Preview: This week’s gig guide
He's riding high in the charts, now local boy made good Ed Sheeran arrives back on home turf for a record breaking three sold out nights at the Waterfront. Also this week Sea of Bees, Polar Bear Club and the latest Thetford Forest headliners, The Script.
ED SHEERAN
Waterfront, July 11-13
Beg, steal, borrow — or just hope for returns. That's your only options for a ticket for these triumphant homecoming gigs of man-of-the-moment Ed Sheeran, who's become the first artist to sell out the Waterfront in Norwich for three nights on the
trot.
Ed, a former winner of the Evening News-backed Next Big Thing musical showcase, has scored massive online and chart success with his debut major label single The A Team, featuring his trademark folky/hip hop stylings.
The singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran narrowly missed out on the number spot in the singles chart last week – but still made the top three. But he was delighted with the position anyway, and posted on his Twitter feed: 'Having a top three on my debut single means the world, thank you everyone who has supported it.'
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Ed, from Framlingham, signed a six-album deal with Atlantic Records at the start of the year after building up a reputation on the UK live circuit and releasing five self-funded EPs, the last of which got to number two in the iTunes charts.
His debut album, entitled '+', is due to be released in September. He will be back in Norwich on October 23 with a gig at UEA.
And, yes, he's sold out that one too... and he's at Latitude too, of course.
n Further listening: www.edsheeran.com
SEA OF BEES
Norwich Arts Centre, July 11
After supporting Smoke Fairies at the sold out Arts Centre show in January, Sea Of Bees return to headline their own much anticipated show.
Not a swarm of stinging insects, Sea of Bees is the musical project of Julie Ann Baenziger, a singer-songwriter from Sacramento, California. She sings, writes the songs, and plays lots of musical instruments and has a beautiful lulling voice.
Backed by Rough Trade as one of the female voices to watch, the self-trained marimba, glockenspiel and slide guitar player, puts her influences from rebels, nomads, short stories to films, and the beloved people in her life, into her album. Citing references from local Sacramento band The Honeytrees to Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, she works with an off-kilter folk sound, at times a sorrowful lament, at others brimming with hope.
Her emotional debut album, Songs for the Ravens, was released in the UK in March to much acclaim as well as winning over a number of high-profile fans.
Combining elements of folk, indie and Americana, and featuring a host of unusual instruments such as the glockenspiel, organ and marimba, her music is rooted very much in folk and rock but wildly experimental; some crazy, beautiful, wonderful sounds.
n Further listening: www.seaofbees.com
POLAR BEAR CLUB
Waterfront, July 14
Post-hardcore/indie rock band Polar Bear Club, who hail from Syracuse, in genteel upstate New York, formed in 2005 combining members coming from a variety New York-based hardcore punk and indie rock bands.
The band's debut full-length, Sometimes Things Just Disappear, was released in 2008, receiving glowing reviews from a wide variety of webzines and great reception from their rapidly growing fanbase. Their UK profile rocketed after a debut tour with The Gaslight Anthem and Frank Turner, and a small string of UK headlining dates subsequent to the tour.
The band's second album, Chasing Hamburg, built on this success. They arrive in Norwich for this headline slot — originally slated for the sadly now closed Marquee, but subsequently shifted to the Waterfront, as part of a short tour while they take a break from recording their third album. So expect some new material to get an airing.
Support from Man Overboard, Basement and Britishteeth.
n Further listening: www.myspace.com/polarbearclub
THE SCRIPT
Thetford Forest, July 14
Irish trio The Script are the latest band to take to the High Lodge stage as part of this summer's live dates in Thetford Forest.
The band's eponymous debut album quickly secured them the status of an international act to watch. A musical blend of rock, pop, hip hop and soul, singles like We Cry and The Man Who Can't Be Moved brought the band to the fore with a number one album in the UK.
Their single Breakeven went on to sell over 1.7 million downloads in the US alone.
This initial success was reflected by their performing as special guest with music heroes U2, Take That and Paul McCartney on their respective stadium shows.
The Script's second album, Science & Faith, released last September again hit the top spot in the charts and has already generated the hits Nothing and For The First Time.
The band's Spring 2011 UK indoor arena tour dates sold out in record time, so now surprise that this forest date has already sold out.
n Further listening: www.thescriptmusic.com
SOUNDS IN THE CITY
July 8
Karenins Smile + more (rock/indie) — B2
Cornerstone (rock/blues) — King Edward VII
The Honeycombs (60s) — The Talk
The Toy Hearts (bluegrass/swing) — Olives
Higher on Maiden (metal/tribute) — Brickmakers
Big Black Cadillac (rockabilly) — Walnut Tree Shades
The Kingcats (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights
Floating Greyhounds (rock) — Blueberry
Dumbfoundus (indie) — Karma Kafe
Tickled Pink — Lakenham Cock
Against The Odds (rock/pop) — The Stanley
The Proposition (roots/acoustic) — Brewery Tap
The Killer Tomatoes (60s/70s) — Gas Club
Rockin Johnnies (rock'n'roll) — Gatehouse
Crumbs For Comfort (folk/indie) — Silver Road Cottage
Tony Cann — Preseverance
Janie K — Fiveways
Graham Chat — The Champion
Ricci — Trowel & Hammer
July 9
Tilting Sky: feat. Olympians (indie) — Waterfront
Tom Paley & Michael Roach (folk/blues) — The Forum
Raw Edge (rock) — Brickmakers
Truescape + more (indie/rock) — B2
Contempt + more (punk) — King Edward VII
Section IV (rock/hip hop) — Blueberry
Stolen Pony (rock) — Wild Man
Flying South (blues) — The Stanley
Doozoot — Angel Gardens
16th Minute (rock) — Boundary
Undercover — Lakenham Cock
Vic Salter — Gatehouse
Mark Anthony — Trowel & Hammer
Shannon — Quebec Tavern
July 10
Keno Kings (rock/blues) — Boundary
The Vagabond (2.30pm) — Brewery Tap
Bill Downes (acoustic) — Tao
Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers
Graham McGrotty (4pm) — Lakenham Cock
Haley Moyses & The Bluesgrass Forum — Silver Road Cottage
July 11
Jazz Session: feat. Lee Vasey + more (jazz) — Blueberry
Studio Lab: feat. James Pearce + more (folk/acoustic) — Olives
Stookey Blue (folk) — Micawbers Tavern
Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers
July 12
Steve Kennell & The Simon Brown Trio (jazz) — Rackheath Green Man
Brickies Blues Club: feat. Jimmy Roe Trio (blues) — Brickmakers
Open Mic — Steam Packet
July 13
Show Me The Coastline + more (pop-punk) — B2
Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers
Acoustic Singaround (folk) — Micawbers Tavern
July 14
Red Shadow Quartet (jazz) — Brewery Tap
Aftershock (rock/pop) — Brickmakers
Lena Black (jazz/blues) — Rumsey Wells
Laurence (acoustic) — Blueberry
Woodland Creatures (folk/acoutsic) — The Rose
Party Time Blues — Walnut Tree Shades
Open Mic — King Edward VII
Open Mic — Wild Man