With Festival Season now truly underway and as Noisy Londonist prepares to bypass the ethical minefield that is going to Glastonbury we thought this week we'd cast an eye over a couple of our favourite gigs coming your way over the next few months. But first a few new dates we do have to mention.
If the words: 2006, 3rd, April, Arena, Wembley, Mode and Depeche mean anything to you then click here now. Some registration may be required.
King Monkey himself, Ian Brown, fresh from not reforming The Stone Roses plays Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November at the Brixton Academy. Saturday's a late one so remeber to find out which night bus home you'll need before hand.
Alt.metal hairy scaries (scary hairies?) Korn also descend upon the unGodly at the Academy on the 24th August.
And lastly we have the rather wonderful Eighteenth Day Of May (we shall call them Wednesday for short) pitch(fork)ing up at the Health And Happiness 12-Legged Freak-Out, next Tuesday at The Social, Great Portland Street. And it's free. If the creeks don't rise! Well, it's meant to be a scorcher so what better way to get your recommended monthly intake of country, bluegrass, blues and other music for uplifting gourmandizers. There'll be more about these fine folks on Londonist soon. Watch, as they say round these parts, this space.
Now quickly over the page with you for a brief run down of Londonist recommended gigs coming up over the next few months.
Tonight it's back to Kokos for the sublime to the ridiculous. Taking an early show at 7 is the gentle but twisted loveliness of Joy Zipper who's recent The Heartlight Set has been getting rave reviews from everyone but Londonist who simmply forgot to review it! We're only human but take our word for it, it's great. Following them are the only band in the world that still wants to be '88 G'n'R, Towers Of London. Londonist faves at the Crawl, they're thoroughly entertaining and should cause some good ol' fashioned rock'n'roll mayhem at Club NME from 10. Anyone found without a bottle of JD superglued to their eyeballs will be forced to listen to the new Billy Corgan album for a week withour respite.
On Monday we have the awesome Dirtbombs taking their blend of garage band madness to 93' East. If you haven't picked up on The Dirtbombs yet, Londonist can heartily recommend their most recent singles compliation: If You Don't Already have A Look as a great introduction to their kick arse joyful odes to the weird and the wonderful in a playful punk pop soul manner. Anyone who can write a song entitled I'm Saving Myself For Michelle Nichols (No 3) has to be worth a visit in our book.
Our older (and of course wiser) readers may remember wondering why Scottt and Charlene's wedding theme was sung by a short ugly bald man covered in Tatoos. Well that short ugly heavily inked bald man was, and still is, a certain Mr Angry Anderson, singer of Australia's second greatest export (after AC/DC) and the greatest pub band in the history of just about anything: Rose Tatoo. Grab yourself a serious dose of barroom boogie down at the Mean Fiddler on Monday 27th June.
July brings The Duke Spirit to the barfly on the 6th. Machine gun guitars, tambourines and some serious kick arse rock music should leave you flattened against the rather grubby back wall. In a good way.
If the idea of joining 24 plus mentalists in robes jumping up and down and smiling lots appeals to you, and it does to us then the Polyphonic Spree at Kokos on the 15th August is where you'll want to be. The Spree are still one of the best live experiences out there today, far far better than they come across on record and come with that priceless asset of a Londonist recommendation. Even their web site brings a smile.
And lastly if you can wait until September then double Londonist album of the week award winners (and there aren't many bands around who can say that) Sleater-Kinney bring The Woods to Mornington Crescent where thay will lay waste to Kokos on September 2nd.
Tickets available from the usual outlets or if sold out you can always have a look at the rather wonderful Scarlet Mist.
See ya' down the front.
