London's hosting so many amazing gigs throughout August, from Brooklyn hipsters to Jamaican legends via shouty old blokes. So to make your gig-going diary clearer we've rounded up with the best special showcase concerts, the month's must-see gigs, and our critics’ top tips.
Showcase gigs – Treat yourself to a special night.
Jimmy Cliff @ IndigO2, 6 August
Following his appearance at Hard Rock Calling with Bruce Springsteen, the reggae legend celebrates 50 years of Jamaican independence. Expect the classic The Harder They Come and surprisingly ace new song One More. Tickets £56.50
Hercules & Love Affair @ Wondergroud, 6 August
Brooklyn’s nu-disco groovesters seduce the South Bank’s glamorous pop-up venue for sometime collaborator Antony Hegarty’s Meltdown. Their DFA punk funk will bring Studio 54’s sophistication to a new cultural height. Tickets £25
Lou Reed @ Royal Festival Hall, 10 August
Try and forget the aural torture that was Lulu and remember how great the Velvet Underground hero is. He will playing tracks from throughout his entire catalogue – maybe not Metal Machine Music — so except a string of killer classics, but Metallica should stay away. Tickets £45-£65
D’Banj @ Hammersmith Apollo, 27 August
As the king of electro-afrobeat fusion, the Nigerian born rapper has earned a legion of devoted fans and a string of awards. His Combination of pop beats, slick RnB swagger and African rhymes makes for an exhilarating musical experience that can outshine anyone. Tickets £30.50- £50
Patrick Wolf @ The Old Vic, 29 August
The alt-pop troubadour heads to the intimate opulence of The Old Vic for a career-spanning acoustic show to kick start a world tour in advance of his sixth album. His lush songwriting borders on the orchestral yet remains quirkily invigorating and uniquely artistic. Tickets £10- £30
Essential London – The must see shows for London gig goers.
How To Dress Well @ Birthdays, 8 August
Brooklyn’s Tom Krell returns for a rare UK show, bringing his chillwave RnB glitches to hipster central to promote forthcoming album Total Loss. Expect delightful falsetto vocals and bare-bone beats to make you swoon with minimalist wonder. Tickets £9
Refused @ Kentish Town Forum, 12-13 August
The return of the cult Swedish post hardcore icons after 14 years is among 2012's most exciting reunions. Their shows are visceral pilgrimages for angular punk devotees and, with two nights in London, they are repaying their long-waiting fans. Tickets £21
Jessie Ware @ Plan B, Brixton, 15 August
The latest hot pop property is soon to go nova. The gentle reverberation of her latest single 110% oozed blissed-out beauty marking her as 2012’s inevitable pop superstar. This showcase gig could be the last chance to see her close up. Tickets £11
Afghan Whigs @ Koko, 19 August
Greg Dulli’s veteran alternative rockers are sounding better than ever since their return, as their magnificent I’ll Be Your Mirror show proved. Thankfully we have another chance to see them when they dominate the extravagant setting of Koko. Tickets £22.50
Memoryhouse @ Hoxton Bar and Kitchen, 29 August
While the Toronto dream-poppers debut album The Slideshow Effect was a tad disappointing, their live shows have remained enchanting experiences. Their nostalgia-tinged ethereal effects immediately capture hearts to take trip through misty dawns. Tickets £8
Critic’s choice – Impress your mates with our toppermost tips
Palma Violets @ The 223 Club, Lambeth, 9 August
The buzziest buzz band that aren’t Savages are a reclusive troupe, releasing very little on the interwebs, but the London quartet are gonna change the world. Catch them while it's still OK to like them at this benefit show to save Lambeth’s Basement Club. Tickets £5
DIIV @ Shacklewell Arms, 21 August
It’s back to Brooklyn again as Beach Fossils’ guitarist Zach Smith’s phenomenal jangle-gazers return to London. The simplicity of their outstanding debut Oshin is remarkable, juxtaposing raw C86 enthusiasm with a world-music Nirvana. Tickets £7.50
Charli XCX @ Sebright Arms, 22 August
Keeping edgy pop staunchly in the heart of Hoxton is the19-year-old electro princess, who delights hipsters and tweens together. This incredibly intimate show promises, sweat, guests, and enough points on the hip-ometer to last a year. Tickets £9
Lydia Lunch @ The Lexington, 27 August
New York’s queen of all things alt and dark brings her provocative No Wave to Verbalesque’s all-day two-floor festival. Expect avant-garde surprises and homemade tin guitars while Lynch showcases her album Fistful of Desert Blues. Tickets £5
The Pre New @ The Social, 28 August
Some proper shouty glam stomp rock n roll from former Earl Brutus chap Jim Fry. They have a go at Foxtons and shit Banksy’s, and like British Rail. Aiden Burley will probably call it leftie crap, so that’s all the more reason to go, right? Tickets £5
