Most hotly anticipated this week is a visit by Lostprophets for a rare low-key warm-up show ahead of their appearance at the V Festival. Indie-rock band The Establishment, managed by a certain Dion Dublin, also visit, together with 'psychobilly' punk-shockers Demented Are Go and The Low Anthem.

THE ESTABLISHMENT

Norwich Arts Centre, August 12

This Nottingham-based band (now managed by the one and only Dion Dublin) deal in a classic rock sound described as a mix of Oasis, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

The band's football connection is strengthened by the fact that guitarist John Burns used to play in midfield for Nottingham Forest — and one of the band's video features cameos from ex-Forest players Stuart Pearce and Des Walker.

Burns is joined in a line-up that includes drummer Steven Landon, vocalist Stephen Hobster, Neil Jacks on bass and Stuart Landon on guitar.

The band came together initially as a covers band but with the collective ambition to write and perform their own music, which has proved to be a great decision as they've enjoyed some success in both the UK and Ireland.

Accolades range from performances and interviews on local television, radio, newspapers and an appearance at Nottingham Forest at half-time, plus a live acoustic session on Five Live.

Their debut EP, Last One Home, sold out within a short period of time and they have recently been signed by Cubit Recordings and released their debut single Be That Way.

t Further listening: www.theestablishmentband.com

DEMENTED ARE GO

Norwich Arts Centre, August 13

Ever since the 'psychobilly' reared its ugly head Cardiff-based Demented Are Go have been feared and revered as one of the genre's top underground acts.

The twisted brainchild of Welsh cousins Spark Retard and Ant 'The Mule' Thomas, over the past two decades they have achieved top 10 indie chart success and built up a cult following as far afield as Japan and the US with a post modern mixture of styles that encapsulates everything bad about rockabilly.

More recently they've refined the line-up with the introduction of Doyley on the guitar, and Strangy on bass; both dredged from the sleazy underbelly of rock'n'roll and broken free from the strict restrictions of the 'psychobilly' pigeonhole, adding a more brutal and uncompromised edge.

The band's latest album is the sonic equivalent of a 1970s splatter movie with an expanded sound that takes in 1950's grindhouse rock'n'roll love-songs, through to acid soaked 60s garage rock and ending up somewhere in drag-punk heaven — and all with a stand up bass.

t Further listening: www.dementedarego.co.uk

LOSTPROPHETS

Waterfront, August 18

One of just three intimate UK low-key shows ahead of their mega-dates at the V Festival, tickets for this return to the Waterfront by the Lostprophets are predictably long gone.

The shows, which are the band's first in the UK for almost a year, will act as both a chance to showcase new material and as warm-ups for their festival appearance.

Since releasing their debut album, thefakesoundofprogress, a decade ago, the band have experienced shifts in both style and attitude as the band made the ascent through the British rock spectrum.

Their forthcoming fifth album promises to simultaneously be a return to form, reminiscent of the chaos of their early work, and an expression of newfound maturity.

'When we last played the Waterfront, it was one of the first times we sold out our own club gig. It was such a huge occasion for us,' guitarist Mike Lewis recalls. 'I remember coming off stage, heading to the dressing room, and absolutely smashing it up in celebration. I mean, we trashed the place. Our tour manager was terrified of how the promoter would react, but then the promoter came backstage to join us, took one look at the carnage, and was just like, 'Well done, boys. Congratulations.' I've never forgotten that moment.'

t Further listening: www.lostprophets.com

THE LOW ANTHEM

Norwich Arts Centre, August 18

Growing steadily over the past two years, Rhode Island four-piece The Low Anthem has toured with artists ranging from Iron & Wine to Emmylou Harris and The National and Ray Lamontagne.

At the end of 2009, their enchanting sepia-tinted, folk-hued Americana of their second album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, was listed in the top of many music publications' best of year lists and the band picked up MOJO's Breakthrough Artist Honours award.

The band specializes in hushed, rustic songs, played on double bass, guitar and clarinet, that draw you in by dint of their quiet simplicity.

The follow-up album, Smart Flesh, has an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere perhaps in large part to the circumstances of its recording, the band opting to use a deserted factory in preference to the soulless professional studio.

Live, they fall somewhere between an art happening and an absurdist musical circus with a penchant for unusual musical instruments — everything from wheezing pump organ to flick mini-cymbals to plucking banjos like hillbillies.

Support comes from Brooklyn-based folk songstress Lia Ices, who has unusually named herself after an ice cream parlour.

t Further listening: www.lowanthem.com

Sounds In The City

Tonight

The Establishment (rock/indie) — Arts Centre

Pout at the Devil (rock) — Brickmakers

Dirty Havana (rock) — King Edward VII

The Planks (soul) — Blueberry

The Downtown Daddios (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights

16th Minute (rock) — Boundary

Fire Wire (rock/ska) — Lakenham Cock

Cream Horns (blues/funk) — Walnut Tree Shades

Tony Cann — Perseverance

Rock 'N' Roll Kirk — Trowel & Hammer

Slightly Offensive Steve — Silver Road Cottage

AJ Experience — Fiveways

August 13

Demented Are Go (punk) — Arts Centre

The Floyd Effect (rock/tribute) — Playhouse

Dirty Havana (rock) — Blueberry

Black River Falls (rock/folk) — Brickmakers

To The Last (rock) — Boundary

Master of Pain (rock) — King Edward VII

Half Cut Heroes (indie/pop) — The Stanley

Kenny & The Motives (60s) — Arkwrights

Terry Adams — Angel Gardens

Mike The Music Man — Bread & Cheese

Vic Salter — Gatehouse

Kevin Solo — Heath House

Alan Ley — The Nelson

Tony Cann — The Marlpit

Lee Vann — The Maid's Head

August 14

Music Extravaganza: feat. Crumbs For Comfort + more (3-10pm) — Silver Road Cottage

Hayley Moses & The Bluegrass Forum (bluegrass/2.30pm) — Brewery Tap

Tea (rock) — King Edward VII

Cole Stacey & Ryan Marks (acoustic) — Bicycle Shop

Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers

Celtic Session — Gatehouse

August 15

Dying Breeds (pop-punk) — B2

Brickie Session (open mic) — Brickmakers

Jazz N Jam — Blueberry

Stookey Blue (folk) — Micawbers Tavern

August 16

The Qualifiers (60s/rock) — Brickmakers

Live & Direct (local) — Rumsey Wells

Katie Brown (jazz) — Rackheath Green Man

August 17

When Giants Fall + more (pop-punk) — B2

Faux Pas: feat. Olympians + more (indie) — Playhouse

Mark Nevin (folk/pop) — Bedfords

Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers

Live Lounge: feat. Floorboy + more (acoustic) — The Langtry

August 18

Lostprophets (rock) — Waterfront

The Low Anthem (folk) — Arts Centre

Gameplan (indie/rock) — Brickmakers

Electricity (rock/blues) — Walnut Tree Shades

Electric Ducks (rock) — Blueberry

Ghostriders Western Club: feat. American Spirit (country) — Royal British Legion

Jam Night (open mic) — King Edward VII

A13 Allstars (blues) — Rumsey Wells

Midnight Blue (blues) — Rose Tavern

Open Mic — Wildman