This Mobos-sponsored tour date is far from just another urban music night. Yes it include a top notch line-up of upcoming talent, but it also include spin-off panels and informal tutorials to help give local artists aleg up into the industry. Oh, and it's also free. Plus: This IS The Kit, Heather Peace, Steve Knightley
THIS IS THE KIT
Norwich Arts Centre, February 25
This Is The Kit is Kate Stables whose banjo and guitar playing and a voice is accompanied by her Paris-based psychedelic band.
Having started gigging as a singer-songwriter in her teens, Kate formed Whalebone Polly with Rachael Dadd after moving to Bristol in 2003, making an album, Recording With The Windows Open, with the violinist and animater Virpi Kettu. She also played trumpet and banjo for the group Morningstar, who she's been playing and touring with on and off ever since.
The TITK project emerged in 2006 when Rob Da Bank's record label Sunday Best included This Is The Kit's track Two Wooden Spoons in their Folk Off compilation along side artists including Animal Collective, Tunng and Vashti Bunyan.
Now living in Paris with her TITK project she has released two albums and a handful of singles since 2006. They have supported the likes of Jeffrey Lewis, Jose Gonzales and The National and toured in many guises: solo, duo, psychedelic rock-formation, 4-4-2, unplugged acoustic gigs, choir workshops, home shows, even just busking.
Their 2010 album Wriggle Out The Restless featured members of Francois and The Atlas Mountains, The Liftmen, and Get The Blessing to name but a few.
t Further listening: www.thisisthekit.co.uk
HEATHER PEACE
Norwich Arts Centre, February 29
Having begun her professional career in theatre, professional debut being a 'loverly' stint as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Heather Peace made her name on TV appearing in a variety of top shows, notably Emmerdale, Waterloo Road and BBC3 lesbian chic drama Lip Service.
However as well as acting, Heather has always had a passion for music. She started learning piano at the age of six and began singing and writing music at an early age. She paid her way through drama school by holding a three year Sunday jazz residency in Manchester.
She was once signed to Simon Cowell's label BMG, releasing a cover of The Rose on the back of London's Burning. But despite continuing to write and sing in her spare time, the quick success of her acting career meant that her music was kept on the back burner.
However in 2010 she made the decision to throw her white Gretsch guitar over her shoulder, dust off her lyric book and embark on an acoustic tour.
She duly recorded an acoustic album entitled This Is Me which has now sold thousands of copies through her website. She arrives in Norwich ahead of the release of her debut studio album, Fairytales.
t Further listening: www.heatherpeace.com
STEVE KNIGHTLEY
Norwich Puppet Theatre, March 1
Steve Knightley is the song-writing force behind Show of Hands, widely acclaimed as one of the finest acoustic roots duos around with three Royal Albert Hall sell-outs to their name — with a fourth lined-up for April.
The Exeter-based singer-songwriter writes the majority of material for the band, which also includes Phil Bee, but he also enjoys success as a solo artist.
Regarded as one of our finest singer-songwriters he is renowned for his strong, trademark narrative songs which reflect the escapades, hopes and fears not only of people in his native West Country but beyond and he pulls no punches when writing highly literate songs about global issues.
Successful solo albums include the understated but powerful Cruel River. He also jointly created the band Western Approaches, a unique collaboration of West Country songwriters that also included young North Devon artist Jenna and former Mercury nominee, Seth Lakeman.
Sharing the stage on this special Norwich visit will be Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin who bring a fresh new sound to folk music. Phillip masters the dobro, lap steel, slide guitar and harmonica, while Hannah, an accomplished songwriter, plays banjo, fiddle, accordion and has a beautiful voice.
t Further listening: www.myspace.com/steveknightleymusic
MOBO TOUR
Waterfront, March 1
This Mobos-sponsored tour date is far from just another urban music night. Yes it include a top notch line-up of upcoming talent, but it also include spin-off panels and informal tutorials to help give local artists aleg up into the industry. Oh, and it's also free.
