Their new single Feeling Good (released 26th September) which premiered on channel 4 last weekend features Faithless family member Dido.  Also getting in the vocal booth for tracks on the album The Dance are Dougy Mandagi (The Temper Trap), Itch (The King Blues) and classical singer Mia Maestro.

Their influence from being at the top of the pile for a decade and a half is easy to spot these days: think Calvin Harris’ recent number 1 or the countless tracks with a house groove, riff and rapper, Faithless’ signature sound adopted by many, bettered by none. 

And with a new record, comes a new chance to see a band who have inspired awe in even the most jaded gigger.  The full Faithless live experience will be exploding on stages around the UK throughout this winter:

Tuesday 30 November Bournemouth BIC
Wednesday 01 December Cardiff CIA
Friday 03 December Nottingham Trent FM Arena
Saturday 04 December Manchester MEN Arena
Monday 06 December Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Tuesday 07 December Glasgow SECC
Wednesday 08 December Sheffield Motorpoint Arena
Friday 10 December Birmingham NIA
Saturday 11 December London The O2 Arena

Tickets on sale 9.30AM Friday 27th August
Buy online @ gigsandtours.com | 24hr cc hotline 0844 811 0051

Faithless will be joined by special guest Example on all dates.

For Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, God Fodder was that album, their Indie Classic – the one that catapulted them out of Student Union bars the length and breadth of Britain into the skies, crossing the indie-rock globe at a frightening pace. Released on April Fool’s Day 1991, the record sold over 60,000 copies in its first week of release in the UK alone, and thudded into the album chart at #4. With MTV catching on fast, God Fodder shifted 400,000 copies in the U.S.A.
Written and road-tested ad infinitum over 2 years, God Fodder delivered on the promise that their live following had recognised in them. It furnished the band and following alike with a soundtrack snapshot of the best days of their lives, a time they all hold very dear.

Neds played God Fodder from start to finish in London at 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, the city where it was recorded, at Christmas 2009. Needless to say, the show was a huge success, so now Neds were looking for an excuse to play the album in a venue close to home….

When the HMV Institute peeps came knocking with an offer to play the venue in it’s re-opening week, the band were delighted to oblige. Neds Singer, Jonn Penney says “Back when we first toured God Fodder, we didn’t play in Birmingham and that’s something we’ll be very happy to address all these years later. We can’t wait to christen the new venue and set a new bar-takings record!”

Ned’s fans will be able to buy a limited V.I.P. Party Ticket on pre-sale (check myspace & facebook for details & link). The V.I.P. Party Ticket gets you a limited signed poster plus a laminate pass for the after show party at the venue.

Aside from the rich musical offerings, this year’s event is set to be extra special as Summer Sundae theme is goes Beside The Seaside! Indeed, despite Leicester being one of the most landlocked places in Britain (approximately, 90 miles to the nearest beaches at Skegness) the Garden area is to be transformed into the ultimate British seaside - with a real beach full of glorious, golden sand is being imported!

Summer Sundae Weekender runs from 13th to 15th August and Birmingham Live will be on hand so watch this space for reviews and comment.

So alongside MNDR, Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet, Spank Rock and Rose Elinor Dougall, there will also be some exciting, secretive names getting involved with the shows, which promise to be nothing short of spectacular.

Following on from the album’s first hit single “Bang Bang Bang”, the second track to be unleashed from “Record Collection” will be “The Bike Song”. Featuring vocals from Kyle Falconer of Scots rockers The View and penned by Dave McCabe of the Zutons, “The Bike Song” will be released on September 20th.

Mark Ronson & the Business Intl. play:

September

27 Mon BRISTOL, O2 Academy
28 Tue BIRMINGHAM, HMV Institute
29 Wed LONDON, Hackney Empire

October

1 Fri GLASGOW, O2 ABC
2 Sat MANCHESTER, Academy
3 Sun LEEDS, O2 Academy

For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

Indisputably one of the UK’s biggest ever bands, undoubtedly one of its most loved, statistically one of its most successful and critically one of its most lauded, Madness are both the pop genii behind the likes of ‘Our House’, ‘House Of Fun’, ‘One Step Beyond’ and many, many more and also the intellects whose albums, now all once again available, display a more thoughtful, political and satirical slant. With 2009’s ‘The Liberty Of Norton Folgate’, Madness saw themselves restored to their rightful place as at the top of the UK pop hierarchy and welcome a new generation to the massed ranks of Nutty boys and girls.

