Gigs, gigs and more gigs. They're as far as the eye can see on Emerging Icons, so it's kinda up to us to make sure that you know which ones you simply cannot miss. As always, we've chosen five of the best to bring to your attention and get added to your personal gig calendar, so if you like the sound of something make sure you let the bands know. Click on the link to view their listing and hit 'YES', you're going to be there to watch them do their thing.
Without further ado, let's reveal this week's Top Five Emerging Icons Live...
Monday 19th November
Blind Drivers- awesome band, ardent Twitterers and firm friends of Emerging Icons- are rocking the lush pastures of the Green Rooms in Sheffield next week. Being a knees up in their own back yard, you could probably put a month's salary on the fact that this gig is going to be buzzing like a bee trapped in a fluorescent light. Good, hearty indie rock will be served up on a bed of rattling guitar and testosterone. Go have a beer and a dance with them- they're a cracking bunch of lads and your live music itch will be thoroughly scratched.
Wednesday 21st November
We're going to try our very, very best not to be biased here. 'Try' being the operative word. But all that aside, COME TO THE MOST STUPENDOUS SHOW ON EARTH. The first ever Emerging Icons Live showcase is kicking off in the bonny highlands and Glasgow's O2 ABC2 ain't gona know what's hit it. Annaca, Auction For The Promise Club and Tankus The Henge are terrifyingly pumped for this tour so you can be firmly assured that you're going to witness a show of gargantuan proportions. Dramatic gypsy jazz, epic indie soundscapes and apocalyptic carnival rock n' roll are gathering like a musical Megazord- you really don't want to miss it. We were good and held back on a double listing, but Mancunians will be pleased to know we're hitting Academy 3 on Thursday 22nd too. BE THERE.
Friday 23rd November
It looks like Manchester is the epicentre of awesomeness this week, as the day after our showcase sees two more gigs that'll make those butterflies in your stomach feel like they're on speed. The Northern Quarter's where it's at with Retro Bar hosting our new favourite punk melody masters, Colt 45. Bearing in mind that we envisage HUGE things for this band (you can't see, but we've got our arms stretched out pretty wide) this may be one of the few chances you have to be close enough to see the Americana-induced perspiration rolling down their furious guitar-shredding appendages. Music lovers and sweat-perverts unite, because this is going to be incredible.
Friday 23rd November
Our buddies Gymnast are also tantalising Manchester that evening, but on the complete opposite end of the energy scale. Remove the noise, the movement and the heat of the gig up the road at Retro, and you'll have something a lot more hyper-cool at Kraak in Stevenson Square. The cello-and-synth wielding twosome will be building on the momentum they've gained this year following their beautiful sets in the Olympic Park, their contribution to our recent album and their appearances on BBC Manchester. We can lay on the clichés using words like 'spellbinding' and 'breathtaking' and not worry about it- because to be honest, that's exactly what they are. Go grab a frivolously alcoholic bev and wind down after a long week old week with Gymnast.
Saturday 24th November
Having heard them on the Emerging Icons Chart Show on at the weekend, there's going to be a lot of Bristolians delighted to hear that Centrefolds are coming to The Croft. Brandishing an infectious hotchpotch of indie rock, a love of melody and an irrepressible urge to dance; Centrefolds are fantastic value for the discerning gig-goer. We've drawn parallels to Two Door Cinema Club before, the spiky rhythms may appeal to fans of The Futureheads... and Sunday's host station 1449AM URB even threw an Everything Everything comparison in the mix. What you can safely surmise from all of this is that going along to the show is going to make your insides feel nice- so make sure you bloody well do it. (We are shaking our fist to show that we're serious.)
Keep coming back to Emerging Icons and you'll never have to go without a good gig ever again...
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