The Roundhouse witnesses something of a celebration of the modern alt-country genre on Wednesday as The Low Anthem play a show with strong support from William Elliott Whitmore and Simone Felice. The Rhode Island outfit played an impressive show at the QEH earlier this year and this show should see them cement their position as one of the genre's leading lights.
Wednesday also boasts several other wide-ranging gigs for London-based live music fans to contemplate. Neon Indian plays Heaven in support of latest album Era Extraña, Tom Vek makes a keenly-anticipated return with a show at Shepherd’s Bush Empire with support from Esser whilst Death Cab For Cutie play Hammersmith Apollo. Other notable gigs include girl-of-the-moment Lana Del Rey playing a show at the Scala, the hotly-tipped Niki & The Dove appearing at Cargo and Esben & The Witch playing from latest album Violet Cries at Corsica Studios. Meanwhile, The Smashing Pumpkins play two shows at Brixton Academy on Tuesday & Wednesday. If reports of other recent shows are anything to go by expect Billy Corgan’s new material to heavily outweigh selections from the band’s back catalogue.
Monday sees Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks promote current album Mirror Traffic at KOKO on the same night as Grizzly Bear frontman Chris Taylor gives the first London show by his new project CANT at Cargo. Later in the week fellow Americans Barn Owl play from excellent current album Lost In The Glare at Hoxton Bar & Grill on Saturday.
Introducing have gained many admirers over the last year for their live performance of DJ Shadow's seminal Endtroducing album and you can catch them play it at Village Underground on Friday. Meanwhile, Friday also sees French electronicist Mondkopf bring his darkly atmospheric sounds from latest album Rising Doom to XOYO. We spoke to him earlier in the year and you can read the results here.
Otherwise, the London Jazz Festival dominates the gig diary this week. The highlight is arguably Ornette Coleman returning to the scene of his 2009 Meltdown Festival curation to play a show at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday. Other stand-out gigs from stars of the contemporary jazz scene include Mancunian trumpeter Matthew Halsall playing a show at the Barfly on Monday, the Gwilym Simcock Trio performing at the 606 Club in Chelsea on Tuesday, Phronesis calling in at the Purcell Room on Wednesday on the same night as Kit Downes appears as part of Troyka at the Green Note in Camden.
Elsewhere the Barbican hosts a show by Jerry Dammer’s Spatial A.K.A Orchestra on Friday whilst Australian jazz-improvisers The Necks play two shows at the Bishopsgate Institute on Friday and Saturday. It’s safe to say there’s quite a lot going on. Read more in our preview and from the official website.
Also recommended:
Cults – XOYO – Tuesday 15th November
Ladyhawke – 100 Club – Tuesday 15th November
Islet – Lexington – Wednesday 16th November
Colourmusic – Hoxton Bar & Grill – Thursday 17th November
William Fitzsimmons – Union Chapel – Thursday 17th November
Foster The People – Shepherd's Bush Empire – Sunday 20th November
Just announced:
ATP announced details of their next London-based I’ll Be Your Mirror event this week. Alexandra Palace will see headline performances from Slayer, Guided By Voices and event-curators Mogwai over three nights in July 2012. At this stage other bands confirmed to play are Codeine, Melvins, Mudhoney and Yuck. Expect more to be added over forthcoming weeks. Full details here.
Other gigs announced this week include:
Felice Brothers – Macbeth – 5th December 2011
The Maccabees – Brixton Academy – 26 January 2012
NME Awards Tour 2012 featuring Two Door Cinema Club, Metronomy, Tribes & Azealia Banks – Brixton Academy – 25th February 2012
Feist & M. Ward – Royal Albert Hall – 25th March 2012