November

Friday 26th Blackpool, Empress Ballroom
Saturday 27th Glasgow, O2 Academy
Sunday 28th Newcastle, O2 Academy
Tuesday 30th Manchester, Apollo

December

Wednesday 1st Sheffield O2 Academy
Friday 3rd Hull, Arena
Saturday 4th Leicester, De Montfort Hall
Sunday 5th Leeds, O2 Academy
Tuesday 7th Nottingham, Rock City
Wednesday 8th Bournemouth, BIC
Friday 10th Reading, Rivermead
Saturday 11th Birmingham, O2 Academy
Monday 13th Cardiff, International Arena
Tuesday 14th Plymouth, Pavilions
Wednesday 15th Brighton, Centre
Friday 17th London, Earls Court

For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

Their most personal album to date, ‘Star Tiger, Star Ariel’ tells of loss, discovery, and magic in and around their hometown of Southampton and The New Forest. Reuniting the team behind their acclaimed debut “Faded Seaside Glamour”, the album sees the band return to their roots, both lyrically and musically.

In April, Delays played a series of intimate shows across the UK, their first live outing in two years. On October 4th, following football related knee surgery on front man Greg Gilbert, Delays commence an 11 date UK tour beginning in Brighton. This will conclude with a hometown gig at Southampton Uni on October 16th before the band heads back to Mexico for a string of live appearances.

Dates below:
October 2010:

4 Brighton - Concorde
5 Birmingham - The Glee Club
6 London - The Garage
8 Manchester - Academy
9 Sheffield - University
10 Glasgow - King Tuts
11 Newcastle - Academy 2
12 Aberdeen - Tunnels
14 Leeds - Cockpit
15 Tunbridge Wells - Forum
16 Southampton - University /td>

Meanwhile, Vampire Weekend will release a new single ‘White Sky’ on 16th August, taken from the band’s hugely acclaimed second album ‘Contra’.

Tour dates

25th November Blackpool Empress Ballroom Arena

26th November Wolverhampton Civic Hall

28th November Edinburgh Corn Exchange

29th November Sheffield O2 Academy

1st December Brighton Centre

2nd December London Alexandra Palace

July

16/07 : Wolverhampton, UK – Slade Rooms
17/07 : Yorkshire, UK – the Deer Shed Festival at Baldersley Park in Topcliffe, near Thirsk

August

18/08 : Tunbridge Wells, UK – Forum
26/08 : Holmfirth, UK – Picturedrome with Cinerama
28/08 : Brighton, UK – David Gedge’s “At The Edge Of The Sea” Mini-Festival at Concorde 2

Plus November Dates

Bass player Terry De Castro has kept a warts and all tour diary to give us a flavour of life on the TWP road.

Perhaps best known for their Fall tribute, ‘The Ex-Members of The Fall Club’, The Container Drivers have supported a variety of bands including Persil, Decoration, Bearsuit and indeed The Wedding Present. The Fall connection brought them to the notice of the late, great John Peel resulting in gigs throughout the UK and Europe although this visit represents a rare foray into the Midlands from their usual Northern stomping ground.

Birmingham Live were lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the DVD which builds on the critically acclaimed film with bonus material not seen in the cinema release.

The DVD is directed by celebrated music documentarians Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Banger Films, the team behind last year’s award-winning hit Iron Maiden: Flight 666 and 2005’s Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. It features some of the world’s biggest rock stars talking about their love of RUSH and their huge influence and inspiration on them, including Metallica’s Kirk Hamnett, KISS’ Gene Simmons, Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins Smashing, Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan and Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor.

The most striking feature is the way it explores the forty-year career and phenomenon behind what could be the world’s biggest cult band, the narrow margins between success and failure, and a surly teenage Alex Lifeson who has to be seen to be believed!

Bonus material includes poignant, never seen before and early footage of “Working Man” and “Best I Can” with original drummer, John Rutsey along with the more off the wall look at Lifeson’s golf obsessions and Geddy Lee’s seemingly endless collection of baseball memorabilia.

Rush completists will already look to add this to their collections but the Rush story with tales of wardrobe failures, bad hair, real human tragedy and epic music should be edifying for any music fan.

The tour will commence in Brighton on 2nd October with the final night at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on 9th October, before they embark on a massive European tour.

