Previews: Norwich full gig guide July 6-12

AXEL LOUGHREY

Open, July 6

He's got a cool name, sexy voice, raw songs and impressive rock'n'roll quiff. Axel Loughrey certainly looks the part and is being tipped as a name to watch.

Born and raised in the artistic quarter of Paris the singer-songwriter picked up his first guitar at the tender age of eight, completed his first songs at 14 and hasn't looked back since.

He eventually packed up his guitar and moved to Norfolk. He was the main man in the now defunct Norwich band Ruby Red Lips before stepping out with his own solo material.

Here he returns for another date at Open after his sold-out gig there at Christmas. The gig is Axel's first full-band session in 2012. He's been in the studio up to now putting the finishing touches to his debut album.

With a style described as 'raw and tough; perfect for our times', Axel calls on a wide range of influences to create a sound that's very much his own.

'I'd say in terms of inspiration, I've kind of mixed a bit of blues, jazz and rock'n'roll together with a bit of indie, but tried to give it a twist too, a more modern feel,' he says.

Sharing the four-act bill are Arrows of Love, ska-pop outfit The Piratones and singer-songwriter Tom

Pearce. Over-18s only.

t Further listening: www.soundcloud.com/axelloughrey

EVE SELIS BAND

Norwich Arts Centre, July 9

Award winning San Diego country gal and 'queen of roadhouse rock' Eve Selis has been favourably compared to Bonnie Raitt, Joan Osbourne and Melissa Etheridge.

Her latest album, Family Tree, features 14 tracks deeply versed in folk, country and blues traditions.

From the swamp-rock of Rubber and Glue to the plaintive country heartbreaker Don't You Feel Lonesome to Leonard Cohen's majestic masterpiece Hallelujah, Selis and her band dig deep to interconnect musical branches, all underpinned by Seliss 'honey chipotle' voice.

Family Tree was recorded under the guidance of Grammy winning producer, Steve Churchyard. Recording 'old school' to two-inch analog tape, Churchyard captured the warmth of Selis's unique style, both explosive and tender, allowing him to recreate the natural sound of her live performance.

'This album sums it all up for me,' Selis explains. 'I got to explore all the different styles of music I love; I got to co-write with all my favourite songwriters; I got to sing wonderful songs about the things that mean the most to me: loss and love, sadness and joy, hardship and triumph, faith and family; I got to record with the best band in San Diego.'

Support comes from Berkley Hart, a duo of Jeff Berkley and Calman Hart who also hail from San Diego.

t Further listening: www.eveselis.com

THE MISERABLE RICH

Norwich Arts Centre, July 10

Brighton-based chamber-pop five piece The Miserable Rich were formed in 2007 by cellist/pianist William Calderbank and singer/percussionist James de Malplaquet.

They originally formed a string quintet intending to produce 'unusual acoustic modern music'. The decision was later made to steadfastly adhere to a plan of using the cello and violin as the lead instruments, which has undoubtedly allowed them to mould a unique sound.

Their debut album, Twelve Ways To Count, was showered in praise – their cello and violin infused chamber-pop setting them apart from the nu-folk sound that's been making waves over the past couple of years.

Follow-up, Of Flight And Fury, took things even further showcasing a variety of influences that come together to form a swirling, warm and inviting sound that is rich with feeling.

'I'm a soul boy, I got into indie rock as I got older,' says James de Malplaquet. 'Will adds his love of classical music to the mix, Rhys is a jazz fan, while guitarist Jim Briffett is an indie-rock nut.'

Support comes from Suffolk five-piece The Way Home whose The Ship EP sees them drawing deep from a well of unaffected rock, soul, country and blues music.

t Further listening: www.themiserablerich.com

ED SHEERAN

Thetford Forest, July 12

It's a mark how far Ed Sheeran has come that you'll need to beg, borrow or steal a ticket to this, his biggest date yet in his home region.

The signs were always there. This time last year the former Next Big Thing winner was playing triumphant homecoming gigs become the first artist to sell out the Waterfront for three nights on the trot.

Yet even those who attended those nights probably wouldn't have predicted what a big deal he was about to become.

