Simon ParkinTENDER LIONOlives, August 28Two members of one of Norwich's most innovative new bands Cakes and Ale perform solo sets at the latest Acoustic and Eclectic session tonight.Simon Parkin

TENDER LION

Olives, August 28

Two members of one of Norwich's most innovative new bands Cakes and Ale perform solo sets at the latest Acoustic and Eclectic session tonight.

Tender Lion, otherwise known as Ed Harkness, and Ruth Gordon, will be performing their own, and Cakes and Ale songs at Olives caf� at the bottom of Elm Hill, Norwich.

The brainchild of Ed, this side project sees him in a slightly more wistful frame of mind, creating charming, and delightful songs and tunes played on guitar, harmonium, and melodeon. Ruth, a multi-instrumentalist, has just released her own haunting debut album, Songs For the Sea.

Support comes from Soapbox assistant organiser Stewart Harrington. Formerly of Essex-based band Funkadelia, Stewart switched to playing acoustic two-years ago. As ever, the evenings are staged alongside club organiser Richard Penguin's Acoustic and Eclectic shows on Future Radio on Sundays from 2-3pm.

t Further listening: www.myspace.com/thelamiangardens

JEFFREY LEWIS & THE JUNKYARD

Norwich Arts Centre, August 29

Part folkie, part indie-rocker, part comic book artist, Jeffrey Lewis returns to the Arts Centre with The Junkyard to promote tracks from his most recent album Em Are I.

His shows can range between 'lo-fi folk and sci-fi punk' as well as occasionally incorporating 'low budget videos' (large ragged comic books displayed to accompany songs).

Jeffrey was initially inspired by the gentle psychedelic folk of Donovan, the DIY magic of Daniel Johnston, and the fearless early recordings of local folk-punk legends the Fugs.

He began recording homemade cassettes in 1998 and selling them, packaged in small comic books, at his soon semi-monthly shows at Sidewalk, home of New York's Antifolk scene. His younger brother Jack began playing electric bass and contributing to the shows and tapes. It's only since 2002 that Jeffrey and his brother Jack have become an 'official' band, with various friends trading time in the drum seat.

Support comes from Jeff's brother Jack Lewis with The Fisherman Three, the Tiger MC's and Lucky James Boyce.

t Further listening: www.myspace.com/jefflewisband

SAM BAKER

Norwich Arts Centre, September 2

Talented Texan troubadour/songwriter Sam Baker produces music that buzzes with truth and honesty framed by alt-country melodies, arrangements of earthy elegance, overlaid with Baker's voice of gravelly grace.

He has certainly got an interesting back story. Back in 1986, he was travelling in a train through Peru, when the carriage he was in was blown apart by a terrorist bomb, killing fellow passengers and leaving him clinging to life. Deafened and gravely injured, Baker spent the better part of the next decade working on both a physical and spiritual recovery.

This tour will see him performing songs from his forthcoming new album, Cotton (released on September 7), which concludes the Pretty World trilogy, consisting of Mercy (2004) and Pretty World (2007).

Although its Baker's writing and half-spoken, half-slurred vocals that prove the charismatic attraction, the fact that he's surrounded himself with a sympathetic musical dream team who contribute violin, slide, mandolin, accordion, bass and a gently rolling percussion means that the results are utterly wonderful.

Support comes from Tim Lorsch.

t Further listening: www.sambakermusic.com

SHRI

Norwich Arts Centre, September 3

Multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer Shri arrives with a fresh, exciting and creative band.

It was over a decade ago that Shri made his own breakthrough. In 1993 a British festival producer by the name of Simon Dove was in Bombay, Shri's hometown. Chancing upon the bassist's debut album, Inspirational Satisfaction, Dove was taken with the work of the then unknown quantity, Shrikanth Sriram.

Initially trained as a tabla player, Shri took up the bass when he fell under the spell of western artists like British rock legends Led Zeppelin and German bass icon Eberhard Weber.

Dove brought Shri over to England to play with a then up and coming British-Asian tabla player, producer and future Mercury Music Prize winner Talvin Singh.

Thereafter Shri became a key member of the small stable of artists on Outcaste records, the label that put the Asian Underground on the map. He became a member of Nitin Sawhney's band, before releasing his UK debut, Drum The Bass, highlighting his trademark percussive attack on his self-made fretless bass.

Here he'll be playing tracks from his new album, Seven Steps, both his on own and with his band Badmarsh&Shri.

t Further listening: www.shri.co.uk

SOUNDS IN THE CITY

t August 28

The Lidi Berlins (indie-pop) - B2

The Rock Doctors (rock) - Brickmakers

Sweet Arlita (rock) - Marquee

The Floating Greyhounds (rock) - King Edward VII

Money Shot (rock/indie) - Blueberry

Foc'Sle - The Nelson

Bank Holiday Music Fest: feat. Get Carter (rock) - Reindeer

Andy Robinson (blues) - Walnut Tree Shades

t August 29

Buster James (blues/rock) - Brickmakers

Lick The Dice (rock) - King Edward VII

Jah Love (reggae) - Fiveways

Circus (rock) - Blueberry

The Daylight Faded (rock) - B2

Collider (electro-punk) - Marquee

Italian Orphans (rock) - Boundary

Bank Holiday Music Fest: feat. Red Leaf (rock/indie) - Reindeer

The Floyd Effect (tribute) - Norwich Playhouse

Red Hot Rockers (rockabilly) - Royal British Legion

Steve O (70s) - The Nelson

t August 30

Vicky Grady (acoustic - 4pm) - King Edward VII

Revolution Festival: feat. The Rotted + more (local bands) - Boundary

Charity Day (5 local bands) - Blueberry

The Trolleymen (jazz/rock) - B2

Bank Holiday Music Fest: feat. Keno Kings (blues) - Reindeer

Bearfare (acoustic) - Frank's Bar

Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) - Brickmakers

t August 31

Brickfest 09 (30 local bands/3 stages) - Brickmakers/B2

Bank Holiday All-Dayer: feat. Drongos For Europe + more (punk) - King Edward VII

Jazz Jam (open mic) - Blueberry

The Static Age + more (punk) - Marquee

Bank Holiday Music Fest: feat. Out of the Blues (blues) - Reindeer

t September 2

Remold (rock) - B2

Blues/Rock Jam (open mic) - Blueberry

Acoustic jam Session (open mic) - Brickmakers

t September 3

Nevacain (rock) - B2

Liza Wolfe & Scott Firth (pop/rock) - Blueberry