On Wednesday, the tiny Servant Jazz Quarters hosts a triple bill of headliner Ralegh Long, rediscovered treasure John Howard and prolific indiepop touchstone Darren Hayman. Howard, who last played in London at a musicOMH night and whose new album Storeys is out this week, told us about his favourite albums in a This Music Made Me feature here.
On the same night down the road at Cargo, Big Deal headline a bill that also includes Parlour and Traams; Alice Costelloe chatted with us about their recent Mute-released album June Gloom here. The following night at Heaven sees the return of Little Boots to the capital; the creator of one of the year’s best pop albums chatted with us about it here.
Sparks (pictured) play the first of two stripped-back shows at the Union Chapel on Sunday (the second on the following night), while on the same night at the Lexington, Thomas Walsh – half of cricket poppers The Duckworth Lewis Method – brings his other band Pugwash to the public eye.
Monday 25 November
BBC Radiophonic Workshop – Rough Trade East
Austra + Diana – KOKO
Pixies – Hammersmith Apollo
OM – Village Underground
Califone – Lexington
The Family Rain – Heaven
His Clancyness – Birthdays
Tuesday 26 November
Run The Jewels – Electric Brixton
Phosphorescent – Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Valerie June – Islington Assembly Hall
Arcane Roots – XOYO
The Weeknd + Banks – O2 Arena
Wednesday 27 November
Ralegh Long + John Howard + Darren Hayman – Servant Jazz Quarters
Big Deal – Cargo
Summer Camp + Fryars – Heaven
Shellac – Netil House
Okkervil River – Islington Assembly Hall
Cate Le Bon – Bush Hall
Weekend – Lexington
Thursday 28 November
Little Boots + Avec Sans – Heaven
Shellac – Netil House
Metz – Village Underground
London Grammar – Electric Brixton
Disclosure – Brixton Academy
Crystal Stilts – Cargo
Friday 29 November
The Field + Lapalux + Adult. – Oval Space
Melt Yourself Down – New Empowering Church
Disclosure – Brixton Academy
Mark Lanegan – Islington Assembly Hall
Capercaillie – Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Magic Numbers – Union Chapel
The Lovely Eggs – Lexington
Comets On Fire – Netil House
Joy Orbison – Village Underground
Saturday 30 November
Lianne La Havas + Swim Deep + Theme Park – New Cross House
Omar S + Kassem Mosse – Corsica Studios
Hercules And Love Affair Soundsystem + Friendly Fires (DJ) – Coronet
Sunday 1 December
Pugwash – Lexington
Sparks – Union Chapel
Billy Bragg – Royal Festival Hall
Robyn Hitchcock – St Pancras Old Church
Just announced
Hugely influential since the 1950s, jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal is set to play at the Royal Festival Hall on 27 January.
We loved Night Beds‘ debut album, Country Sleep, calling him “wise – and sad- beyond his years”, so we’ll be looking forward to hearing some new material when the American is back on our shores early next year. He’ll be at the Scala on 12 March.
Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra – now a mere five-piece band – are set to release a new album, Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything, early next year. It will be the band’s first since 2010’s Kollapse Tradixionales. They’ll be showcasing their new line-up with a show at KOKO on 23 February.
Nine Inch Nails have announced their first tour in the UK for six years. It includes a show at the 02 Arena, on 23 May.
Fresh from touring her album with David Byrne, Annie Clark – aka St Vincent – is turning her attentions back to her solo work, and will be calling in at Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 20 February.
And indiepop label Fortuna POP! has announced the first details of its annual Winter Sprinter take-over at the Lexington. From 7-10 January, the north London venue will host the likes of Let’s Wrestle, Joanna Gruesome, The Spook School, Flowers, Herman Dune and Withered Hand, with lots more to be announced. Individual tickets are on sale, as well as tickets covering the whole stretch.
John Howard MP3s or CDs
John Howard on Spotify
