Elbow
Returning from triumphs at Wembley, T in the Park and a stint playing support for Coldplay in the US and Canada, the richly praised band, Elbow, from Bury in Manchester are well up to filling world class stadiums in their own right. The alternative rock outfit, dubbed the “band of the people,” with the original line-up of Guy Garvey, Mark Potter, Craig Potter, Pete Turner and Richard Jupp have received overwhelming critical acclaim since their inception in the early 90s, with unprecedented endorsement from an array of major artists including Radiohead, Coldplay, Blur and U2.
Over the past 18 years, Elbow has released four studio albums and ten top 50 singles. Full-blown commercial success however, has been slightly more elusive than critical praise. Since winning the 2008 Mercury Music Prize for their fourth album, The Seldom Seen Kid, things began to change and earlier this year, Elbow won Best British Group at the Brit Awards. With a debut album Asleep in the Back hailed as the seminal album of the new millennium, music from The Seldom Seen Kid has featured on trailers for films and TV shows including Top Gear and the film Burn After Reading and is more ubiquitous than many realise. In 2009 the band gained two Ivor Novello awards with One Day Like This and Grounds for Divorce, winning best song and best contemporary song.
In the flesh, Elbow deliver the thinking man’s rock with Guy Garvey’s powerful lyrics and rich voice providing melodic fodder for the discerning concert goer. But don’t be duped; the single Newborn was banned by Radio 1 for the sinister lyric “I’ll be the corpse in your bathtub,” and rougher riffs and darker undertones are interspersed with the more orchestrated tracks. Whilst you may not be leaping up and down at an Elbow concert, one thing you will be is emotionally involved. Don’t miss it!
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Pet Shop Boys
Tickets have now been released for four UK concerts by the 80s pop icons, the Pet Shop Boys, who are appearing at the SECC, Glasgow, Birmingham NIA and MEN Arena Manchester and the O2, London.
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have become one of the most successful recording duos in British pop history, writing music and lyrics for London theatre productions and continuing to perform at venues up and down the country.
The pioneering electronic dance music duo have sold more than 100 million records worldwide with 42 Top 30 singles tucked under their belts, 22 Top 10 hits in the UK and four number ones – West End Girls, It’s a Sin, Always On My Mind and Heart. In 1987 they received both BRIT and Ivor Novello Awards for West End Girls. What Have I Done to Deserve This. The latter featured Dusty Springfield on vocals, resurrecting the singer’s languishing career. More recently the Pet Shop Boys wrote the musical Closer to Heaven that opened at the Arts Theatre in London, 2001, backed by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group.
In 2009, the 20-year career of the Pet Shop Boys was covered in a documentary entitled Pet Shop Boys – A Life in Pop when the pop due retraced their historic journey up the ladder of fame. A recent album entitled Yes was launched in March, 2009 and the huge contribution made to musical history by the duo was recognised at The British Phonographic Industry’s when they received the industry’s most prestigious award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
The concerts represent a chance to see them showcase songs from their recently released album as well as those from their legendary back catalogue, plus an opportunity to hear songs not previously performed such as Two Divided by Zero and Why Don’t We Live Together?
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Bloc Party
Bloc Party are playing concerts at various venues from October 2nd to October 12 in locations including Leeds, Hull, Aberdeen, Inverness and Lincoln.
The band is hot right now, fresh from appearing at festivals throughout the country, having played sets at Glastonbury, T in the Park and Oxegen. Their particular brand of electronic rock with shadowy overtones, a brass section, processed drum beats and vocal manipulation whilst retaining roots in guitar rock has been championed by the likes of Radio 1 DJs Steve Lamacq and Zane Lowe and members of the Scottish band, Franz Ferdinand.
Specialising in bringing fresh sounds to the UK music scene band members, Kele Okereke, Russell Lissack, Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong draw their music from diverse influences such as The Cure, the Smiths and Joy Division.
Their debut album Silent Alarm received immediate critical acclaim and was named Indie Album of the Year at the 2006 PLUG awards. It was also nominated for a Mercury Music Prize and went platinum in the UK. A Weekend in the City received similar success reaching number two in the album charts in the UK, Australia and Belgium whilst the band’s first single, The Prayer became Bloc Party’s highest charting single in the UK top 40 reaching number 4 and number 12 in the Billboard Chart after selling 48,000 copies.
A third studio record in 2008, Intimacy, has also received rave reviews. Expect a fierce and thunderous performance with dark nuances
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Lily Allen
Tickets are now available for Lily Allen’s one-off concert at The O2, Dublin on 8th December.
