After two visits to Norwich last year, as part of the Bizarre and MOBO tours, Joseph Junior Adenuga — aka Skepta — returns for his own headline date. Plus Plaid, Noah & The Whale and Ugly Duckling.

SKEPTA

Waterfront, October 15

After two visits to Norwich last year, as part of the Bizarre and MOBO tours, Joseph Junior Adenuga — aka Skepta — returns for his own headline date.

The Tottenham MC, producer and founder of Boy Better Know, who cheekily called his 2007 debut Greatest Hits, is a charismatic and distinctive MC, who has also produced some of the decade's most seminal grime beats.

He has gone from appearing on pirate radio stations and at grime raves to a mainstream career with seemingly unstoppable momentum.

Though he now one of a slew of grime artists who've made the crossover, he was one of the first to make it big when he attracted the eye of none other than P. Diddy who took to Twitter in search of an artist to give his new Diddy Dirty Money project's lead single a grime twist.

His debut was followed a year later by Microphone Champion, also released on his own crew's independent Boy Better Know label, as was this year's Doin' It Again. He has also put the hard yards in when it comes to live performance. A stint supporting Chipmunk earlier this year was instrumental to the expansion of his fan base. Support comes from Logan Sama

t Further listening: www.myspace.com/skepta

PLAID

Norwich Arts Centre, October 18

After a packed show last year, British electronic music duo, Plaid return to the Arts Centre to headline this latest Spectro electronica night.

Old school friends, Andy Turner and Ed Handley, have been recording together since 1988. Their work has been released under various guises over the years; Atypic, Balil, Repeat, Tura amongst others.

Most of their early recording years were with The Black Dog, a group and recording label they had started with Ken Downie.

In 1993 they were signed by Warp Records and have continued to work with them since.

They have remixed and collaborated with many artists, including Bj�rk, Goldfrapp, The London Sinfonietta, Nicolette and UNKLE.

Unusually for an electronic act, Plaid tour extensively, often with the video artist Bob Jaroc, whose work has often accompanied their music during their live performances and with whom they developed a DVD entitled Greedy Baby, released in 2006.

In the same year they also completed their first soundtrack for the award winning Japanese animated feature TekkonKinkreet.

Their new album, Scintilli, has just been released.

t Further listening: www.plaid.co.uk

UGLY DUCKLING

Norwich Arts Centre, October 19

After five albums and more than a decade of touring, Ugly Duckling continue to hold underground hip hop integrity and are huge favourites in Norwich.

Young Einstein, Dizzy Dustin and Andy Cooper formed Ugly Duckling way back in 1993 in their hometown of Long Beach, California. Growing up in the 1980s, they were raised on a classic hip hop diet but were especially influenced by the mostly New York-based and production-focused groups of the late 1980s and early 90s such as A Tribe Called Quest, The Beatnuts and Gangstarr.

The trio still remain happily naive when it comes to the latest industry attitudes, fashion trends, and state-of-the-art production techniques preferring instead to develop and stand by their own signature sound.

'We've seen so many phases come and go that it all seems silly to us now,' says Andy. 'Good music and top level live performance are really our only concerns.'

They've earned acclaim and respect and done so completely on their own terms. What's the secret? 'Stay young at heart and never stop moving,' says Dizzy.

t Further listening: www.uglyduckling.us

NOAH & THE WHALE

UEA, October 19

It's been quite the year for Noah And The Whale. The critical acclaim of their third studio album, Last Night On Earth in January, has led to sold out shows both at home and in America.

Meanwhile, a summer of high profile festival appearances has marked the London-based five piece — singer-songwriter Charlie Fink, violin player Tom Hobden, bassist Urby Whale, guitarist Fred Abbott and drummer Michael Petulla — as this autumn's biggest live draw, and it's no surprise it's returns only for this date.

Fink admits success on this scale was never in his mind when he first started sketching the songs that would make up his band's debut album.

'I never really anticipated playing venues that big, not at the beginning,' he says. 'If someone had suggested that to me a long time ago, I would have laughed.

'What's exciting is that we feel ready for this and it feels like it's the right time for us to be doing these shows. We've got the songs to suit it and as performers we're ready for it.'

After the lovelorn moping on their second album The First Days of Spring, Last Night On Earth that builds on their nu-folk roots and adds gleaming choruses, buzzing synths and infectious melodies.

t Further listening: ww.noahandthewhale.com

SOUNDS IN THE CITY

October 14

Rise Up: feat. Zion Train (reggae) — Arts Centre

White Heat/Munked Up Funkies ( — Brickmakers

We Ghosts (indie) — Brewery Tap

Killer Hurtz (metal) — King Edward VII

The Myrmidons (rock) — B2

Barking Spiders (indie/rock) — Blueberry

The Hicksville Bombers (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights

Music House: feat. Uncle Stash + more (acoustic) — Wensum Lodge

Norwich Folk Club — Christ Church Centre

Vic Salter — Gatehouse

Chrissy — The Farmhouse

Tracey Dean — Perseverance

October 15

Skepta (hip hop) — Waterfront

The Magnets (pop/vocals) — The Playhouse

Magazine Gap/Killamonjambo (indie) — Arts Centre

RACPA Charity Gig: feat. Avosetta + more (indie/rock) — B2

Raw Edge (rock) — Brickmakers

The Burning Crows + more (rock) — King Edward VII

Worlds Apart (rock) — Boundary

Replica (rock) — Angel Gardens

She/Sez (rock/pop) — Lakenham Cock

Beat Deluxe — Arkwrights

Back 2 Back (charity) — Wensum Community Centre

Debbie Lee James — Royal British Legion

Johnny Valentine — Heath House

Tony Cann — The Windmill

Jonesy — Gatehouse

Shannan — Quebec Tavern

October 16

The Pierces (folk/rock) — Waterfront

Sarah MacDongall + more (folk) — Olives

Neil Daniels & Dave Morrison (jazz/blues/2.30pm) — Brewery Tap

Johnny Jump Band (skiffle/punk) — Silver Road Cottage

Bryan of Note — Royal British Legion

Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers

October 17

Bowling For Soup (rock) — UEA

Tribes (indie) — Arts Centre

Crafted Acoustic Tour: Cole Stacey and Chris Woods (acoustic) — Bicycle Shop

Jazz N Jam: feat. Lee Vasey + more — Blueberry

Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers

October 18

Spectro: feat. Plaid (electronic) — Arts Centre

Depth + more (metal/rock) — B2

Blind Tiger (rock) — Brickmakers

The Hicksville Bombers (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights

Sarah Ellen Hughes Quartet (jazz) — Rackheath Green Man

October 19

Laura Marling (folk) — Norwich Cathedral

Noah & The Whale (indie/rock) — UEA

Ugly Duckling (hip hop) — Arts Centre

Lynn Miles (folk) — Olives

Rival Promo Presents (indie/rock) — B2

Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers

Rock'n'Roll Jam — The Windmill

October 20

Ivyrise (rock) — B2

Access To Music Showcase (local artists) — Brickmakers

Ghostriders Western Club: feat. Speed Limit (country) — Royal British Legion

Part-Time Blues Band (blues) — Walnut Tree Shades