Simon Parkin This autumn is shaping up to be one to remember for live music with some exciting names already announced. SIMON PARKIN highlights the hot tickets..

Simon Parkin

This autumn is shaping up to be one to remember for live music with some exciting names already announced. SIMON PARKIN highlights the hot tickets.

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Flavours of the month, some returning big names, the offbeat and the mainstream, the line-up of live music heading to Norwich this autumn is mouth-watering.

With the festival season still in full-swing - V is happening at Chelmsford this weekend - you may be feeling starved of live audio adrenaline at the moment. But fear not, because in a few weeks time a host of bands and artists are hitting the road and heading our way.

Arguably the biggest stopping off in Norwich are Scots rockers TRAVIS, who are usually seen in venues much bigger than the UEA, but they'll be here on October 3 as part of a short UK tour of more intimate venues timed to coincide their new album Ode To J. Smith. Tickets are already selling fast, and by the time you read this its quite possible they'll have sold-out.

Other gigs you've already missed the boat for, and where you'll have to beg, borrow or steal a ticket (okay, not the later) include psych-disco hipsters who took Glastonbury by storm MGMT (Waterfront, August 18).

The equally cool-young-things THE TING TINGS (UEA, September 28), who were last in Norwich as part of the NME Awards Tour and are now back selling out on their own.

Tickets have also already gone for metallers DRAGONFORCE (UEA, October 5), who slay audiences with the sort of BPM normally reserved for gabba producers, post-punk samplers ENTER SHIKARI (UEA, October 9) and Welsh post-punks FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND (UEA, November 3). None get half the mainstream hype, but they're just as popular judging by ticket sales.

Also looking as if its only a matter of time before the sold out signs go up - so get in quick - are Seattle's FLEET FOXES (Waterfront, October 28), whose debut, full of baroque, elegant orchestral pop that is part Arcade Fire, part Simon and Garfunkel and part Neil Young, has won universal praise.

PRIMAL SCREAM is also be revisiting the city for the first time in several years as part of the NME Rock'n'Roll Riot Tour (UEA, November 30). And after their headlining slot in Thetford Forest, THE ZUTONS (UEA, November 13) will also be back as part of a proper UK tour.

Others who've been doing the rounds at this year's festivals, but who now you'll get a chance to judge for yourself include Brazil's finest indie-party types CSS (Waterfront, October 7), whose recent album Donkey got mixed reviews for not being party-friendly enough.

Unashamedly poptastic ALPHABEAT (UEA, October 27) will get the crowd dancing, as will in a different way, FOALS (UEA, September 29) whose infectious maths-rock won over many doubters at Latitude.

Miles Kane will be putting the success of Last Shadow Puppets to one side temporarily to concentrate on his main job with THE RASCALS (Arts Centre, September 28), who've yet to really take-off.

A man who also knows a thing or two about being overshadowed by a collaborator is Carl Barat, who brings his DIRTY PRETTY THINGS (UEA, October 13) back.

Last time THE SUBWAYS (UEA, October 1) were in Norwich they looked unstoppable, but a serious of factors - not least the break-up of Billy Lunn and Charlotte Cooper as a couple - seems to have blown the wind out of their sails, though new album All Or Nothing has been underrated.

Away from the guitar bands, Mike Skinner returns with THE STREETS (UEA, October 16) , an appearance that may or may not coincide with the release of his much delayed fourth album.

Rodney Smith, aka ROOTS MANUVA (Waterfront, October 5) , will be promoting his excellent Slime Or Reason album, RODNEY P and SKITZ (Waterfont, October 10), are on a joint Roots and Culture bill.

While fellow UK hip hopper SWAY (Arts Centre, October 31) will be closing the annual Black History Month on a bill that also includes comedian Richard Blackwood.

As ever there will also be appearance by old stagers whose trips to Norfolk now seem to be annual pre-Christmas outings; including THE STRANGLERS (UEA, November 11); THE LEVELLERS (UEA, December 11); JOOLS HOLLAND (UEA, October 24); FISH (Waterfront, November 20) and MOTORHEAD (UEA, November 21).

And if you're looking to try something new, you could do worse than Seb Roachford's prog-jazz outfit POLAR BEAR (Arts Centre, November 4) who recently wowed and baffled audience at the Mighty Boost festival in equal measure.