Christmas Eve is but a week away and we're so pumped it's unreal. Sure, we're looking forward to stuffing our faces and being spoilt, but most of all... there are some epic gigs coming up!
Yes, our Emerging Icons are going to help make sure that you make the most of your holiday week- offering you plenty more nights to go out, party and maybe have a 'sherry' or two. Wahoo! If you like the sound of any of this lot, you should know by now that you need to get them added to your personal gig calendar. If you're unsure how, give this video a watch right now...
So here it is, your definitive guide to the most rocking Christmas you've ever had, courtesy of our Emerging Icons artists...
Monday 24 December
"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." Well, that sounds rubbish, not to mention boring. 'Tis the season to be mothereffing jolly int it, so let's all go out and give Christmas Eve a thoroughly good spanking in rocking style. Sixth Avenue Traffic have promised to thaw out all frozen extremities with the roasting heat of their rugged riffing and rich, soulful vocals; so we strongly advise that you take them up on that offer should you be in Glasgow tonight. Enjoy some epic soundscapes, neck a few beers and be back in time to catch Santa in the act. (If you manage to capture the old fella make sure you send us a snap, yeah?)
Wednesday 26 December
The Moon Birds at The Mountain Ash inn: Twynrodyn, Merthyr Tydfil
So it's all over for yet another year, and you feel fatter, poorer and extremely hungover. You have two options. Sit at home picking at turkey bones and watching 'The Sound Of Music' OR... alternatively, pop out to feast on some funk courtesy of The Moon Birds. Funk it is! The word 'groovy' may have you panicking and conjuring images of Austin Powers, but this band have in fact reinvented it into something a hell of a lot cooler. At this 'Boxing Day Bonanza', psychedelic rock n' roll has never sounded so suave- settling somewhere in between an epic stadium rock show and a guitar-fuelled romp through a blue movie soundtrack.
Wednesday 26 December
What better way of seeing out the last few days of the year than in the company of one of our greatest discoveries of 2012? Colt 45 are gonna be storming Whitehaven's Civic Hall on the 26th (purely figuratively- this isn't some kind of localised rioting to see off the Christmas season.) Joining an amazing line up of local bands for an all-dayer known simply as 'The Boxing Day Boof'; our favourite punk-rock three-piece will be awesome company with a set that packs as much punch as Nicola Adams. This is going to be one very long day of dancing, boozing and shenanigans with doors opening at 12.30pm... so maybe fill up on turkey sandwiches before you head out.
Friday 28 December
The Magic Carpets at The Welly Club: Hull, Kingston upon Hull
The days inbetween Boxing Day and NYE can sometimes feel like a a desolate no-man's-land; where normality remains on hiatus, yet nobody's sure of what to do with themselves. Well, never fear, for you can pop out to visit the Magic Carpet Factory on Friday 28th December. Despite sounding like the local am-dram's prop supplier for their festive production of 'Aladdin', the deal here is much more about rocking, rolling and rootsy blues. Taking influence from The Black Keys and your Kasabian types, this edgy quartet are happy to grant you wishes if it's an awesome show and mouth-watering riffs you're after. Sh*tloads of gold and becoming a prince, not so much. 'Soz'.
Saturday 29 December
Yes, those Gents have sneaked their way onto our radar just one more time before the year is through- and this time it's to throw a right festive shindig. Gentlemen Duke's Christmas and New Year Show at The Red Lion in Gravesend is guaranteed to be pretty fantastical; bringing their infectious brand of buzzing energy, freestyle fiddling and 'fiery folk' to a local audience still high on yuletide cheer. 'We will be getting very theatrical', they've warned... and we can believe it. This will be a perfect opportunity to see them on top form, probably giddy on left over selection boxes and eggnog. Pop on your best waistcoat and get ready to do some square dancing- because this is gonna be a
Stick with Emerging Icons and you'll never have to go without a good gig ever again...!
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