As bands start to warm up for the festival season, London gets a series of one-off special "warm up" gigs before the bands start to disappear off around the country to various muddy fields. The first of these warm up shows come early next week, when The Fratellis play Scala on Monday and White Stripes play Rivoli Ballroom on Tuesday.
The Fratellis show is a rescheduled date from last month when they were meant to be headlining the 3 First Cut Awards. They have support from up-and-comers The Rumble Strips, and is going to be one of the most intimate shows this summer. Tickets are long gone; however you may have a bit of luck on the murky backwaters of the internet.
The White Stripes show in Lewisham's historic ballroom will be their warm up before playing the first day of the O2 Wireless Festival in Hyde Park on Thursday and then the Leeds leg on Friday, and will be one of their most intimate shows of the summer. Tickets will be available on Monday morning at 10am for £29.50 each from the usual companies, though limited to two per application. Profits from the show will be donated to the Chelsea Pensioners' Appeal and charities supported by The London Pearly Kings and Queens Society.
If you make it along to either of these shows they'll undoubtably be some of the best chances to catch big bands in cosy settings.
Photo of the Fratellis comes from Daniel Heaf's flickr stream.
