The Horrors

Hopefully it’ll be third time lucky as The Horrors finally make it to Norwich having previously postponed twice. Having bridged the unseen gap between musical genres in the past, including punk, garage rock, goth and indie, the band moved on for well received third album, Skying. Plus Karnataka, Empirical, Southern Tenant Folk Club

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KARNATAKA

Norwich Arts Centre, January 20

Karnataka rose to the forefront of new, Celtic inspired rock bands, following the release of five critically acclaimed albums.

The band arrives at the Arts Centre following the release of their new album, The Gathering Light.

The new record is the fifth to come from the group who have been widely acclaimed by BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris and Norfolk rock legend Rick Wakeman.

Karnataka have already performed all over the world as well as alongside prestigious artists such as Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, but the group are still looking to make as big an impact on the UK as The Pogues did almost 30 years ago.

Last year Karnataka took another major leap forward with the announcement that Hayley Griffiths, lead vocalist with Riverdance and Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance, would be joining the band.

Griffiths recognisable vocals have already brought her major success, winning Best Classical Crossover Artist in 2010, and she is now looking to make the band her permanent home on their upcoming UK tour.

 Further listening: www.karnataka.org.uk

THE HORRORS

Waterfront, January 22

Hopefully it’ll be third time lucky as The Horrors finally make it to Norwich having previously postponed this date twice.

Having bridged the unseen gap between a number of musical genres in the past including punk, garage rock, goth and indie, the band moved on again for their well received third album, Skying, which contains huge nods towards 1980s new wave and even, shock horror, the stadium anthems of Simple Minds.

Formed in Southend in 2005, the group’s debut album, Strange House, was almost goth pastiche, complete with an back combed hair, black drainpipe look. It was an image the band played up to when they guest starred in The Mighty Boosh under the pseudonym The Black Tubes.

The follow-up, Primary Colours, found them sounding a little less affected but no less brooding. Skying, recorded with Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, is their best yet though it didn’t quite have the impact it deserved.

Frontman Faris Badwan — or Faris Rotter as he was once dubbed — was arguably been just as successful with well received side project Cat’s Eyes.

 Further listening: www.thehorrors.co.uk

EMPIRICAL

Norwich Arts Centre, January 25

Empirical should really need no introduction, the project of four young, British jazz musicians their unique music manages to be both timeless and totally now.

In just a few short years the band — whose line-up once included Norwich’s Mercury nominated whizz kid Kit Downes — have carved out a place as one of jazz’s most exciting young bands and have won numerous awards including the 2010 MOBO for best jazz act and Jazzwise and Mojo albums of the year.

They arrive on the back of their third album, Elements Of Truth, the second with the current line-up of Nathaniel Facey (alto saxophone), Shaney Forbes (drums), Tom Farmer (bass) and Lewis Wright (vibes).

Each member is given equal responsibility for the direction of the music and its this mixture of shared responsibility and openness that gives their music such a unique edge as they draw on influences from film, proverbs and sayings and even sports.

So while collectively they will acknowledge musical influences from the oblique sounds of Andrew Hill and Eric Dolphy’s Out To Lunch, to the more contemporary stylings of Wayne Shorter and Branford Marsalis it is their unique collaborative trial and error that makes them such a powerful group.

 Further listening: www.empiricalmusic.com

SOUTHERN TENANT FOLK CLUB

Norwich Arts Centre, January 26

Formed by Belfast born five-string banjo player Pat McGarvey in 2006 and taking their name from the groundbreaking multi-racial union of sharecroppers and non-landowning tenant farmers founded in Arkansas in the 1930s, this Edinburgh-based outfit are now one of the most highly rated folk and bluegrass outfits in the UK.

McGarvey served his musical apprenticeship touring and recording with bands like The Arlenes & The Coal Porters. That grounding plus countless other collaborations with key independent Americana acts including Peter Case, Tandy, Amy Rigby, Rosie Flores, Jason McNiff & Bob Neuwirth (Dylan’s road manager in the 1960s) gave him the real experience needed to fuse together the band’s American folk and British roots sound with his own Celtic heritage.

Their recently released fourth album, Pencaitland, continues the band’s trip into the more interesting areas of acoustic sound, word and tone. It’s proved to be another critical smash hit, gaining a raft of four and five star reviews for its fierce, raw and earthy music that is the stuff of Mumford & Sons’ dreams.

 Further listening: www.southerntenantfolkunion.com

SOUNDS IN THE CITY

January 20

Karnataka (Irish/rock) — Arts Centre

Rawkas + New World Service (rock) — Brickmakers

The Floating Greyhounds (rock) — King Edward VII

Rockin’ Devils (rock‘n’roll) — Walnut Tree Shades

Dumbfoundus (indie/pop) — Carnival (formerly Knowhere)

Norwich Folk Club: feat. Skip — Christ Church Centre

We Ghosts (indie) — Brewery Tap

Red Leaf (rock) — Hog In Armour

Flat-T + more (hip hop) — Plasterer’s Arms

Barry Lee — Lakenham Cock

Terry Adams — Perseverance

Steve Moyse — Farmhouse

Pyevorotti — Trowel & Hammer

January 21

Mister Pink (rock/funk) — Brickmakers

Mastema + more (metal) — B2

Jimmy Roe Trio + Dirty Tricks (blues/rock) — Olives

Wicked Faith (rock) — King Edward VII

Electricity (rock/blues) — The Stanley

Mel Stevens & The Strollers (rock‘n’roll) — Arkwrights

Norwich Folk Club: feat. Pete Morton — Christ Church Centre

The Leopard Trio (rock ‘n’roll) — Gas Club

Barry Lee — Heath House

Craig Powell — Keir Hardie Hall

Steve Moyse — Angel Gardens

Tony Cann — Quebec Tavern

Alen Ley — Windmill

Claire Barker — Trowel & Hammer

January 22

The Horrors (indie/rock) — Waterfront

The Proposition (country/roots) — Brewery Tap

Lou & The Diamonds (60s/5pm) — Silver Road Cottage

Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers

January 23

Swing City (50s/60s) — Keir Hardie Hall

Monday Night Jazz — Walnut Tree Shades

Stookey Blue (folk) — Micawbers Tavern

Jazz Jam: feat. Lee Vasey — B2

Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers

January 24

Acaysha (folk/country) — Arts Centre

Breaking Belief (rock/indie) — Brickmakers

Renato D’Aiello (jazz) — Rackheath Green Man

Live & Direct (acoustic) — Rumsey Wells

January 25

Reel Big Fish (ska/punk) — Waterfront

Empirical (jazz) — Arts Centre

Housefires + Fall of Science + more (hardcore) — B2

Playing In Boats (acoustic/blues) — Olives

The Bunkadoos (acoustic) — Brewery Tap

Lee Vasey & Friends — Trowel & Hammer

Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers

January 26

Southern Tenant Folk Club (folk/bluegrass) — Arts Centre

Freeload (rock/pop) — Brickmakers

Acoustic & Eclectic: feat. Feral Mouth + more (folk/alternative) — Olives

The Upgrade + more (rock/indie) — B2

Egypt (rock/blues) — Walnut Tree Shades

Cruisin For A Bluesin (blues) — Rose Tavern

Ghostriders Western Club: feat. Travis Logan (sountry) — TA Centre

Albert Cooper’s Jazz Life (jazz/blues) — Rumsey Wells

Sally Taylor & The Midnight Soul Band (soul) — Beluga

Johnny Jump Band (rock/blues) — Micawbers Tavern

Open Mic — Garden House

Open Jam — King Edward VII