Hurts released their debut single and live favourite ‘Better Than Love’ last month, described by Hurts themselves as ‘dance music for depression’.

They will release their second single ‘Wonderful Life’ on August 16th with their debut album to follow a week later on 23rd August.

Hurts are Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson and are currently finishing their debut album in Gothenberg and Manchester.

Full live dates are as follows and tickets go on sale on Friday 11th June at 9am through www.gigsandtours.com:

October 2010:

Saturday 2nd Brighton Concorde
Sunday 3rd Leeds Cockpit
Monday 4th Glasgow Oran Mor
Tuesday 5th Manchester Ritz
Thursday 7th Birmingham The Library
Friday 8th Bristol Trinity Church
Saturday 9th London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire

The band’s new single Architects is released on June 21st with their debut album What Came From Fire following on June 28th.

To celebrate the release of the album, the band have set a new video online, which serves as a teaser for the record, giving fans an idea of what’s to come. Follow this link to see more Video

TOUR DATES:
June
17 - London, 93 Feet East (Brick Lane Takeover)
18 - London, Garage (This Feeling) w/Doves + England WC Game
19 - Preston, Mad Ferret (Glasto Ferret)
24 - York, Fibbers
25 - Stirling, Cape
26 - Glasgow, King Tuts
30 - Coventry, Kasbah

July
01 - Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
09 - Stockton, Ku Bar
10 - Nozstock Festival, Bromyard, Hertfordshire
17 - Cockrock Festival, Cockenmouth Festival
19 - Mallorca Rocks Festival, Mallorca w/The Courteeners
22 - Plymouth, Ride
23 - Truro, Wig & Pen
24 - St Agnes, Driftwood Spurs
25 - Truck Festival, Oxfordshire
30 - Manchester, Aftershow @ Moho Live
31 - Kendal Calling Festival

Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the dawn of Jones’ recording career, which exploded in 1979 with her self-titled debut album and its top 10 hit, Chuck E.’s in Love. Jones had an immediate impact on pop culture, enjoying the massive buzz of an indelible SNL appearance and an instantaneous Rolling Stone cover, all while winning a Grammy for Best New Artist.

Three decades’ worth of acclaimed creative detours have ensued with both her singing and writing “voice” remaining, despite her pervasive and incalculable influence on two or three entire generations of singer/songwriters, among the most distinctive and instantly recognisable in music.

Jones’ upcoming UK concerts follows the release of her 2009 album Balm in Gilead - an extraordinary collection of emotionally powerful, texturally rich and endearing songs, many of which have been ‘incubating’ with Jones over the last several decades.

Tickets are on sale via the 24 hour ticket hotline – 08700 603 777 or can be ordered online from www.seetickets.com.

Melodica, Melody and Me are set to appear at the following upcoming events:

The Great Escape Festival – Duke of York Cinema - Brighton 15 May

Brighton Festival - Bom-Bane’s w/Jane Bom-Bane - Brighton 22 June

Sunrise Festival with Chai Wallahs Dorset - 6th June

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB TOUR

12 July - St Phillips Church - Manchester
13 July - St Phillips Church - Manchester
14 July - St Georges - Bristol
15 July - St Paul’s Church - Birmingham
19 July - Sage 2 - Gateshead
20 July - Arts Centre - Norwich
21 July - St Georges - Brighton
22 July - Union Chapel - London
23 July - Union Chapel - London

Vocalist of rock group Bauhaus, Peter Murphy has released a number of solo albums enjoying critical acclaim and popularity. Thin, with prominent cheekbones, a rich Baritone voice, and a penchant for gloomy poetics, often called the “Godfather of Goth”, but Murphy’s talent and influence are far greater than this suggests.

