Simon ParkinBILLY TALENTUEA, October 30No Mr Talent here, rather a Canadian rock four piece renowned for their incendiary live shows and a habit of creating unimaginatively titled but imaginatively created albums.Simon Parkin
BILLY TALENT
UEA, October 30
No Mr Talent here, rather a Canadian rock four piece renowned for their incendiary live shows and a habit of creating unimaginatively titled but imaginatively created albums.
Multi-award winning in their home country, the band are looking to duplicate that success here with their latest album Billy Talent III
The Toronto-based four-piece released their first self-titled album in 2003, and three years later the band's silver-selling second album, Billy Talent II (notice a pattern?) was certified silver in the UK spawned hits such as the infectious Devil In A Midnight Mass and Fallen Leaves.
The band grew up with Nirvana and Pearl Jam - and it shows in their epic yet intimate song style. Their visceral approach is no doubt due in some part to the presence of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against The Machine producer Brendan O'Brien. Main support comes from Cancer Bats, while opening will be Canterbury.
t Further listening: www.billytalent.com
MAPS
Norwich Arts Centre, November 1
We can probably all name a few bands we think should be more famous than they are. But former Mercury Prize nominee Maps is one artist who truly deserve such a label.
Having made big waves with his debut album, We Can Create, in 2007, you would expect Maps - aka James Chapman, to be a bigger name.
Here he will be playing tracks from his new album, Turning the Mind, and despite much speculation amongst fans, Chapman denies that the record is all about drugs - just partly. 'The whole album is about mental states, it's not all about drugs, but there are drugs on there,' he said.
Maps' 2007 debut, We can Create, sent shivers down the spine of critics up and down the country. Songs such as To the Sky and You Don't Know Her Name, ensured that the record received a raft of positive reviews.
Unfortunately sales did not match the positive press it received, and Chapman will probably hoping for greater commercial success this time around.
t Further listening: www.myspace.com/mapsmusic
SCOTT MATTHEWS
Norwich Arts Centre, November 2
When his astounding debut album, Passing Stranger, released in 2006, introduced the world to the soaring vocals and exotic sound of Scott Matthews he was instantly hailed as the nearest thing this country's got to a Jeff Buckley.
Though he may be tired with the comparisons, and did his best to destroy them with this year's second album , Elsewhere, the unassuming Wolverhampton musician remains a special talent.
Alluring and hypnotic tracks like Elusive and Dream Song were the sound of Bert Jansch folk colliding with patchouli-scented Led Zeppelin rock. His celebrated performance on Later… had Damon Albarn and Snow Patrol, among countless others, singing his praises.
In 2007, he won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for Elusive and in 2008 he supported Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Plant repaid the debt and appears on the mesmerising 12 Harps on Elsewhere, which is a deliberate move away from the "classic rock" sound of the first album.
t Further listening: www.scottmatthewsmusic.co.uk
SETH LAKEMAN
Waterfront, November 5
Chisel-jawed and Mercury Music Prize-nominated, Seth Lakeman is one of the fastest-rising star on the folk roots scene.
His 2006 album Freedom Fields has sold more than 100,000 copies in the UK alone and helped him build on his traditional cult following, finding a whole new audience for his rhythmic, captivating brand of indie-folk song writing.
Lakeman was named Folk Singer of the Year and Freedom Fields awarded Album of the Year at the prestigious Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2007.
He has been in the studio writing and recording for his new album, to be released in 2010, and will be showcasing some of those songs on tour alongside songs from his three hit albums Kitty Jay, Freedom Fields and Poor Man's Heaven. His band will be augmented by guitar/bouzouki maestro Benji Kirpatrick. Support on tour comes from hotly-tipped 6 Day Riot.
t Further listening: www.sethlakeman.co.uk
SOUNDS IN THE CITY
t October 30
Black History Month Finale: Donaeo + more (funk/hip hop) - Arts Centre
Billy Talent (rock/punk) - UEA
Albert Cooper's Jazz Life (jazz) - Cider Shed
The Divide (rock) - Brickmakers
Screaming Ground: feat. We Vs Death + more (indie) - Marquee
Dirty Havana (rock) - Blueberry
Jagged (rock) - King Edward VII
Replica (rock) - The Heartsease
Andy Robinson (blues/rock) - Walnut Tree Shades
Pete 'Kiwi' Keegan (skiffle) - The Nelson
t October 31
Wilde Club: Bomb Factory + more (indie) - Arts Centre
Halloween Party: feat. Those Wapscallionz (rock) - Brickmakers
Halloween Party: feat. City of Antics + more (punk/experimental) - B2
Halloween Party: feat. Kunk + more (indie) - Marquee
Betty Fest: feat. Saigon Kiss + more (glam metal) - King Edward VII
Nitrous X (rock/blues) - Lakenham Cock
t November 1
Clutch (rock) - Waterfront
Murphy's Lore + Coyote Wrecks (blues/rock/Irish) - King Edward VII
Brooke Sharkey (folk) - Cider Shed
Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) - Brickmakers
t November 2
Musical Tapas: feat. Horses Brawl (folk/roots) - Take 5
t November 3
Bill Wyman (rock'n'roll) - Theatre Royal
John Lees' Barclay James Harvest (rock) - Waterfront
Mabon (world/Celtic) - Arts Centre
Violet Bones (pop/rock) - B2
She Sez (rock) - Brickmakers
t November 4
The Onlookers (alternative/blues) - B2
Norwich Jazz Collective: feat. Rob Milne Trio (jazz) - Arts Centre
t November 5
Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club (Latin) - Theatre Royal
This Is Colour (metal) - Marquee
Access To Music Night (local) - Brickmakers
Harper AKA (blues) - Walnut Tree Shades
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