Preview: Norwich full gig guide March 22-28

KODALINE

Norwich Arts Centre, March 22

Hotly tipped Dublin quartet Kodaline featured on many 'ones to watch' lists at the turn of the year.

The band, who released their debut EP The Kodaline EP in September 2012, debuted a new track The Answer in November — the first to be taken from their The High Hopes EP.

Singer Stephen Garrigan and guitarist Mark Prendergast were friends from school - later to be joined by drummer Vinny May Jr and bassist Jason Boland.

Growing up in houses just two minutes away from each other in Swords, a working class town near Dublin airport, Steve and Mark met aged eight, when they were the only boys in the school choir. 'We were there to pick up girls, of course,' jokes Mark.

They bonded over bands like The Strokes, Radiohead and The Beatles. In the last couple of years they've concentrated on their dream to make music their career, and a breakthrough came in 2012.

They're currently planning a debut album which should see them building on their lush arrangements and swooping choruses that recall a golden age of anthemic indie-pop.

The band's name, incidentally, means absolutely nothing for the moment – they wanted something they could take ownership of. 'We made it up ourselves, but we later found out it's a character on World Of Warcraft,' says Mark. 'I promise you, we've never even played the game. It's just a bizarre coincidence.'

t Further listening: www.kodaline.com

EELS

UEA, March 26

Eels have had one of the most consistently acclaimed careers in music. The ever-changing project of principal singer/songwriter Mark Everett — aka E — they have released 10 studio albums since their debut Beautiful Freak back in 1996.

Everett has also published his highly-acclaimed book Things the Grandchildren Should Know and starred in the award-winning Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives documentary about the search to understand his quantum physicist father, Hugh Everett III.

They return to Norwich in support of their latest album, Wonderful, Glorious, the first recorded at Everett's new Californian studio and it seems to have invigorated Everett's writing process. 'It was exciting,' he says, 'it ?lled me with hope for limitless possibilities. And I realised I'd had a similar feeling when I ?rst put the band together for the last two tours.'

A determined (albeit sometimes guarded) optimism flows through Wonderful, Glorious – from the title track signing off with air-punching proclamations to the seminal crystallisation of resolve, matched by slide guitar-infused build-up, of The Turnaround.

It comes in contrast to the rather more downbeat previous album trilogy in Hombre Lobo, End Times, and Tomorrow Morning.

t Further listening: www.eelstheband.com

THE TRAVELLING BAND

Norwich Arts Centre, March 27

Finding themselves championed by 6Music's Marc Riley and the Glastonbury-running Eavis family even before self-releasing debut album, Under the Pavement, in late 2008, marked out Manchester Americana outfit The Travelling Band as ones to watch.

Over five years and close to 500 shows since their formation, the band have garnered an enviable reputation as one of the UK's tightest live acts and hardest working bands. These factors are captured perfectly within their two live albums, highlighting an ability to utterly feel, not just play music, adapting the painstakingly recorded versions, and adding rawer elements.

They arrive in Norwich trailing their as yet unreleased third studio album, The Big Defreeze, funded through a successful Pledge Music campaign and produced by Bowie and Patti Smith collaborator Lestyn Polson, and on the back of new EP Hands Up.

The EP serves up a taste of what's to come – original ingredients are maintained, intricate folk-rock guitar lines and infectious rhythms interact with expansive chord structures and subtle tempo changes; the recipe incorporates a new vivacious flavour.

Expect passionate vocals, deep forceful drumming, jangly guitar, fluctuating strings — everything you could ask for from a Mancunian Americana band.

t Further listening: www.thetravellingband.co.uk

CULTURE

Norwich Arts Centre, March 28

'Some sing music for the dollar. I sing music for the brother.' Joseph Hill (1949–2006)

Kenyatta Hill's career began the day his father's ended. Joseph, singer and songwriter for the legendary Jamaican vocal trio Culture, collapsed and died while on a 2006 tour of Europe.

To the amazement of promoters, fans and critics alike, a grief stricken Kenyatta insisted on stepping onstage and delivered electrifying performances time and again — 19 shows in all — until the tour was complete.

Kenyatta gave of himself so totally – as his father had for so many years – that he has gone on to front Culture in numerous tours and festival performances over since.

Influenced by elements of dancehall, grounded in the roots tradition and motivated to carry on his father's work, he also set to writing – to finish songs that Joseph had started and create new music of his own.

On his poignant debut single, Daddy, backed by a masterful roster of musicians including Sly Dunbar and Dean Fraser, and produced by Lynford 'Fatta' Marshall, he confronted the emotional pain and uncertainty he felt after the loss of his father.

The resulting album, Pass the Torch, was perhaps the group's best album in decades and proved that this new line-up was no nostalgia trip.