The full tour follows a successful series of dates in late 2009 including the Assembly in Leamington Spa covered by Birmingham Live:

Thu 29 Jul - Paris, France - La Machine Du Moulin Rouge
Fri 30 -Jul - Alentejo, Portugal - Evora Festival Alentajo
Sun 1-Aug - Wolverhampton, UK - The Slade Rooms
Mon 2-Aug - Glasgow, Lanarkshire - UK Classic Grand
Tue 3-Aug - Dublin, Ireland UK - The Button Factory
Thu 5-Aug - London, UK - Electric Ballroon
Fri 6-Aug - Sheffield, UK - Corporation
Sat 7-Aug - Blackpool, UK- Rebellion Festival
Sun 8-Aug - Hamilton, ON Canada - Festival of Friends
Tue 10-Aug -Toronto, ON Canada - Lee’s Palace

Part one of FEEDER’s plans for the summer of 2010 is ‘RENEGADES’, their seventh studio album. Released on the 5th July 2010, it features eleven tracks including new single ‘Call Out’ and captures the heavier side of the band as witnessed on two ‘undercover’ tours earlier this year (where they performed under the name of Renegades and showcased new material to fans). The band will be appearing at several festivals over the summer and will embark on the first Feeder tour since 2008 in October 2010. Part two to be announced soon …

Fifteen years since the bands first release (which they sold at their own gigs) they are once again releasing music for themselves. With 25 hit singles under their belt, 4.5 million record sales, 6 full length-studio albums - as well as the double platinum ‘Singles Collection’ from 2006 - founder members vocalist Grant Nicholas and bassist Taka Hirose with drummer Karl Brazil are going back to their roots, self-releasing on their new label Big Teeth Music.

As passionate as ever, but with a renewed sense of energy and excitement the band entered the studio last year to record songs written over the last 18 months. With no label to appease or interfere, Nicholas felt like the band were starting over again and the energy and chemistry of the early days comes over on the new record. The energy of ‘Call Out’ is infectious and sets the tone for this very raw, very honest album. Production is stripped down but they have kept the melodies and dynamics of what makes the classic Feeder sound.

Dates include:

21 October LEEDS, Metropolitan University
22 October GLASGOW, ABC
24 October MANCHESTER, Academy 2
25 October WOLVERHAMPTON, Wulfrun Hall
27 October BRISTOL, Academy
28 October LONDON, Shepherds Bush Empire
30 October OXFORD, Academy
31 October SOUTHAMPTON, University

Featuring original members Glenn Gregory (lead vocals) and Martyn Ware (synthesizers, vocals) and a full six-piece band, Heaven 17 starts their UK tour at the Edinburgh HMV Picture House on November 22nd. The tour follows the ultimate super-luxury edition of Penthouse And Pavement, released by EMI in the autumn. The show will include an LED wall featuring visuals by famous graphic artists and designers matched up to each track.

This tour follows a handful of successful dates earlier this year including the very first time that ‘Penthouse And Pavement’ had ever been played live, at the Assembly in Leamington Spa covered by Birmingham Live

Dates include Edinburgh HMV Picture House (Nov 22), Glasgow O2 ABC (Nov 23), Manchester Ritz (Nov 25), Birmingham HMV Institute (Nov 26), London HMV Forum (Nov 28), Oxford O2 Academy (Nov 29), Brighton Corn Exchange (Nov 30) and Bristol O2 Academy (Dec 1). The concert will also include a greatest hits encore, including the band’s massive hit single ‘Temptation’.

The video is being premiered in the UK on the Bury Council website, as a nod to the town that inspired the song.

You can watch it here: The Fall Video

This release comes mid-way through the band’s current tour which includes an appearance at the O2 Academy

May 8 - Palace, Aldershot, UK
May 9 - Concorde 2, Brighton, UK
May 11 – O2 Academy, Birmingham, UK
May 15 – Cheese + Grain, Frome, Somerset, UK
May 16 - ATP, Minehead, UK
May 19 – Sound City festival, Liverpool, UK
May 21 - Balne Lane Working Mens Club, Wakefield, UK

In their latest incarnation The Fall are:

Peter “PP” Greenway - Guitars

Dave “The Eagle” Spurr – Bass Guitar

Eleni Poulou - Keyboards, Bass, Backing vocals

Keiron Melling - Drums, PCSN

Mark E. Smith - Lead Vocals

Full details of the yet to be titled album will be announced shortly, but the band has confirmed a full acoustic UK tour to tie in with the LP, in churches and arts centres up and down the country.

