M.I.A. takes the reigns for this year’s Meltdown festival
Gigs Of The Week
The wonderfully gravely voiced Tom Hickox plays at the Lexington this week. It’s fair to say that musical prowess runs in Hickcox’s blood; he’s the son of a Grammy Award-winning conductor, but it’s Hickox Jnr’s voice that really makes him stand out. He’s been likened to everyone from Leonard Cohen to Tom Waits. See for yourself on Tuesday 25 April, when he’ll be airing tracks from his recently released album, Monsters Into The Deep.
Over the last five years. Desertfest has become a key date in Camden Town’s music scene, carving a reputation as the biggest stoner rick, doom, psych and sludge festival – and this year it’s even bigger. Bands will take over iconic venues including The Electric Ballroom, The underworld, The Black Heart and even The Roundhouse, which Sleep headline on the final day. Other bands set to play include Turbonegro, Slo Burn, Candlemass and Wolves In The Throne Room. Tickets are still available for the three-dayer, from 28-30 April.
Bob Dylan is set to play three shows at the very lovely London Palladium this week. His live outings nowadays are notoriously divisive and unpredictable affairs; some will go wobbly at the prospect of being in the same room as such a musical great, others find his re-workings hard to stomach. Good to see him still ruffling feathers. See him on 28-30 April.
Announcement Of The Week
The final line-up for the M.I.A.-curated Meltdown festival has just been announced. The rapper, producer, director and visual artist is the latest high-profile curator to get their teeth stuck in to the Southbank Centre’s annual show piece, and the acts she’s pulled together look set to make it one of the most eclectic yet. South London grime superstar Giggs, NYC’s Princess Nokia and French electo-whizz Fakear are all on the bill, alongside Soulwax, Crystal Castles, Young Fathers, Mykki Blanco, JD Samson and Afrikan Boy. And of course, M.I.A herself will close the run of shows, with a finale at the Royal Festival Hall. It all takes place from 9-18 June.
M.I.A. MP3s or CDs
M.I.A. on Spotify