2011 saw the release of Live On, another highly acclaimed tribute to the music of Joseph Hill and Culture with Kenyatta performing fresh renditions of some of their classic compositions.

t Further listening: myspace.com/twosevenclash

SOUNDS IN THE CITY

MARCH 22

Courtney Pine (jazz) — Playhouse

Kodaline (indie) — Arts Centre

Dr Clyde + Raevennan Husbandes + Grazing Saints (indie/pop/acoustic) — Open

Monkey Spanner (ska/reggae) — Brickmakers

Calary Bay (Americana) — Blueberry

Floating Greyhounds + Aviator (rock) — King Edward VII

Fresh Blood: feat. King Laconic + Lewis Wolstan Holme + Rayon Nelson + Ash Woolnough (indie/acoustic) — The Birdcage

Bluemoon (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights

The Leopard Trio (rockabilly) — Walnut Tree Shades

Sun of Cash (country/tribute) — Brewery Tap

Lena Black & The Playboys (swing/jazz/blues) — Hogs Armour

Latino Sound (Latin) — Revolucion de Cuba

Lee Vasey (jazz) — Fiveways

Norwich Folk Club — Christ Church Centre

MARCH 23

Spring Offensive + Olympians + Heart Of A Dog (indie) — Arts Centre

Claire Baker Band (soul/funk) — Brickmakers

Unfinished Business + Behind The Green Screen + Couch (rock) — B2

Stealer (rock) — Blueberry

Killer Hurts (metal) — King Edward VII

Tallawah Band (reggae) — Revolution de Cuba

3 Up 2 Down (pop) — Trowel & Hammer

Mark Anthony — Old Catton Maids Head

What's Up (rock 'n'roll) — Arkwrights

Pete Turner — The Champion

Steve Moyse — Angel Gardens

Tony Cann — Quebec Tavern

Steve — Gas Social Club

Graham Jones — Heath House

Daaron — Union St Coach & Horses

Craig Powell — Kier Hardie Hall

Prism — Sprowston Sports & Social Club

MARCH 24

Lou & The Diamonds (60s/vintage/3pm)

Crumbs For Comfort + The Ferries + more (charity) — B2

Banjaxeld (soul/blues/reggae/2pm) — Ten Bells

Floating Greyhounds (rock) — Moles Rest

Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers

MARCH 25

The Stranglers (rock/punk) — UEA

Guy Davis (folk/blues) — Arts Centre

The Summer War + Not Pennys Boat + One Day Rocket (pop-punk) — B2

Jazz Jam: feat. Rich Buddie — Walnut Tree Shades

Jazz Jam: feat. Brendan Young + Lee Vasey + Ian Hireson + Mark Jolley (jazz) — Silver Road Cottage

Brickie Session (open mic) — Brickmakers

Jazz Night — Hog In Armour

MARCH 26

Eels + Nicole Atkins (rock/indie) — UEA

Martin Harley Band + Marc O'Reilly (acoustic/blues) — Waterfront

Heymoonshaker + Ash Woolnough (blues/beatbox) — Bicycle Shop

Liberty Gene (indie/rock) — Brickmakers

Christian Brewer (jazz) — Oaklands Hotel

Phab Club: feat. Hollowlands (Americana) — Vauxhall Centre

Wilson (solo/pop) — Wine Cellar

Access To Music Showcase (local) — B2

Jam Night — Rumsey Wells

MARCH 27

The Travelling Band (indie/folk) — Arts Centre

Freyr + Breaking Through Focus + T-Bone & The Horn + The Upgrade (rock/indie/charity) — Waterfront

Norfolk Blues Society (guests + jam) — Walnut Tree Shades

Access To Music Showcase (local) — B2

Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers

Traditional Irish — Gatehouse

Acoustic Singaround — Micawbers Tavern

Open Mic — Garden House

MARCH 28

Culture: feat. Kenyatta (reggae) — Arts Centre

Epic Rock: feat. Mastema + Single Thread + Signals + Saigon Kiss (rock) — Epic

Four Days In May + Little Red Kings + Science & Magic + Ducking Punches (rock/indie) — Open

Rip Off Chili Peppers (rock/tribute) — Brickmakers

Seethe + Mastema + Soulborn + Eridium (metal) — B2

Ghostriders Western Club: feat. Steve Key (country) — TA Centre

Blues Situation (blues) — Walnut Tree Shades

Tim Holehouse + Forest Pooky (folk/blues/Americana) — Blueberry

Jake Morrell (folk) — Bar 11

Rampant Horse (rock) — Bedfords

Albert Cooper's Jazz Life — Rumsey Wells

Dog Days of Summer (indie/roots) — Rose Tavern

Johnny Jump Band (country/blues) — Micawbers Tavern

Differential Presents (pop/acoustic/covers) — Ten Bells

Open Mic — Lounge

Open Jam — King Edward VII

Open Mic — Coach & Horses