His debut album '+' topped the charts on its release and has been an almost permanent fixture in the Top 20 ever since. Just released in the US, it entered the Billboard chart at number five, which according to his label is the highest debut for a British male on the US charts. He has also scooped two Brits and an Ivor Novello award.

That he done it with music mixes acoustic guitar melodies with rap-style lyrics and he has collaborated with bioth folkies and rappers is even more impressive.

Not bad for a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Framlingham. This should be like a true home-coming though he is so big now it is likely to be his last show in the region for some time.

t Further listening: www.edsheeran.com

SOUNDS IN THE CITY

TONIGHT

Axel Loughrey (indie/pop) — Open

Just-Is: feat. The Four Owls (hip hop) — Carnival

Bad Amplitude + Sheets of Sound (rock/indie) — Brickmakers

No Fun + Sharp Teeth + more (metal/rock) — B2

Graf Orlock + Lich + Jackals + Self Loathing (metal/hardcore) — Olives

Uprising (rock) — King Edward VII

Brass Monkey (funk/soul/blues) — Brewery Tap

The Cream Horns (blues/funk) — Walnut Tree Shades

The Planks (soul/rock/blues) — Rackheath Green Man

Norwich Folk Club — Christ Church Centre

Park House (rock/pop)— Silver Road Cottage

Rob Charles — Chapel Break

Tony Cann — Quebec Tavern

Chippy — Fiveways

JULY 7

UK Subs + more (punk) — King Edward VII

Emma Hall Band (soul/pop) — Brickmakers

Big Black Cadillac (rockabilly) — The Gordon

Johnny Jump Band (rockabilly/skiffle) — Walnut Tree Shades

Egypt (blues/rock) — Trowel & Hammer

Live UK Bee Gees (pop/tribute) — The Talk

Miss B Havin (60s/pop) — Arkwrights

Wypeout (60s/rock/pop) — Sprowston Social Club

Outathablues (blues) — Heartsease

Lee Vann — Old Catton Maids Head

Steve Moyse — Angel Gardens

Tony Cann — Bread & Cheese

Lisa Marie — Heath House

Richie Munro — Keir Hardie Hall

Shannan — Quebec Tavern

Chippy — Robin Hood

Don Hilton — The Windmill

JULY 8

Grapes Hill Garden Party: feat. The Dirigibles + Tom Conway + The Proposition + more (all day) — Grapes Hill Community Garden

The Bounty Hounds (folk/rock/2.30pm) — Brewery Tap

Shakes The Snake (rock) — King Edward VII

Hammers + No Fun + Cassus (hardcore) — Olives

The Indebtors (pop/folk) — Silver Road Cottage

She/Sez (rock/pop/4pm) — Lakenham Cock

Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers

Floating Greyhounds (rock) — The Heartsease

JULY 9

Eve Selis Band + more (Americana) — Arts Centre

Soapbox Presents: feat. Orla Gartland + Crumbs For Comfort + more — Dragon Hall

Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers

Jazz Jam: feat. Rich Buddie — Walnut Tree Shades

Jazz Jam (open mic) — B2

JULY 10

The Miserable Rich (indie) — Arts Centre

Cahalen Morrison & Eli West (folk/acoustic) — Bicycle Shop

Brickie Blues Club: feat. Outhablues (blues) — Brickmakers

Traditional Folk Night: feat. Steve, Guy & Ray (folk/acoustic) — Beehive

Lights Out — Rumsey Wells

Tommy Whittle + Jazz Trio (jazz) — Rackheath Green Man

JULY 11

Molly Naylor & The Middle Ones (acoustic/spoken word) — Arts Centre

A Day Overdue + All So Reckless + more (pop-punk/rock) — B2

Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers

Open Mic — Garden House

JULY 12

Ed Sheeran (pop) — Thetford Forest

Undercover (blues/rock) — Brickmakers

Egypt (blues/rock) — Walnut Tree Shades

Feral Mouth (folk) — Rumsey Wells

Johnny Jump Band (rockabilly/skiffle) — Micawbers Tavern

Soothsayer Promo (metal/rock) — B2

John Watchman & Mark Howes + Mick Robins (blues) — Rackheath Green Man

Pangaea — Rose Tavern