July acoustic tour dates:

MON 12th JULY – MANCHESTER, ST PHILIPS CHURCH 0161 832 1111

WED 14th JULY – BRISTOL, ST GEORGES 0845 4024 001

THU 15th JULY - BIRMINGHAM, ST PAULS CHURCH 0871 2200 260

MON 19TH JULY – GATESHEAD, SAGE 2 0191 443 4661

TUE 20TH JULY – NORWICH, ARTS CENTRE 01603 660 352

WED 21ST JULY – BRIGHTON, ST GEORGES CHURCH 01273 325 440

FRI 23RD JULY – LONDON, UNION CHAPEL 020 7403 3331

December dates are as follows:

December

Fri 3rd Nottingham Rockcity
Sun 5th Manchester Academy
Mon 6th Glasgow O2 Academy
Tue 7th Birmingham O2 Academy
Thu 9th Norwich UEA
Fri 10th Bristol O2 Academy
Sat 11th London Brixton O2 Academy

Tickets are priced at £18.50 for regional shows and £20 for London and available from www.gigsandtours.com / 0871 2200 260 and for Scotland www.gigsinscotland.com./ 0844 4999 990

These select dates are in support of their third full length LP, Infinite Arms released on 17 May through Brown Records/Columbia Records.

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE MORNING AFTER TOUR  
Plus special guests The Pigeon Detectives*
 
 ‘THE NIGHT BEFORE’ MINI ALBUM – OUT 19TH APRIL 2010
‘One of the strongest efforts of their career’ The Guardian 4 Stars 16/4/10
 
After just finishing a sell out tour across the country James will be returning this December for a 7 date jaunt around the UK starting at London HMV Hammersmith Apollo on Thursday 9th and ending at Manchester Evening News Arena on Saturday 18th. James will be joined on tour by special guests The Pigeon Detectives.
 
With a career that includes 10 studio albums, twenty UK Top 40 singles and 12 million albums sold James have also released the first of two mini albums.   Titled ‘The Night Before’ the mini album will be released on April 19th and it contains all brand new studio material from the 7 piece band. Produced by Lee ‘Muddy’ Baker (who produced Hey Ma as well as Booth’s solo album Bone in 2004), The Night Before seems fearless in comparison to its predecessors, a product, no doubt, of the way it was conceived: the band set up an ftp site to which they all contributed, downloading and updating each other’s efforts at various intervals whilst Baker knocked things into shape. This “virtual recording process was inspired by the band’s history of working with Brian Eno and has brought out the best in James, the results proving as diverse and intriguing as anything the band have attempted before. 
After the recent UK tour the band intend to spend five days recording “naturally and playing together in a big room with no overdubs and with a view to capturing “something spontaneous. This will make up the second part of the mini album to be released on August 2nd and it will be entitled ‘The Morning After’. They will also be spending the summer playing at many of the world’s biggest festivals, including the Isle of Wight Festival, Latitude and Beautiful Days in the UK.
 
To see James live with special guests The Pigeon Detectives*:
 
DECEMBER 2010
Thursday 9th         London HMV Hammersmith Apollo
Friday 10th            London O2 Academy Brixton           
Sunday 12th         Birmingham O2 Academy                                                   
Tuesday 14th         Leeds O2 Academy                        
Wednesday 15th     Leicester De Montfort Hall              
Friday 17th            Glasgow SECC Hall                                    
Saturday 18th        Manchester MEN Arena                  
 
Tickets are £31 regional, £32.50 O2 Academy Brixton/MEN Arena and £37.50/£32.50 Hammersmith Apollo
Tickets are onsale Friday 23rd April @ 9am - available at www.gigsandtours.com / 0871 2200 260
 *support on all dates except Leeds.
 
 

Fighting Fiction formed late 2007 in Bristol when the four lads met at University. Bourne of a mutual passion for energetic live performance, their sound is a powerful collision of Indie-rock guitar riffs, reggae tinged punk and socially aware lyrics. These are songs written with anger and sung with passion. They evoke an honest and fundamentally English sound that is reminiscent of the brooding reggae guitar hooks of ‘London Calling’ era Clash, the lyrical wordplay and vocal delivery of Billy Bragg, and more recently, the acoustic guitar based sing-along sensibilities of Frank Turner and the King Blues.

Produced by Mark Williams (Biffy Clyro, Bloc Party, Million Dead, Oceansize), ‘We Will Not Forget’ is the bands most aggressive offering to date and will include a free acoustic download ‘Turning Rebellion Into Money.’

To date, the band have released their debut EP ‘A Lesser Of Two Evils’ (November 2009); completed two UK-wide tours, securing slots at both the Isle of Wight and Isle of Man TT festivals, and have played support to the likes of This Town Needs Guns, Crazy Arm, Sam Isaac, Floors and Walls, Laura Marling and The Automatic.

