So, i wrote this article for my University Newspaper in about December 07. I was just asked to try and write about all the gigs coming to the Uni Venues in the coming months. It’s alright i suppose.
You like live music don’t you? Of course you do. If you are interested in music and vaguely aware of your surroundings you cant have failed to notice that Norwich gets its fair share of gigs. Being on the University tour circuit certainly helps! But what bands should you bother to part with a tenner or so to see? After all that’s about 5 pints in the Union Bar. Well, this article is designed to give you an idea of who to bother with in 2008. At the time of writing tickets are still on sale for those recommended so we won’t waste your time telling you who you should have bought tickets for.
First up on the 20th January is British Sea Power at the Waterfront. They’ve been called a second rate Arcade Fire by George Lamb, but he’s an idiot so don’t listen to him. If you like Arcade Fire though and haven’t checked this band out yet, what are you waiting for? Their live show is pretty unique involving army costumes, and they reference obscure eastern European authors among other things. So British Sea Power = Arcade Fire + Fun. Go! Just a week later the Futureheads come to the Waterfront. After a slightly disappointing second album, both commercially and artistically, especially given the brilliance of their debut, they left their record label, 679. Now they are back with new material and their angular post punk will be worth seeing, not only for the sublime Kate Bush cover, or the hits from the 2004 debut.
February 6th seems to be ‘the are they still about? day’ with Kula Shaker at the Waterfront, and Dropkick Murphys and Mad Caddies with their somewhat questionable sounds playing UEA. Either gig will be sure to be entertaining; just it remains to be seen for what reasons.
The NME and their awards tour of 2008 is at UEA on the 13th Feb. The tour has featured bands such as Maximo Park, Bloc Party, The Killers and Arctic Monkeys in recent years, so this year has a lot to live up to. It is the turn of the superb Cribs to headline this time around, which makes the entry fee worth it alone, backed up by three absurdly named bands in the shape of the hotly tipped, but not that good, Joe Lean & the Jing Jang Jong (seriously WHAT were they thinking?), Does it Offend You Yeah? (Friends of Hadouken, draw your own conclusions) and the Ting Tings. If you read the NME, you should enjoy it.
The following night, also at UEA, Southends’ Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly brings his acoustic guitar, political statements and raw passion to Norwich, ahead of the release of his second album and follow up to acclaimed debut ‘The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager’. He has been compared to Billy Bragg and whilst this is a bit flattering, his live show is worth seeing. He spoke to me in rough trade about Bullet Union once, which shows he likes good music too.
There is something for everyone at UEA, as on the 15th Gallows play UEA. Supported by F**ked Up, SSS and Set your Goals it remains to be seen whether Gallows are overshadowed by the support acts, in particular by the frantic hardcore punk of F**ked Up. This is a gig not to be missed; especially as most of you (concrete included) were too young to see the brilliance of the original hardcore bands such as Black Flag, Dead Kennedys and Minor Threat, but this goes a small way to redressing the deficit. A little under a week later on the 20th Hot Chip and their infectious electro pop come to UEA, don’t miss out. On the same day Reel Big Fish hit the Waterfront, so if you like ska punk either sort your head out or go to this gig. You want vaguely political pop punk? Anti Flag are in town on the 24th Feb at the Waterfront, think Greenday ala American Idiot and you are halfway there.
If you like your ‘indie type bands’ bland, cliché ridden and generally not very good then you’ve got a couple of gigs coming your way in March and April. The Hoosiers are first up, bringing their annoying pop with guitars to the UEA on the 2nd March, whilst the quite frankly awful Scouting for Girls follow a little over a month later on the 7th April. If you like them, well, good luck to you.
Sunday March 9th, UEA, Gary Numan. Be there. Foals continue their trend of playing bigger venues each tour by moving up from the Arts Centre last term to the Waterfront on the 14th March. Yes they are a hype band now, but they’ve got the tunes to back it up. See them before they end up in bigger venues, for a larger entrance fee. Last but not least is the Hives on April 14th. They have been described as ’scandi-garage’. We don’t know what that means either but they’re infectious tunes and raucous live show is one to look forward to.
See you down the front.
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