One of the many odd pleasures that Britpop threw up was the 12 piece pop orchestra, My Life Story. Six years after Jake Shillingford called it a day he has reassembled all 12 original members for a one off show at The Mean Fiddler on Friday 26th May, to coincide with the release of the band's forthcoming best of: Sex & Violins (with a memory jogging six number one singles). A damn fine live act they were too; we remember them as the first band we ever saw on a Glastonbury stage as the mud washed away half the site. Glorious.
Perenial Londonist favourites, Four Day Hombre, bring their delectable power-pop prog to the Barfly in support of their debut album: Experiments In Living on 3rd May with The Sugars in support.
A week later Mark Pickerel and his Flying Hands will be at the Barfly, with Kingston's rather fine Milk Kan in support. Pickerel was once drummer for seminal psychadelic garage grungers, The Screaming Trees, hence the perking of interest. Anyone expecting a barage of crashing Toms though is in for a nasty surprise. Think swing country and you'll be less confused when you notice the abscence of plaid at the gig.
Anyone fancying a little 'pressure drop' (ha, see where we're going with this one?) should be picking up tickets for the awesome Toots And The Maytalls who should rip Koko a new rear exit door on June 14th.
Over in indie hair land, the NME's New Bands Tour rolls into Camden's Electric Ballroom on 24th May with Boy Kill Boy, The Automatic, iForward Russia! and The Long Blondes along for the ride.
And joy oh joy, Motorhead are back at Brixton on November 25th to pummel the last of our ear drums into submission.
And finally Turin Brakes are to play a one off charity show for the Cancer Trust at the Clapham Grand on Sunday 23rd April.