Fighting Fiction hit the road again this April/May on a 20 date UK tour in support of their new single release.

Full tour dates are:
APRIL
6 The Railway Winchester
7 Talking Heads Southampton
8 The Fawcett Inn Portsmouth
10 Fighting Cocks London
13 Mentholmans (@West Street Live) Sheffield
14 Harrys Bar Stoke on Trent
17 The Royal Oak Ipswich
18 Juiced - Liquid/Envy Crawley, London
22 Square Harlow
23 Lincoln Arms Dorking
26 Croft Bristol, Southwest
29 Prince Albert Brighton
30 Junction Cambridge
May
5 Moles Club Bath *Single release party*
7 Frog and Fiddle Cheltenham,
July
4 Keynsham Music Festival - Time out stage
September
25 Frog Fest @ Frog and Fiddle Cheltenham

Hailing from the region most famous for Santa Claus and reindeer, Jaakko & Jay are more jolly than Father Christmas and more hearty than reindeer steaks. The music throws a high-latitude spin on classic punk themes like drinking, revolution, drinking, making music, drinking, acute social commentary, drinking, and drinking - acoustic songs that shed their simplicity in a live situation by taking the audience in, melting their frosty cynicism, and putting smiles on every last person down to the bouncer.

Gaining popularity around the UK and Europe supporting Frank Turner, Mariachi El Bronx, Gaslight Anthem, Billy Talent and Chuck Ragan they were also discovered by Radio 1’s Huw Stephens at this year’s Eurosonic. With plenty of summer festivals and tour dates to be announced for later this year, including a slot at Brighton’s premier showcase festival, The Great Escape - their popularity is set to rise even further.

All tour details are to follow

May 20 Sheffield O2 Academy 2(0844 477 2000)
May 21 Glasgow Cathouse (0871 230 7131)
May 22 Belfast Spring & Airbrake (003531 456 5569)
May 23 Birmingham O2 Academy2 (0844 477 2000)
July 08 Cardiff Millennium Plaza (02920 230130)
July 09 London Islington O2 Academy (0844 477 2000)

Formed in summer 1984, FM signed to CBS / Sony Records a mere six months later, and after the release of their debut album, ‘Indiscreet, in 1986, won tours round Europe with the likes of Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Meat Loaf, Gary Moore and REO Speedwagon. By 1989 FM had headlined their own 42 date UK Concert Hall tour, culminating with a tumultuous, rammed-to-the-rafters sold out show at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.

FM released five studio albums, a live acoustic album and a ‘Best Of’, and regularly dented the top 100 albums and singles charts, before they split in 1996 in the face of the changing musical tides of that time.
In October 2007 FM were persuaded to reform for a one-off headline show at Nottingham Rock City, (Firefest IV) and so wowed the teary eyed, sold out 1500 capacity crowd that they could not resist the lure of an ongoing reformation.

The 12-track album was produced by Romeo Stodart and Valgeir Sigurdsson (Bjork, Bonnie Prince Billy, Múm) and mixed by Ben Hillier (Doves, Elbow, Blur). It is their third album following The Magic Numbers (June 2005) & Those The Brokes (November 2007).

It also features string arrangements by Robert Kirby, renowned for his work with the likes of Nick Drake, Sandy Denny and Elvis Costello.
The group have also announced details of an extensive UK tour in June. The full list of dates are as follows:

JUNE

3rd Leeds Irish Centre
4th Newcastle University
5th Glasgow O2 ABC
7th Manchester Academy 2
8th Liverpool O2 Academy
9th Sheffield Leadmill
11th Bristol Anson Rooms
12th Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall
13th Cambridge Junction
15th Brighton Komedia
16th Norwich Waterfront
17th London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

Birmingham Live are thrilled that the most cherished band of their generation Teenage Fanclub return in May 2010 with a brand new album Shadows, a headline slot at Camden Crawl and a UK tour.  It has been 5 long years since their last album, ‘Man-Made’, was released to universal acclaim, so it is no overstatement to say the new album is keenly anticipated.  While most bands are lucky to have one great songwriter, Teenage Fanclub are blessed with three, hence Shadows is overflowing with the kind of gorgeous, harmony driven classics you’d expect to find on a greatest hits album

