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
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here