Preview: Norwich gig guide March 16-22

DJ FORMAT

Norwich Arts Centre, March 16

After a lengthy hiatus DJ Format has finally released Statement of Intent, his third solo album. Featuring appearances from the likes of Edan, Sureshot La Rock, Phill Most Chill and Mr Lif, it sees the mix-master back on top form continuing a format that is a party mix of hip hop and funk packed with soulful flavours and infectious beats.

As you'd expect the album tips its hat to old school hip-hop, but also continues to push the boundaries drawing upon a sound palette that stretches from jazz and blues, to psyche-rock and spaced out electronics

Format burst onto the scene in 2003 with Music For The Mature B-Boy. Collaborations and a tour with Jurassic 5, his 2005 album If You Can't Join 'Em… Beat 'Em, and acclaimed 2006 mix CD for Fabric cemented his reputation as one of the UK's most respected DJs. Over the past few years Format has also been working with his close friend Simon James as The Simonsound and in 2010 their album Reverse Engineering found favour with everyone from Radio 1's Gilles Peterson to the likes of DJ Spinna and Kenny Dope.

He arrives at the Arts Centre to headline the latest Specto night with special guest Anthropologist (Def Tex) spinning the decks in the bar.

t Further listening: www.djformat.com

INSPIRAL CARPETS

Waterfront, March 18

With the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays reforming this summer we're set for a baggy-era revival, but the Inspiral Carpets got their first having re-group last year with their original singer Stephen Holt taking over lead vocal duties.

But as well as reviving memories of their early-1990s hey-day the band have also rediscovering their even earlier garage band roots which has actually seen them attract a new generation of fans.

They are currently recording their first material in 15 years. And coupled with injecting a new lease of life into their back catalogue, this gig promises to be a treat for both die-hard fans and new found converts alike.

Holt formed the band in 1983 with guitarist Graham Lambert and played a pivotal role in delivering two genre defining EPs Planecrash and Trainsurfing as well as the legendary Dung 4 11 song cassette album. However as the band started to gain critical acclaim, Holt left in 1989, to be replaced by Tom Hingley. The rest as they say is history; with Inspiral Carpets releasing four chart topping albums, 13 Top 40 singles and numerous sold out tours. Support comes from Deadbeat Echoes.

t Further listening:

GRETCHEN PETERS

Norwich Arts Centre, March 19

Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters, who has previously written songs for Martina McBride, Bryan Adams and Neil Young amongst others, arrives in Norwich to perform her emotion-soaked and country-tinged tunes.

Her latest album, Hello Cruel World, her ninth, is her most complex and challenging work with string-laden bleak but beautiful tracks that were written following a close friend's suicide and her son's revelation that he was transgender. She has turned all this turmoil into a set of brutally honest songs about life and the result is a moving and poetic album. She describes it as her 'most close-to-the-bone work, written at a time when I felt absolutely fearless about telling the truth.'

Peters' own voice and guitar playing have been at the core of her music since she started performing on the Colorado folk circuit as a teenager.

Support comes from Lisbee Stainton, whose 2010 album Girl On An Unmade Bed led to widespread critical acclaim. She has previously played Norwich Cathedral as special guest of the combined forces for their Christmas celebrations.

t Further listening: www.gretchenpeters.com

LEDDRA CHAPMAN

Norwich Arts Centre, March 22

Having worked solidly for 18 months promoting her self-released debut album Telling Tales, Leddra Chapman recently took the next step in her musical evolution. A Trick Or Two, her latest EP was written last autumn by Leddra, Chris Leonard and Jake Gosling, better known as producer of Ed Sheeran's smash hit debut album +. It features a set of songs that are both classic and contemporary both in the production and narrative and will appeal to both her new legion of teenage fans and the folk-influenced fan base she has gathered over the past two years.

With all three singles from her debut album garnering significant national and regional radio support as well as some rave reviews, Leddra has slowly and organically established herself. Last summer she supported Tom Jones and performed a string of shows with her buddy and man-of-the-moment Ed Sheeran, with whom she had collaborated with on his debut album.

