Next week's live music diary is absolutely chocker with amazing sets from our utterly awesome acts. We've been scouting through the GIGS section on Emerging Icons and have picked out just a handful of the brilliant shows you just can't afford to miss. If you do miss em? Well, we don't even want to think about the suffering your poor musical soul will go through.
Below, you'll find the five acts we reckon are gonna rock your goddamn world if you give them a chance. Find out what we think of them by reading our previews, and if you fancy being there? Simply click on the links to visit each artist's profile and let them know you're heading to their show. How? Well you'll see a great big 'YES' button that's just begging you to click on it... just ask this fella:
So, shall we crack on? Let's have a look at the hottest gigs making it onto our calendars this week. Here are our Top Five Emerging Icons Live...
Thursday 1st August
Croydon's Sabiyha makes her Emerging Icons debut at Westfield London tonight, bringing her blissful acoustic tunes to our Shepherd's Bush stage. The 19-year-old is an incredible talent who will surely become one of the hottest names on London's gigging circuit for years to come. With a uniquely styled sound that draws from "her Guyanese father's love of blues" and "her Uncle's diverse Caribbean record collection", she's already carved a strong and striking identity within her music. Combined with a love for American folk tunes, the final product is beautiful, nostalgic and filled with an old-fashioned soul with more than a few stories to tell. This is going to be one of THE show-stopping performances from our residency this summer, so don't miss it. (Did we mention that it's FREE too?!)
Thursday 1st August
London's most positive alt-pop band are back with a bang for another one of their infectiously lively sets on our Westfield stage. Battle of You just went down so well with the crowds last time that we needed to pin them down for an encore... and we can't wait. For those who are unfamiliar with the London-based five-piece's fantastical sound, you'll soon realise that they are possibly the band you need to get on your summer playlists with their Two Door Cinema Club vibe. Big beats, plenty of pace and an invitation to dance pulses through every single rhythm, melody and cracking chorus that bursts into life on stage. Having recently scored their second appearance on Emerging Icons' exclusive Absolute Radio slot, this is a band who are giving absolutely everything they've got to make it big... and it's definitely on the cards.
Friday 2nd August
Falmouth duo The White Bicycles are a beautifully chilled antidote to your hot summer nights. With an instrumental quality not too dissimilar to The XX, they're moving traditional indie-pop in a new direction that sounds bloody gorgeous. Like the gentle lapping of waves on the shore of their seaside hometown, Matthew and Ryan reel in the folky trend with a vocal performance influenced by Bon Iver; plus a bit of Bombay Bicycle Club guitar action for good measure. Despite their relaxed approach to both music and the industry, they'd already been a hit with some very knowledgeable critics- including peeps at Communion records and the panel at Glasto's Emerging Talent competition. With this show coming ahead of an appearance at Boardmasters, we reckon it's well worth a punt. Enjoy...
Friday 2nd August
Following an amazing night down at Camden's KOKO for the launch of latest album 'Guerrilla Invasion Pt.2', the Missing Andy party vibes are coming back to the capital to celebrate the release of new acoustic-styled single, 'Happy Place'. There's no doubt that tonight The Garage will turn into a very happy place for the thousands of loyal MA fans spread far beyond the band's Essex hometown. They all want a dance and a slice of their gutsy take on indie rock. As regulars on the London gigging scene, they've made a name for themselves with their groove-laden tracks and just a whisper of the Brit-rock style that gives their melodies that bit of added swagger. This is a band who know how to get their audiences moving, so prepare yourselves for a mad one if you make it down to this show.
Sunday 4th August
Our latest folky faves are embarking on a double whammy of festival action to get their August gig schedule kicked off nicely. Following an appearance at the awesomely named Frolic Fest in Kent, Patch & The Giant hit Hertfordshire's finest new fest, Standon Calling. The seven-strong alt-folk group are an ace addition to this year's circus-inspired weekender, providing plenty of foot-stomping tunes to the masses in a performance that's sure to get the party going. While the fancy dress theme may mean it probably ain't the best gigging option for anyone suffering from a morbid fear of clowns, it's going to be cracking weekend of live music for everyone else... and there's still a few tickets left! With the bill also including Bastille, AlunaGeorge, Band of Skulls and our very own Bibelots; you don't want to miss out.
If you can't make it down to any of these shows, don't panic! There are plenty more just waiting to be discovered. All you have to do is click on the GIGS tab at the top of our homepage where you can find listings from loads more amazing artists!