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The Dead Weather The Dead Weather
@ Forum, London (24/06/09)

Jack White tries on another hat with his new supergroup. Should he focus on the day job?
Ornette Coleman Ornette Coleman
Meltdown 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (21/06/09)

The second of the Meltdown curator's two gigs focuses on the seminal free jazz album This Is Our Music.
Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid
Meltdown 09 @ Front Room, London (20/06/09)

Four Tet main man and his 65-year-old collaborator hypnotise in the Queen Elizabeth Hall's bar.
Mike Patton & Fred Frith Mike Patton & Fred Frith
Meltdown 09 @ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (18/06/09)

Faith No More and Tomahawk front man gets experimental with 60-year-old avant garde multi-instrumentalist.
Jarvis Cocker Jarvis Cocker
@ Troxy, London (17/06/09)

The master of scissorkicks brings his two solo albums to a kitsch, carpeted space in Stepney.
Bobby McFerrin Bobby McFerrin
Meltdown 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (17/06/09)

The multiple Grammy winner workshops with his audience in a set strong on improvisation.
Moby Moby
Meltdown 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (16/06/09)

Ahead of his new, self-released album Wait For Me, he reins in his dancier side for an all-seater venue.
Baaba Maal Baaba Maal
Meltdown 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (15/06/09)

With special guest VV Brown on hand, the 55-year-old even indulges in a spot of breakdancing.
Yo La Tengo Yo La Tengo
Meltdown 09 @ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (15/06/09)

Ornette Coleman's Meltdown continues with a trio celebrating 25 years together.
Joe Bataan Broad Casting featuring Joe Bataan and James Pants
@ Cargo, London (11/06/09)

Salsoul star Bataan joins Karen P's eclectic bill for his first London gig in three decades.
The Horrors The Horrors
@ Electric Ballroom, London (05/06/09)

Faris Badwan and co thrill girls and boys with new album Primary Colours, demonstrating just how far they've come since their debut.
Oasis Oasis
@ Heaton Park, Manchester (04/06/09)

Blown generators and blowy weather can't blow the Gallagher brothers off course at the first of three, 70,000 capacity homecoming gigs.
Omar Souleyman Omar Souleyman + Group Doueh
@ 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.
Rokia Traoré Rokia Traoré + Sweet Billy Pilgrim
@ 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.
Antony And The Johnsons Antony And The Johnsons
@ Hammersmith Apollo, London (27/05/09)

Antony Hegarty tinkles the ivories as he ranges over three albums of material.
Crystal Stilts Crystal Stilts
@ Luminaire, London (25/05/09)

Sombre mood, inter-song chitter-chatter and profane requests make for curious bedfellows.
Metric Metric
@ Electric Ballroom, London (19/05/09)

Emily Haines unleashes her fantasies as the Canadians set out their arena-sized ambitions.
Saint Etienne Saint Etienne
@ Bloomsbury Ballroom, London (15/05/09)

Debut album Foxbase Alpha gets dusted down and showcased on Pete Wiggs' birthday.
Shearwater Shearwater
@ Union Chapel, London (12/05/09)

Jonathan Meiburg and his multi-instrumentalist friends showcase birds of a feather.
Tori Amos Tori Amos
@ Savoy Theatre, London (11/05/09)

The Cornflake Girl showcases new album Abnormally Attracted To Sin.
Jay Brannan Jay Brannan
@ Bush Hall, London (09/05/09)

A packed room sings sweetly along to the unlikely line: "I want to be a housewife. What's so wrong with that?"
Devo Devo
@ Forum, London (06/05/09)

In 30 years have they evolved? Energy dome hats at the ready for a journey through time...
Alec Empire Alec Empire
@ Underworld, London (01/05/09)

Aided by a bewinged Patrick Wolf, the Digital Hardcore founder throws himself on his audience's mercy.
Micachu Micachu / Thecocknbullkid / Alessi's Ark
@ ICA, London (29/04/09)

More of a mini festival than a gig, Actionaid 6 Degrees brought together bands, DJs and fundraisers for women's rights.
Basement Jaxx Basement Jaxx
@ Roundhouse, London (28/04/09)

Ahead of the expected autumn release of their first album in three years, Felix and Simon bring the carnival back to their home turf.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Yeah Yeah Yeahs
@ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (25/04/09)

Karen O and a giant inflatable eyeball blitz the place.
Neil Halstead Neil Halstead
@ St Giles-in-the-fields, London (24/04/09)

The sometime Slowdive stalwart welcomes worshippers to church for tunes new and old.
PJ Harvey & John Parish St Vincent
@ Hoxton Bar + Kitchen, London (21/04/09)

Annie Clark acts out at her sole UK date ahead of the release of second album Actor.
PJ Harvey & John Parish PJ Harvey & John Parish
@ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (20/04/09)

Polly Jean and her guitar teacher showcase their second album A Woman A Man Walked By with ukulele, thrash and barks.
Noise Of Art Noise Of Art
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.
The Prodigy The Prodigy
@ Wembley Arena, London (17/04/09)