The queen of mockney Britpop and candid, tongue-in-cheek lyrics has been performing at a formidable number of outdoor festivals throughout the year including Glastonbury, Bestival, and Oxegen where she received wild receptions from the crowds.
Born in London in 1985, her songs like Smile, The Fear and LDN chronicle the social morés of Britain in the 21st century, whilst still retaining personal overtones and are set in light reggae beats with deceivingly simple electronic arrangements.
The daughter of the British actor, Keith Allen, Lily Allen was expelled from a host of public schools and had a spell running wild in Ibiza before she achieved success with her single Smile that reached the top of the UK singles chart in 2006. Nominations for awards galore ensued for her debut album Alright, Still which has sold more than 2,600,000 copies worldwide.
Her recent success at live performances and success in the US have led the music press to proclaim that 2009 was the year of the women with “five female artists making music of experimentalism and fearlessness.” Her set was, to many, the highlight of this year’s Glastonbury and she recently sold out a 14-city US tour.
MTV said of her in February 2009, “She seems less like the model of a 21st century pop star and more like the kind of girlfriend you’d have when you’re 22. She is perfectly imperfect, which is why she is probably also the most interesting pop star ever created.”
Tickets for the O2 Dublin concert will be like gold dust so make sure you order yours as soon as possible.
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Kasabian
Described as the heirs to Oasis, Kasabian are one of the most talked about bands of the moment. Now’s your chance to see them in a series of gigs taking place throughout November, 2009 in all major UK cities.
The band hit the music world in the solar plexus in the early 2000s and became famed as much for the brash confidence of vocalist Tom Meighan as for their stomping rock music. Critical and commercial success followed with songs like Club Foot which still remains one of the band’s most popular tracks.
Since then Kasabian, have been compared to Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Primal Scream and famously, the giants Oasis. Headlining at Scotland’s T in the Park and sub-headlining at Glastonbury for three years, this year they preceded Bruce Springsteen and received rave reviews.
The tour marks their latest album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum which sailed to the top of the UK top 40 charts and has been described by the band as “very psychedelic.”
Renowned for their crowd-pleasing performances with fast-paced and anthemic tracks, soaring falsettos and working of the audience into a frenzy, anyone lucky enough to go to a Kasabian gig is guaranteed to be punching the air and jumping up and down in no time.
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Pink Funhouse Tour
P!nk’s concerts are famous for their mix of powerful and emotional music, aerial acrobatics, humour and extravagant spectacle; all of which are very good reasons why you shouldn’t miss out on the chance to see the legendary rock chick perform in her upcoming Funhouse Tour.
Although the star is appearing at an impressive number of venues across the UK and Ireland, in most major cities like London, Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin and Nottingham, tickets for P!nk tours are noted for their tendency to sell out almost immediately.
This is probably because P!nk, born Alecia Beth Moore in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, is one of the world’s most original and talented performers. Her voice that gained her a Grammy award in 2002 for the best female rock vocal performance has been likened to that of the iconic singer Janis Joplin and encompasses a range from bluesy R&B and spine-tingling soul to upbeat and feisty rock.
P!nk’s career took off in 2001 with her debut album Can’t Take Me Home and her second album Missundaztood, scored number one hit singles across the UK, Ireland, Germany and Australia with over eight million copies selling worldwide. Eight years later P!nk now has 23 million in album sales tucked firmly under her belt.
The tour supports her fifth studio album, Funhouse, described as her “most vulnerable album” to date. In it, she bares her soul with personal and atmospheric tracks contrasting with dark songs and funky rock.
In the past P!nk’s performances have been full of tightly choreographed dancing, amazing stunts that have seen her dangling from the ceiling or swinging out in to the audience. This showmanship coupled with a truly breathtaking vocal performance means that her concerts are more of an event than a gig and will certainly provide a memory that’ll stay with you forever.
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U2 gigantic claw stage set
Don’t miss this chance to see the acclaimed rock band, U2 on their 360 degrees World Tour, supported by the award-winning outfits, Elbow and Glasvegas.
Launched in support of their 2009 album Line on the Horizon, the tour represents Bono and co’s most ambitious to date, taking in 14 cities across Europe before embarking on the UK leg at Wembley, London, Hampden Park Glasgow, Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield with a grand finale at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
The concert includes lavish theatrics and a mind-blowing set with a gigantic claw like construction dominating the stage, complete with a 360 ? screen that has caused some controversy in Ireland owing to its extravagance in view of the band’s heavily publicised commitment to environmental issues. U2 themselves say it represents the” grandest and most advanced” live production ever and is the “first time any band has toured in stadiums with such a unique and original structure.”
