Tom Du Croz from LondonGigGuide selects his recommended gigs around town this week.
Monday 9 December
John Grant, Rough Trade East, Spitalfields
This is Rough Trade's Album of the Year. This guy is massive but is playing in store and signing merchandise — not to be missed. This is the track from the album of the same name and the female vocals in the album were supplied by Sinead O'Connor. Event Details
Tuesday 10 December
Beatrix Players, The Finsbury, Green Lanes
https://soundcloud.com/beatrix-players/unpolished-pearl-2
I'm so happy that these guys are coming into the studio next week. The only downside is that there are six of them, and we have a very small studio. So they said they would do a stripped down set, but that is still three of them with a full size electric piano and a cello! Event Details
Wednesday 11 December
Shooting Suns, The Troubadour, Old Brompton Road
https://soundcloud.com/shooting-suns/parallel
This is a four piece from Cambridge who are still students. Despite only forming last September they have been working hard and this track promises great things to come. Event Details
Thumpers, Old Blue Last, Shoreditch
https://soundcloud.com/thumpers/sound-of-screams
FREE GIG! The promoters have decided in their wisdom not to use pictures on the posters of any of the three bands that are playing, but have shamelessly gone for girls in skimpy santa outfits! Outrageous. Event Details
Thursday 12 December
Slydigs, Nambucca, Holloway Road
https://soundcloud.com/slydigs_band/electric-love-by-slydigs
Slydigs released their debut album, 'Never To Be Tamed', last year. Event Details
Shantel, Electric Brixton
https://soundcloud.com/shantelar/ghost-town/s-cvbY3?in=shantelar/sets/ar/s-cvbY3
This guy is a German DJ and producer who is performing live with his ‘Bucovina Club Orkestar’. Its Electro Swing with a 60's pop twist. They are visiting London on an international tour to promote their new 'Anarchy and Romance' album. Event Details
Mouth 4 Rusty, Green Note, Camden
https://soundcloud.com/mouth4rusty/the-leaver
Mouth 4 Rusty perform as part of the 'Folklore Xmas Special'. Event Details
Police Dog Hogan, Half Moon, Putney
https://soundcloud.com/fromthelandofmiracles/burnt
I really enjoyed this band. Their music goes from bluegrass to straight blues and then to tracks like this, with a more country-folk feel. It had me singing along to the chorus on its first play. Event Details
Friday 13 December
Arthur Rigby and the Baskervylles & Sophie Jamieson, Sebright Arms, Bethnal Green
https://soundcloud.com/arthurrigby/moonlit-strangers
https://soundcloud.com/londongigguide/sophie-jamieson-performs-dinah
This week's double bill is a no-brainer — two of my favourite artists performing at the same venue on the same night. Arthur Rigby and the Baskervylles released this single a couple of weeks ago and are giving it away as a free download from their Soundcloud page. Sophie Jamieson is simply a stunning performer, either by herself or with her band. The above track is from when she performed live in the studio for us. Event Details
Saturday 14 December
The John Langan Band, St Mary's Church, Stoke Newington
https://soundcloud.com/thejohnlanganband/demons
An amazing band, with a huge fan base. The energy and passion of their performance is matched by that of their fans — it will be a wild night. Event Details
Sunday 15 December
To Kill A King, The Barfly, Camden
This video is both brilliant and terrifying at the same time. Vampires/break dancing/romance — its got the lot. The track is from their new album ‘Cannabis with Cutlery’, which was out in October. Event Details
For next weeks gig recommendations and to hear LondonGigGuide’s weekly radio show, visit the web site.
