Come this way with your empty gig calendar and you'll soon find yourself feeling a lot happier. We've got five of the top live new music tips from our Emerging Icons to tell you about and they're going to make the end of March look a lot brighter that's for sure.
Below you'll find our sneak previews of the hottest shows for the coming week- and you can let the artists know if you're planning on going too. All you have to do is follow the links to visit each act's gig listings, and once you're there just click 'YES'- you're attending. Easy! It means your fave acts will know to expect you and you'll also see it added to your personal gig calendar! Lovely. Just in case you're still not sure, watch this...
So, lets get cracking! Here are this week's Top Five Emerging Icons Live...
Monday 25th March
First up this week we've got a cracking London appearance from one of our favourite Brightonians, Alice Amelia. The final date of her March tour, she's never failed to impress us with her stylishly balanced blend of new soul, classic jazz and contemporary influences- including the odd bit of dirty dub. The latter reared it's sexy sound in recent single 'Soul', a collaboration with Cruso that shot up our Emerging Icons Chart a few weeks ago. We've praised this lady for her voice innumerable times now; but with a strength and tone to rival the likes of Jessie J we really do need to keep encouraging you good folks to go check her out. This will be a brilliant show in one of South London's best live spots to catch future superstars- so don't pass on this opportunity if you can make it.
Wednesday 27th March
Stacks at The Blind Tiger: Brighton, Sussex
How about we go and see some Brighton-dwellers in their natural habitat next? Local lads Stacks have a gig scheduled at The Blind Tiger on Tuesday (instead of Wednesday 27th as originally billed) and if you're in the mood for dancing- sans Nolan Sisters- you should probably give it some thought. Primarily 'indie', this lot are a right funky bunch and inject a hell of a lot of groove into their tunes. There's a sense of a very organic energy driving each track; and with a vocal performance that weaves between 'pop-friendly smooth' and 'attitude-driven spitting' there's going to be plenty of charisma to accompany the arsenal of infectious melodies. Stacks have built up quite a regular presence on Brighton's scene of late, and there must be a reason that they get invited back, right? We anticipate a lively show with a pumped crowd of regulars and you should take the chance to get amongst it.
Friday 29th March
Missing Andy at KOKO: Camden, London
It's here! The Guerrilla Invasion... and it's being set loose live in Camden Town this evening. (Before the press get wind of this, we must clarify that it is Guerrilla with a 'u' and not an 'o'. The walls of London Zoo are safely in tact.) This Club NME show is going to be a big deal for Missing Andy fans- its the first chance they'll have to get their paws on the brand new double album, 'Guerrilla Invasion 1 & 2' and you can guarantee this it's going to be a launch party to remember. With latest single 'Feel Like This' having made quite an impression on both our Emerging Icons Chart and Absolute Radio a couple of weekends ago, we have a sneaking suspicion that this collection of new material is going to herald a very successful new chapter for the Braintree-based band. From the raw Britpop swagger of their earlier material through to the polished ska-infused rock n' roll of their sound of today, Missing Andy have always been a band that can make an impact. Don't miss out...
Friday 29th March
Whenever we think of Centrefolds these days, we can't help but recall the brilliant words of our mate at Absolute Radio, Pete Donaldson; who described their sound as having 'More hooks than Abu Hamza in velcro. There's swagger, there's verve, the complete package.' We know that's made you want to go get in line for their show already- but, wait! There's actually more info we can excite you with! This London date is the first of a string of gigs planned for Centrefolds this year- and it sees them following in the footsteps of QOTSA, Paul Weller, Blur and Sir Paul McCartney on the hallowed stage of Soho's 100 Club. It makes this show pretty damn special to say the least- and the perfect environment to enjoy a solid dose of the Bath-based quartet's spiky guitar and belting beats. If you like your indie music with an eccentric electronica-prog-krautrock twist (hey, who doesn't?) then this really is the show for you.
Sunday 31st March
Once a session musician and now a fully-fledged (and bloody good) solo performer, Tom Staniford celebrates the launch of his 'Elizabeth' EP down in sunny ole' Brighton tonight. This guy really is one of those musician's musicians- with a deep passion for the craft since he was a wee lad making guitars out of cardboard boxes, Blue Peter-style. But hey, if you've never been able to play a tune in your life there's still loads to enjoy in the mellow acoustic vibe of his sound. Having a lot of love for the likes of The Cure and City & Colour, he's an artist who likes to wrap his audience up in every note produced on the stage- possibly accounting for the vast army of loyal fans he's gathered in the last five years of his career. You should keep your eye on this guy. Even better- get down to The Green Door Store this evening and you'll be able to practically touch him*...
*Emerging Icons advises that you ask permission before you run up and start touching Tom Staniford. It's just common courtesy, y'know. And you'll look weird if you don't.
Don't forget- there are loads more gigs from our Emerging Icons going on all over the country- so if you can't make these, don't panic! You can check out the best of the rest by clicking on the 'GIGS' tab at the top of the Emerging Icons homepage. Or, we guess you could just try here...