Simon ParkinGARY NUMANUEA, November 29After year's in the wilderness, the noughties have been good to former electro pioneer, seeing him not only diversify into a more industrial sound but also enjoy new found respect among a generation of artists who've rediscovered the 1980s electro sound.Simon Parkin
GARY NUMAN
UEA, November 29
After year's in the wilderness, the noughties have been good to former electro pioneer, seeing him not only diversify into a more industrial sound but also enjoy new found respect among a generation of artists who've rediscovered the 1980s electro sound.
Here he makes his now annual return to the UEA as part of his The Pleasure Principle Tour, coinciding with the album's 30th anniversary.
The iconic album was the point where Numan became a huge international solo star, reaching number one in the UK charts in 1979. The single from the album, Cars, also climbed to the top of the charts.
The album pioneered electronic pop music on a new scale, becoming a much bigger hit worldwide than Kraftwerk or anything from the Bowie/Eno 'Berlin' trilogy.
Widely considered by critics and fans alike as Numan's best work, The Pleasure Principle was a milestone in New Wave and commercial electronic music history and paved the way for acts such as Ultravox, The Human League, Depeche Mode and OMD.
t Further listening: www.numan.co.uk
IAN BRODIE & JAMES WALSH
Norwich Arts Centre, November 29
The Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie is joined by Starsailor's James Walsh for a night of excellent Scouse wit and musicianship.
Ian is part of the fabric of British pop culture. He was the studio magician behind the legendary Echo And The Bunnymen and has lately sprinkled stardust over other Liverpulian outfits The Coral and Zutons.
With The Lightning Seeds he enjoyed a string of classic hit singles such as Pure, The Life of Riley, Change, Sugar Coated Iceberg and Lucky You. He recently returned with Four Winds, the first crop of Lightning Seeds songs in a decade.
'It is not like I have ever been away, really,' he said. 'I've been a part of music all my life, and that never stops. These are just the songs that represent where I am on this journey.'
During his time fronting Starsailor James Walsh has sold more than three million albums. He has recently started working on his own solo material.
t Further listening: www.myspace.com/theofficiallightningseeds
CHRIS WOOD'S HOMEMADE LIFE
Norwich Arts Centre, December 1
Handmade Life is the name for multiple BBC award-winning singer, guitarist and songwriter Chris Wood's new band, tour and album project.
Wood has written and recorded 10 dazzling songs specifically this tour and the subsequent album, which will be available exclusively here before being and officially released by RUF Records in early next year.
The sound of the new band marks a significant progression from his previously acclaimed solo works Trespasser in 2007 and The Lark Descending in 2005.
The Handmade Life band comprises Andy Gangadeen on drums, Barney Morse Brown on cello and Robert Jarvis on trombone. The band met while playing together in Simon Emmerson's successful Imagined Village alongside Billy Bragg, Sheila Chandra, Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy.
Earlier this year, Wood received Singer of the year and Album of the year accolades at the BBC Folk Awards and in July 2009 his career retrospective, Albion' - An Anthology, was released to widespread acclaim.
t Further listening: www.myspace.com/englishacousticcollectivechriswood
THEA GILMORE
Norwich Arts Centre, December 2
Thea Gilmore makes a seasonal return to the Arts Centre to coincide with the release of her Christmas album, Strange Communion, which was released this week.
The Oxford-born singer-songwriter has been making intensely personal, socially-aware music to considerable praise since she was a teenager, and has racked up sales, acclaim and admiration from peers such as Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez and Martha Wainwright.
Her new album contains covers of obscure Yoko Ono and Elvis Costello songs, and duets with the award-winning Sense of Sound Choir and, rather more unusually, Radio 2's Mark Radcliffe.
Her lyrical inspiration is just as diverse, as she delves into ancient folklore and popular culture, referencing a pagan sun god, the poetry of TS Eliot and The Sound of Music.
Her forthcoming single is That'll be Christmas.
t Further listening: www.theagilmore.net
FRANKMUSIK
Waterfront, December 3
Vincent Frank - aka Frankmusik - exuberant production style is all his own, blending elements from house, techno, hip-hop and massive songs from his mum's 1980s singles collection by the likes of ELO and Depeche Mode.
Produced in the spare room of his nan's semi-detached his debut album, Complete Me is the highest-charting solo male debut so far in 2009.
As well as writing and producing his debut album, Vincent has produced tracks for other Top 10 stars, remixed The Pet Shops Boys and produced a 'night' version of Complete Me.
He has also been booked on Perez Hilton's US tour and has seen the demand for his productions shooting through the roof (Tinchy Stryder and Ellie Goulding). Main support comes from the UK's finest beatboxer Killa Kela. Opening the evening will be Norwich's former Next Big Thing winner Ed Sheeran.
t Further listening: www.frankmusik.com
SOUNDS IN THE CITY
t November 27
Acardia Lake (indie) - B2
Sleep Arena (indie) - Marquee
Rock Doctors (rock) - King Edward VII
Them Harvey Boys (bluegrass) - Cider Shed
Horses Brawl (folk) - Dragon Hall
Emma Hall Band (soul/funk) - Blueberry
Hayley Moses (bluegrass) - Black Horse
Cleaving Heavages (risque rock) - Brickmakers
Lee Vasey Big Band - Holiday Inn Norwich North
Heat (rock/pop) - Lakenham Cock
Keno Kings (blues) - Walnut Tree Shades
The Rum Brothers (country/Celtic) - Temple Bar
t November 28
Gilad With Strings (jazz) - Playhouse
The Future of the Left (indie) - Arts Centre
Grimace (metal) - B2
Icarus Vision (rock) - King Edward VII
V8 Rumble (rockabilly) - Horse & Dray
Red Hot Rockers (rock'n'roll) - Boundary
Lou & The Diamonds (60s) - Trowel & Hammer
Mentallica (tribute) - Brickmakers
Pete 'Kiwi' Keegan (skiffle) - The Nelson
t November 29
Hollywood Undead (hip hop/rock) - Waterfront
Show of Hands (roots) - Playhouse
Blues By Two (blues) - King Edward VII
The Floozies (folk) - Cider Shed
Floating Greyhounds (rock) - Boundary
Pat James (country) - Baker's Dozen
Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) - Brickmakers
t November 30
Five Finger Death Punch / Shadows Fall (metal) - Waterfront
John Law's Art of Sound Trio (jazz) - Arts Centre
The Skints (reggae) - Marquee
Tomb Crew - Optic
t December 1
W.A.S.P. (metal) - Waterfront
Chris Woods' Homemade Life (folk) - Arts Centre
t December 2
Joe Bonamassa (blues/rock) - UEA
Gameplan (indie) - B2
Abandon All Hope Promo Night (indie) - Marquee
Jazz Jam: feat. Lee Vasey - King Edward VII
R&B Session (open mic) - Blueberry
t December 3
Red Shadow Quartet (jazz) - Arts Centre
Oxjam: feat. Life's Divide (rock) - B2
Camp Freddie (indie/rock) - Blueberry
World's Apart (rock) - Walnut Tree Shades
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