & Mariam
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@ KOKO, London (25/02/09)
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"The blind couple from Mali" play their first London headline gig since the release of Welcome To Mali at the tail end of last year.
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M Ward
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@ Borderline, London (25/02/09)
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He has sincerity and charisma, yes, and even some tunes. But what's with the full-on war against photography?
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Passion Pit
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@ Cargo, London (23/02/09)
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Michael Angelakos comes up against "stone cold London" as the band do their best to live up to hyperbole.
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Titus Andronicus
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@ Hoxton Square Bar + Kitchen, London (23/02/09)
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There is something wholly masculine about approaching heartbreak and loss by hitting things very hard and screaming very loud.
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Black Box Recorder
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@ Luminaire, London (18/02/09)
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Luke Haines, John Moore and Sarah Nixey are back together after a five-year hiatus, but their first gig poses as many questions as it answers.
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Crystal Stilts
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@ Lexington, London (16/02/09)
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The Brooklyn quartet attempt to demonstrate that they're not just the cool US band playing London this week.
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Little Boots
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@ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (13/02/09)
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As one of four acts on stage tonight, Victoria Hesketh had half an hour to convince cynics heavy on hair products of her right to draw breath.
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Buraka Som Sistema
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@ Scala, London (12/02/09)
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The mystifying lack of hype around their debut album Black Diamond may actually have worked in their favour; old fashioned word of mouth has unleashed quite a buzz.
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Sebastien Grainger
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@ Lexington, London (11/02/09)
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There's no way that Shakira's breasts could have put on as good a show as thi... there's no way that Shakira's breasts could have put on as good a musical show as this.
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The View
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@ KOKO, London (10/02/09)
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A rousing uproar of a set suggests the Dundee foursome are a more compelling prospect live than on record.
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Howling Bells
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@ Islington Academy, London (09/02/09)
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Being in a band and playing shows can't be like work. It's what you do instead of doing work. Isn't it? Yet this gig sure looked like work...
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La Roux
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@ Notting Hill Arts Club, London (05/02/09)
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In the first night of a four-week residency at YoYo, Elly Jackson sets about hurdling her way to pop success.
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Amanda Palmer
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@ Electric Ballroom, London (04/02/09)
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The early signs are promising as she breezes through, having a dig at London's inept response to the snow.
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Brakes
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@ Tommy's Bar, Cardiff (02/02/09)
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Eamon Hamilton wears a one-piece silver suit from a new line of vintage winter space clobber that he ripped off a downtrodden alien on the way down...
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Tony Allen & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
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@ Cargo, London (29/01/09)
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"I'm sure you can get my vibes," grins Allen, the man credited with inventing Afrobeat.
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Lily Allen
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@ KOKO, London (28/01/09)
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Her rise as a genuine A-lister has been chronicled, copied and gossiped over. But here she was before innumberable cameraphones, not going to a bar or hosting a chat show, but singing.
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Grace Jones
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@ Roundhouse, London (27/01/09)
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If pop music is the preserve of the young, nobody told Grace Jones. Maybe they were too scared to. Showcasing Hurricane, her first studio album in nearly 20 years, Andy Warhol's muse played with expectations as a cat would with a mouse.
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Little Joy
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@ Dingwalls, London (21/01/09)
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It must not be easy being a Stroke. Your de-facto boss is prone to spending years attempting to recapture your debut spark, leaving you with very little to do except count the money...
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Franz Ferdinand
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@ Heaven, London (20/01/09)
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It's time for the verbiage of African influences and Xenomania production diversions to cease as the Glaswegians showcase third album Tonight.
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