Among those performing will be Lady Leshurr, Youngman, P Money and Clement Marfo. Also on board is Benny Banks, a prodigy of Streets man Mike Skinner.
The tour is part of Urban Development, an Arts Council funded charity which provides support and advice to young people trying to make it in underground music, which has spent 12 years proving that a strong social conscience doesn't have to mean do-gooding.
Workshops will see tour headliners P Money and Lady Leshurr working with developing talent before performing with local unsigned artists in the evening.
'I think if I had something like this when I was younger, I would have got bigger much faster,' says P Money (pictured), who signed a record deal last year.
t Further listening: www.mobo.com
SOUNDS IN THE CITY
Tonight
The Kabeedies (indie) — Waterfront
Wombatwombat: feat. Electricity + more (indie) — Arts Centre
Kodeta + Killamonjambo + more (indie/pop) — Epic
Bristol Johnson Experience (funk/soul) — Brickmakers
GI Sounds (rock) — King Edward VII
To The Last (rock) — The Griffin
Big Black Cadillac (rockabilly) — Walnut Tree Shades
The Indians (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights
Norwich Folk Club: feat. Kevin Green — Christ Church Centre
Hotwired Punk Band (punk) — Steam Packet
Sun of Cash (country/tribute) — Brewery Tap
Hot Wet Burn + more (charity) — B2
Tim Ballard — Perseverance
Rob Charles — The Farmhouse
Anna Marie — Fiveways
February 25
Ruby Turner (soul) — Playhouse
This Is The Kit + more (indie/alternative) — Arts Centre
Sonic Arts 65 (electro/acoustic) — UEA School of Music
Depth (rock) — Waterfront Studio
First Aid Africa Fundraiser: feat. Hot Wet Burn + more (rock/charity) — B2
Egypt (rock/blues) — The Leopard
Maetloaf (rock/tribute) — Brickmakers
Shoot The Glass + more (rock) — King Edward VII
Coupe De Ville (rock) — Woolpack
Words Apart (blues/rock) — Walnut Tree Shades
16th Minute (rock) — Boundary
Stepback (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights
A13 Allstars (blues) — Micawbers Tavern
Steve Moyse — Angel Gardens
Tony Cann — Bread & Cheese
Daaron King — Gas Social Club
Lisa Marie — Heath House
Shannan — Quebec Tavern
February 26
Rumours of Fleetwood Mac (rock/tribute) — Theatre Royal
Son of Eagle (folk/acoustic) — Bicycle Shop
The Planks (soul/blues/3pm) — Brewery Tap
Freeload (rock/4pm) — Boundary
Rockin Relics (3pm) — King Edward VII
Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers
February 27
Steve Hackett (rock) — UEA
Swing City (50s/60s) — Keir Hardie Hall
Stookey Blue (folk) — Micawbers Tavern
Monday Night Jazz: feat. Rich Buddie — Walnut Tree Shades
Stacked Mondays: feat. Phoebe York + more — Bedfords
Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers
Jazz Jam — B2
February 28
Wild Front Years + more (indie/rock) — B2
Nigel King Band (60s) — Brickmakers
Phil Brooke (jazz) — Rackheath Green Man
February 29
Band of Skulls (rock) — Waterfront
Heather Peace (singer-songwriter) — Arts Centre
Out of Step 33 (live bands) — Karma Kafe
Lee Vasey & Friends — Trowel & Hammer
Langtry Live Spot — The Langtry
Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers
March 1
MOBO Tour: feat. Lady Leshurr + more (urban) — Waterfront
Steve Knightly (folk) — Puppet Theatre
Aftershock (rock) — Brickmakers
Monument Valley (acoustic) — Bicycle Shop
Ghostriders Western Club: feat. West Country (country) — TA Centre
Honeydrippers (blues) — Walnut Tree Shades
Ozzie (acoustic/charity gig) — Rose Tavern
Open Mic — Garden House
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here