Single:  Baby Lee Release Date: 24th May

Album:  Shadows Release Date: 31st May

Tour Dates:
May
1st - London Koko - Camden Crawl Headline
27th - Manchester Academy 2
28th - Sheffield Leadmill
30th - Dublin The Academy

June
1st - Aberdeen
2nd - Glasgow ABC
3rd - Edinburgh The Picture House
4th - Leeds The Cockpit
6th - Bristol Academy
7th - Birmingham Academy 2

Looking forward to seeing them back in Birmingham.
For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide

and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

LG Arena, 2nd March 2011

**Tickets Go On General Sale At 9am On Thursday 25th March**

Boyzone fans are today greeted with the news that they have been waiting in anticipation for since word started rumbling that a tour may be on the horizon……Boyzone will officially be back on the road in February 2011 with a full UK tour. As they celebrate their recent Number 1 album, Brother (the sixth album of their seventeen year career) the Boyz are hugely excited to finally be looking forward to this new chapter in Boyzone’s ongoing story by announcing 12 UK dates, including a show at the LG Arena, Birmingham on Wednesday March 2nd.

Tickets priced £35.50 plus booking and transaction fees go on general sale at 09:00 on Thursday 25th March and can be bought online at www.theticketfactory.com or by calling The Ticket Factory on 0844 338 8000.

For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide

and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

The Haitian Earthquake disaster is off the front pages but the islanders still need as much help and support as they can get.

The scale of the catastrophe is staggering: “an estimated three million people were affected. The Haitian Government reports that between 217,000 and 230,000 people had been identified as dead, an estimated 300,000 injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 homeless. The death toll is expected to rise. They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged.”

To raise funds The Little Civic is hosting an evening of live bands, comedy and djing this Sunday 21st March.

Live Bands include :

Your Biggest Fanclub
China Red
and
Kate Loveridge & Band

Comedy Act:

Sammy & Tilly

with

DJ Tom Reynolds

The organisers put it bluntly- “Please do your bit to support the disaster by giving up a few hours of your time to attend the evening. Remember how fortunate we all are to live each day, disaster, illness, and problem free. Then remember those who live and face it everyday. The death toll in Haiti is still rising. They need our help as soon as possible. It’s our world, it’s our concern”

Tickets priced £5.00 are available from Midland Box Office: 0870 320 7000 or online at wolvescivic

For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide
and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

The Civic have announced that they will be welcoming back the truly legendary ear-splitting rock-beast that is Motörhead on 24th November.

Motorhead formed in 1975 by bassist, singer & songwriter Lemmy have the reputation as one of Britain’s foremost rock bands due to their albums Overkill, Bomber, Ace Of Spades & No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith.

Whilst the band are typically classified as heavy metal – Lemmy dislikes such labels, preferring to describe the band’s music as ‘rock ‘n’ roll’. The band’s - Lemmy, Mikkey Dee & Phil Campbell’s approach to music is that they prefer to play live as that is what they enjoy & do best.

Tickets go on sale this Friday (19th March) from 9am at Midland Box Office: 0870 320 7000 or online at wolvescivic

For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide

and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

To celebrate Doves’ forthcoming best of collection ‘The Places Between: The Best Of Doves’ (5th April) and following the band’s biggest ever headline show at Manchester Central in December, a truly memorable performance at the BBC Electric Proms and last year’s storming appearance headlining the John Peel stage at Glastonbury Doves have announced that they will be playing a few very special shows during April and May.

Furthermore, as this tour coinciding with the release of their generation defining Best of collection ‘The Places Between’, fans can expect to hear Jimi, Jez and Andy’s choice of tracks from their twelve-year career. From the number 3 hit ‘There Goes The Fear’ to the Motown thump of ‘Black and White Town’, the kraut-rock inspired ‘Jetstream’ and the anthemic morning after glow of ‘The Cedar Room’ to name but 1 track each from epochal debut ‘Lost Souls’, the Mercury Music Prize nominated ‘The Last Broadcast’, widescreen masterpiece ‘Some Cities’, and not least, last years critically acclaimed gem, ‘Kingdom Of Rust’ - Doves truly have the most extraordinary and compelling live sets of any touring British band today.