So far the tour has had rave reviews not only for the pure spectacle of the event but because of the musical quality. One of the most popular alternative rock bands of the 80s, U2 represented a more conventional rock & roll as opposed to the heavily synthesised and electronic music of the era, writing and singing songs about politics and religion with a powerful edge. Over the years their music developed into something deeper than that of most contemporary rock bands and became characterised by wide, sweeping sounds and haunting resonance.
But it wasn’t until the release of their album The Joshua Tree that, in the words of the Rolling Stone Magazine, U2 was “elevated from heroes to superstars.” Since then the band has sold 145 million albums worldwide and has 22 Grammy Awards.
The tour represents the band’s return to a more conventional rock sound after forays into experimentation with electronic and dance music. Previous concert goers have raved about the semi-acoustic renditions of Stuck in a Moment, or With or Without You but it’s the Bono/Edge induced energy and sheer power of numbers like Elevation and Vertigo that make this tour unmissable.
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Paolo Nutini
The smouldering performer, Paolo Nutini is performing in concerts at selected venues all over the UK ranging from Blackpool to London.
His million selling 2006 debut album, These Streets, established him as in the forefront of singer-songwriters and his self-penned follow up Sunny Side Up is a richly diverse mix of ragtime, ballads, soul and folk.
“Musically where I’m at, I don’t really have a genre or style that I feel a part of,” explains Paolo. “I skip from Djhango Reinhart to Cab Calloway to Canned Heat. It’s a bit of a random mish mash. I honestly wanted it all to come out, and not harness it, not manipulate it. I just wanted it to be organic, and so immediate it’s in your face and you can’t help but take it all in.”
The Scottish singer/songwriter of Italian descent, spent three years learning the music business from inside out, performing live whenever possible with friends or as a solo artist. Regular gigs at The Bedford pub in Balham, radio appearances, spots at The Hardrock Cafe and gigs supporting Amy Winehouse and KT Tunstall brought him to prominence and by 2006 his concerts were selling out across the UK. Stints supporting the Rolling Stones in Vienna, appearances at the V Festival and Radio 1’s Big Weekend consolidated his reputation even further and in 2007 he played on the famous Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. His songs are frequently used in TV programmes and movies.
Live performances are a concoction of raspy, sexy vocals with bare instrumentation drawing from roots of jazz, reggae, blues and rock and roll. Add to these old favourites like Jenny Don’t Be Hasty and Last Request and the concerts should have all the ingredients of an unforgettable night.
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James Morrison
James Morrison belongs to the more subtle wave of solo singer/songwriters who have reintroduced the seventies concept of intimate performance. Now you can catch him at a range of concerts throughout the UK including venues like Cardiff, Wembley, Birmingham and Glasgow.
He first shot to fame at the age of 21 when his debut single You Give Me Something became a hit in Europe, Australia and Japan and reached the top five in the UK and New Zealand. Hailing from Rugby in Warwickshire, James attributes his gravelly voice to a severe dose of whooping cough he had when a baby. Music was a big influence on him and from an early age he describes being moved by the way in which the artist Stevie Wonder expressed his songs.
Working his way up by busking and performing at open mic nights, James’s first breakthrough came about when he was signed by Polydor Records. After the success of You Give Me Something, his debut album Undiscovered went to the top of the UK Albums Chart.
At a performance at the V Festival in 2006, the audience for his set in one of the smaller tents was so huge that he had to make an unscheduled appearance for ten minutes on the main stage. Needless to say, the following year when he was invited back to the V Festival he was given a top slot.
With his distinctive voice with the timbre of soul and deep inflexions, a live concert with James Morrison is always a moving and memorable experience with a mixture of ballads, soul and even funky material, confirming his reputation as a sensitive performer of true substance.
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Dizzee Rascal Release Date
The fantastic new album from rapper/songwriter/producer, Dizzee Rascal is released this Autumn. Including the two number one smash hits, “Dance Wiv Me” and the incredibly infectious “Bonkers” Dizzee’s fourth studio album, Tongue “N” Cheek also features 2 tracks produced by Scottish electro musician, Calvin Harris.
A further single, “Holiday” will be released on 31st August. Following the album release, Dizzee is playing a number of festivals and a headline tour starts in October. Talking recently to BBC Radio 1′s Newsbeat, he said: “Tongue “N” Cheek is me being a bit cheeky, the theme of it is naughty but nice. Just celebrating the good things in life.”
Tongue “N” Cheek has a release date of 7th September.
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