Summer might feel a long way off but festival organisers are upping their games with line-up announcements coming thick and fast, so it's time to start making decisions. Or at least it's time to start thinking about starting to make decisions.
Stalwarts Glastonbury, T In The Park and Rockness have recruited some big names, as well as urban events The Camden Crawl, The Great Escape and Dot To Dot. Plus we now know that the LED festival in Victoria Park has been given the green light for a second year with Deadmau5 confirmed.
And if you'd rather go abroad to watch a heap of bands, Spanish weekenders Benicassim, Arenal Sound and Sonar and new Croatian festival Hideout are all getting their acts together.
Gigs Of The Week: 28 Feb – 6 March 2011
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (pictured) – Kings College, London – 3 March
New Yorkers The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart released their self-titled debut album in 2009, confirming their talent as a pop twist on the shoegaze revival. Tracks like Young Adult Friction and Contender stood out for their accessible songwriting in a genre often too indulgent in atmospherics. Having employed the services of superstar producer Flood and mixer Alan Moulder, their follow up's lead single and title track Belong hints towards a bigger, brasher sound. The King's College student union should be a good venue for their brand of upbeat darkness.
More details here.
Shit Robot – Fabric, London – 4 March
DFA signing, Shit Robot, released one of the best dance albums of 2010 with the heroically titled debut From The Cradle To The Rave. Disco so sleazy it would have Hercules And Love Affair clutching their pearls, and guest vocalists including Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor made it one of the best-kept secrets of last year. Despite DJ slots supporting LCD Soundsystem and a few other appearances, we've been waiting for the unveiling of their own live show. Finally the Shit Robot Show debuts at Fabric this Friday. We're promised an audio-visual treat as the tracks are re-worked, before it moves to SXSW and fills the opening slot before LCD Soundsystem's final gigs in New York.
More details here.
Cut Copy + Holy Ghost! – Forum, London – 6 March
With third album Zonoscope now out, Melbourne band Cut Copy have built on the success of 2008's In Ghost Colours, securing themselves a position at the top of the synthpop ladder. With confidence in abundance, and a pulsating new single in the shape of Need You Now, this week they'll be in Glasgow, Galway and Manchester before landing at The Forum. The DFA label's disco-fuelled invasion of London this week gathers pace with support coming from excellent New Yorkers Holy Ghost!
More details here.
Also Recommended:
Led Bib – Purcell Room, London – 28 Feb
Gold Panda – XOYO, London – 1 March
Janelle Monáe – Roundhouse, London – 1 March
Ólöf Arnalds – Vortex, London – 1 March
About Group – Cafe Oto, London – 1 March
Koudlam – Old Blue Last, London – 2 March
Holton’s Opulent Oog – Slaughtered Lamb, London – 2 March
Robyn – Roundhouse, London – 3 March
Josh Bray – Borderline, London – 3 March
Glasvegas – Heaven, London – 3 March
The Streets – Brixton Academy, London – 5 March
Johnny Flynn – Luminaire, London – 6 March
Marcus Foster – The George IV, Chiswick, London – 6 March
Just Announced:
J Mascis
Dinosaur Jr frontman, J Mascis, is gearing up to release his first ever solo album, Several Shades Of Why. Recorded with a whole heap of collaborators including Kurt Vile and members of A Silver Mount Zion and Broken Social Scene, he's announced a European tour. So far, there's just the one solitary UK date on 14 April at small Shoreditch venue Cargo.
More details here.
Times New Viking
Ohio noiseniks Times New Viking will be touring the country in May to celebrate the release of their fifth album (that's five albums since 2005) Dancer Equired. A band that doesn't stand still, we're assured new developments in their sound. They'll be playing a series of small venues ending at Hoxton's XOYO on 3 May.
More details here.
Wild Beasts
Having blasted into the nation's consciousness with Mercury Prize nominated second album Two Dancers, the best thing to come out of the Lake District since Peter Rabbit are back to build on that success with new album Smother. Not a band to shy away from theatricality, they'll be playing at the wonderful Wilton's Music Hall in the East End on 11 and 12 May, coinciding with the week of the album's release.
More details here.