28th April – Hull City Hall, Hull - 01482 226 655
29th April  – De Montfort Hall , Leicester - 0116 233 3111
1st May – O2 Academy, Glasgow
2nd May – King George’s Hall, Blackburn - 01254 582 582
4th May – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone
5th May – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton - 0870 320 7000
6th May – Troxy, London
8th May – Liverpool University, Liverpool -0151 256 5555
9th May – St Georges Hall, Bradford - 01274 432 000

24hr cc hotline 0871 2200 260 www.gigsandtours.com
On sale Friday 19th @ 9am

For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide

and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

Seminal punk icons Sylvain Sylvain (New York Dolls) and Cheetah Chrome (Rocket From The Tombs/Dead Boys) today announced their new band Batusis, followed by the release of a 4-track EP on Smog Veil records. They have also announced a nationwide UK Tour in May 2010 including Birmingham’s O2 Academy2 on May 13th.

Following their March 18th concert debut at the prestigious SXSW festival, Batusis, whose name is derived from when Adam West danced a version of the watusi on the popular Batman TV series, will release their self-titled debut EP on collectable 7” inch multi-colored vinyl and digital download on May 4th. The EP also features Enzo Penizzotto (bass) and Thommy Price (drums) of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.

To coincide with record release, the nationwide “Batusis” UK tour will start at the Glasgow ABC2 (May 3), followed by dates at Sheffield O2 Academy2 (May 4), Liverpool O2 Academy2 (May 5), London Islington Academy (May 7), Hatfield Forum - Attic Room (May 8), Oxford Academy2 (May 10), Southampton Joiners (May 11), Bristol O2 Academy2 (May 12) and Birmingham O2 Academy2 (May 13).

Tickets: 0844 477 2000 / ticketweb

For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide

and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

PENDULUM made one of the biggest breakthroughs of recent years with their hit album ‘In Silico’ and have now followed this with the album ‘Immersion’ that’s set for release on May 24th. The first taster of the album will be the single ‘Watercolour’ that’s due for release on May 3rd.

Tour dates:

MAY

17TH BELFAST, ULSTER HALL

18TH DUBLIN, OLYMPIA

20TH EDINBURGH, CORN EXCHANGE

21ST BLACKPOOL, EMPRESS BALLROOM

22ND DONCASTER, DOME

25TH BRIGHTON, CENTRE

26TH BIRMINGHAM, O2 ACADEMY

28TH LONDON, WEMBLEY ARENA

29TH CARDIFF, ARENA

30TH PLYMOUTH, PAVILLIONS

31ST SWINDON, OASIS CENTRE

Tickets are available from gigsandtours and ticketmaster

For full details of this and other local dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide

and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

FRIDAY 14 MAY – SUNDAY 16 MAY

A celebration of the life and work of legendary singer songwriter John Martyn, curated by long time friend and collaborator Danny Thompson, live performances from the Graham Coxon Power Acoustic Ensemble, rousing big band Bellowhead, rising folk star Jackie Oates and free sessions are amongst the highlights of this year’s English Originals weekend.
Now in its third year, the weekend celebrates music uniquely English in character and infused with authenticity of place, identity, time and tradition, and takes place at Town Hall and Symphony Hall in Birmingham between Friday 14 May and Sunday 16 May.

GRACE AND DANGER: the songs of John Martyn curated by Danny Thompson, featuring Beverley Martyn, Scott Matthews, Eddi Reader, and more special guests to be announced

THE GRAHAM COXON POWER ACOUSTIC ENSEMBLE, featuring guests Martin Carthy and Natasha Marsh, and friends perform the Spinning Top

BELLOWHEAD with special guest Jackie Oates

FREE SESSIONS FROM NOMAD, Dave Boddison, Abie Budgen, Deborah Hodgson, Goodnight Lenin and Megan Henwood

Tickets are available from TOWN HALL SYMPHONY HALL BOX OFFICE 0121 780 3333 or online at http://www.thsh.co.uk

For full details of these dates visit our Birmingham Gig Guide

and Birmingham Live for all local reviews and comment

• Manchester MEN Arena - December 3rd
• December 5th - Sheffield Arena
• December 6th - Cardiff CIA
• December 7th - London Wembley Arena
• December 11th - Glasgow SECC
• Decmber 12th - Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre

Tickets: 0871 424 444 - www.ticketline.co.uk.

The new album ‘Graffiti Soul’ is out now. For the full list of UK tour dates, visit www.simpleminds.com.