Cambridge singer-songwriter Ethan Ash, who also benefitted from a spell supporting Ed Sheeran last year, will be supporting

t Further listening: www.myspace.com/leddrachapman

SOUNDS IN THE CITY

March 16

Agent Orange (rock/pop) — Brickmakers

Floating Greyhounds (rock) — King Edward VII

Leonard + more (rock) — B2

Cowbells & Handclaps (rock) — Olives

Music House: feat. Dumbfoundus + more (acoustic) — Wensum Lodge

Andy Robinson Band (blues/rock) — Walnut Tree Shades

Hard Rain (acoustic/rock) — Silver Road Cottage

Second To None ( — Lakenham Cock

The Proposition (country/roots) — Brewery Tap

Corale International (Irish) — Heath House

Shake Rattle & Roll — Arkwrights

John Christophers — Wildman

Terry Adams — Perseverance

Janie K — The Farmhouse

March 17

DJ Format (hip hop) — Arts Centre

We Can't Dance + more (indie/pop) — Open

Throb (glam rock) — Brickmakers

A Tribute To Boswells: feat. Lee Vasey (rock) — Olives

Coda (dubstep) — Carnival

Floating Greyhounds (rock) — Boundary

Money Shot (rock) — Hog In Armour

The Indebtors (folk/pop) — Rumsey Wells

Braindead + more (punk/ska/dub) — King Edward VII

Mastema + more (metal) — B2

Ian Goldsmith (punk) — The Stanley

A13 Allstars (Americana) — Micawbers Tavern

Red Leaf (rock/indie) — Horsford Social Club

Gary Walsh (60s/70s) — Heath House

Danny Reno — Sprowston Social Club

Claire Barker — The Silver Fox

Terry Adams — Angel Gardens

Sue Brooks — The Nelson

Janie K — The Windmill

Graham Johns — The Woodman

Shannan — Trowel & Hammer

March 18

Inspiral Carpets (indie/pop) — Waterfront

Room 94 + more (rock/pop) — B2

Copperplate (Irish/2.30pm) — Brewery Tap

King Dinosaur (rockabilly) — The Gordon

Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers

Patsy Cline (covers/3pm) — Bread & Cheese

TJ Solo (4pm) — Boundary

March 19

Gretchen Peters (folk/country) — Arts Centre

Chimaira + Revoker (metal) — Waterfront

Stacked Mondays: feat. Ziggarats & Frazer Lowrie — Bedfords

Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers

Rocket From The East (competition heat 3) — B2

Stookey Blue (folk) — Micawbers Tavern

Jazz Night — Walnut Tree Shades

March 20

East Coast Band (rock/blues) — Brickmakers

Rocket From The East (competition heat 4) — B2

Adam Glasser Quartet (jazz/world) — Rackheath Green Man

Live & Direct (acoustic) — Rumsey Wells

Claire Barker — Wine Cellar

March 21

Charlie Lansborough (country) — Theatre Royal

Stiff Little Fingers + Spear of Destiny (punk/rock) — Waterfront

Jamie Smith's Mabon (Irish/roots) — Arts Centre

Halogens + more (punk) — B2

Lee Vasey & Friends — Trowel & Hammer

Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers

March 22

The Osmonds (pop) — Theatre Royal

Leddra Chapman (singer-songwriter/folk) — Arts Centre

Roxanne De Bastion (indie/folk) — Bicycle Shop

Firewire (rock) — Brickmakers

The Electric Ducks + Adenland (blues/rock) — King Edward VII

Laps Around The Lake (pop) — B2

Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham (folk) — Assembly House

Cat Acoustic: feat. Bunkadoos (local/acoustic) — Brewery Tap

Metal Lust: feat. Romeo Must Die + more (metal) — Waterfront

Outathablues (blues) — Walnut Tree Shades

Johnny Jump Band (rock/blues) — Micawbers Tavern

Sally Taylor & The Midnight Soul Band — Beluga

Pangaea (world/jazz) — Rose Tavern

Open Mic — Wildman

Jam Night — King Edward VII

Open Mic — Garden House

Open Mic — Angel Gardens