Wembley gets invaded by the triumvirate of Howlett, Flint and Maxim.
Frightened Rabbit Frightened Rabbit + We Were Promised Jetpacks
@ Scala, London (14/04/09)
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Kings Cross fills with Scots for FatCat-signed talents from north of the border.
David Byrne 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.
Röyksopp + Fever Ray Röyksopp + Fever Ray
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.
Peaches Peaches
Ether 09 @ Royal Festival Hall, London (10/04/09)

Opening the South Bank Centre's Ether 09 events series, Merrill Nisker and human lightbulbs face an all-seater venue.
Simon Bookish + Deathray Trebuchet Simon Bookish + Deathray Trebuchet
@ 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...
The Field The Field
@ Cargo, London (03/04/09)

A free gig on a Friday, with multibuy offers on lagers, proved a curious introduction to Axel Willner's second album.
Frankmusik Frankmusik
@ Dingwalls, London (01/04/09)

Vince Frank and clusters of imitators celebrate a return from backpacker travails at a nicely draped single launch.
Alela Diane Alela Diane
@ St Giles-in-the-fields, London (30/03/09)

The Californian lady, with her father in tow, gets drummed out of church.
Tunng with Tinariwen Tunng with Tinariwen
@ KOKO, London (26/03/09)

Desert bluesmen and London folksters combine their talents for a unique collaborative evening.
Mr Hudson Mr Hudson
@ Scala, London (24/03/09)

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?
Etienne De Crecy Etienne De Crecy
@ matter, London (24/03/09)

The power of three - Etienne de Crecy brings his 'Beats and Cubes' show to the dark matter.
Animal Collective Animal Collective
@ Forum, London (24/03/09)

Avey Tare, Grizzly Bear and Geologist bring Merriweather Post Pavilion back to London, but they're still not keen on banter.
Patrick Wolf BORDER= Patrick Wolf
@ Heaven, London (12/03/09)

A showcase of new album The Bachelor, with costumes Leigh Bowery might have worn if the Marquis de Sade were his tailor.
Hafdis Huld Hafdis Huld
@ Slaughtered Lamb, London (11/03/09)

The Icelandic quirkstress showcases material from her forthcoming second album.
Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand
@ Hammersmith Apollo, London (10/03/09)

On the penultimate date of their UK tour, the Glaswegians paint the town red.
Elbow Elbow
@ Academy, Sheffield (03/03/09)

In case you've never heard of them, they're rather good. Tonight Guy Garvey's even blowing his own trumpet.
Eliades Ochoa Eliades Ochoa
@ Barbican, London (28/02/09)

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.
Amadou & Mariam Amadou & Mariam
@ KOKO, London (25/02/09)

"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.
M Ward M Ward
@ Borderline, London (25/02/09)

He has sincerity and charisma, yes, and even some tunes. But what's with the full-on war against photography?
Passion Pit Passion Pit
@ Cargo, London (23/02/09)

Michael Angelakos comes up against "stone cold London" as the band do their best to live up to hyperbole.
Titus Andronicus Titus Andronicus
@ Hoxton Square Bar + Kitchen, London (23/02/09)

There is something wholly masculine about approaching heartbreak and loss by hitting things very hard and screaming very loud.
Black Box Recorder Black Box Recorder
@ Luminaire, London (18/02/09)

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.
Crystal Stilts Crystal Stilts
@ Lexington, London (16/02/09)

The Brooklyn quartet attempt to demonstrate that they're not just the cool US band playing London this week.
Little Boots Little Boots
@ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (13/02/09)

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.
Buraka Som Sistema Buraka Som Sistema
@ Scala, London (12/02/09)

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.
Sebastien Grainger Sebastien Grainger
@ Lexington, London (11/02/09)

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.
The View The View
@ KOKO, London (10/02/09)

A rousing uproar of a set suggests the Dundee foursome are a more compelling prospect live than on record.
Howling Bells Howling Bells
@ Islington Academy, London (09/02/09)

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...
La Roux La Roux
@ Notting Hill Arts Club, London (05/02/09)

In the first night of a four-week residency at YoYo, Elly Jackson sets about hurdling her way to pop success.
Amanda Palmer Amanda Palmer
@ Electric Ballroom, London (04/02/09)

The early signs are promising as she breezes through, having a dig at London's inept response to the snow.
Brakes Brakes
@ Tommy's Bar, Cardiff (02/02/09)

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...
Tony Allen & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Tony Allen & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
@ Cargo, London (29/01/09)

"I'm sure you can get my vibes," grins Allen, the man credited with inventing Afrobeat.
Lily Allen Lily Allen
@ KOKO, London (28/01/09)

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.
Grace Jones Grace Jones
@ Roundhouse, London (27/01/09)

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.
Little Joy Little Joy
@ Dingwalls, London (21/01/09)

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...
Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand
@ Heaven, London (20/01/09)

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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