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••••••
NEWS
Westlife – Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Thursday 16 July 2020
The UK’s top selling album group of the 21st Century are heading to Leicester on their Stadiums in the Summer tour. The spectacular summer tour will see the global pop kings perform all of their greatest hits including ‘Swear It Again’, ‘Flying Without Wings’ and ‘You Raise Me Up’ as well as sensational up-tempo new songs from their forthcoming new album ‘Spectrum’. Tickets on sale on Friday, pre-sale from Thursday if you register.
Hayseed Dixie – O2 Academy 2
Tuesday 17 March 2020
After starting out as an Appalachian style tribute to AC/DC, playing traditional instruments such as fiddle, mandolin and banjo, they moved on to release 2001’s ‘A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC’ after which they branched out, playing songs by other rock luminaries, as well as original compositions. TICKETS.
Hotel Lux – The Cookie
Friday 28 February 2020
The London based 5-piece are influenced less by bands but more the world around them and the film works of Shane Meadows, amongst others, in particular. They design a landscape of council flats riots, Job Centre Plus and pints of Guinness, whilst their music lends itself to social commentary and picking holes in those who deserve it. Early support came from titles such as Clash, Loud and Quiet, Dazed and So Young Magazine. TICKETS.
TOY – The Cookie
Tuesday 28 January 2020
Former members of Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong, their live shows are a mesmerising mix of flailing limbs, massive analogue synths, twin guitars and an ever-evolving psychedelic sound. TICKETS.
••••••
THIS WEEK
Open Mic – The Soundhouse
Tuesday 5 November (and every Tuesday)
The weekly open mic happens at The Soundhouse every Tuesday night from 7.30pm. The night is hosted by Rhett Barrow and acts are encouraged to arrive early if hoping to get a slot. Each week there’ll be a featured artist play from 9.30 – 10pm, so if you’re wanting to play a longer set then get your name down. Discover some brilliant new acts. The Soundhouse is on Southampton Street in the Cultural Quarter.
Bring Your Own Vinyl – The Globe
Tuesday 5 November
Head to The Globe on the first Tuesday of every month for Bring Your Own Vinyl night in their back bar room. A great night to talk to like minded people who love music and have a go at spinning your favourite records.
Gerry Cinnamon – De Montfort Hall
Tuesday 5 November
What a massive year it’s been for Gerry Cinnamon as he announces his biggest shows to date. The Glasgow artist has had an incredible journey from recording songs on his phone to releasing his critically acclaimed debut album Erratic Cinematic, which recently rocketed back to the top of the UK/IRE Album Charts; hitting the Top 20 following his latest sold-out UK tour. With a summer of big festival appearances ahead of him, he’s only going to get bigger. SOLD OUT.
LIFE – The Cookie
Tuesday 5 November
This is young, fun, fast-paced, urban pop-rock, who could be compared to a young Arctic Monkeys. If the current incarnation of ‘rockstar’ is that of an arrogant, slightly detached reality singer, apolitical in the extreme, beige, spoiled by the industry and surrounded by yes men, then Mez and his gang are here to put the boot in. “LIFE are everything you could possibly want from an artist – politically astute, angry, intelligent, gritty and air-punchingly brilliant” God is in the TV. TICKETS.
The Horne Section – De Montfort Hall
Wednesday 6 November
Alex Horne has gathered some of the UK’s finest jazz musicians and mixed them with the most exciting comics in the country to create some unique and hilarious noises. It’s jazz-infused comedy; live and loud – part improvised, part honed, part performance, part party. TICKETS.
The Room – The Musician
Wednesday 6 November
The Room are a melodic rock band from the Southeast of the UK. The six members bring together a broad range of musical influences which has helped form The Room’s distinctive style. Smart songs with great melodies are the essence of the band’s sound. TICKETS.
Midlands Open Mic – 2Funky Music Cafe
Wednesday 6 November
If you’re an up & coming artist or group then this is the ‘Ultimate Platform to Perform Your Talent’. Midlands Open Mic is giving you the opportunity to come and showcase your skill from Singing to Poetry, Any vocal styles are welcome. Registration from 7-8pm, event runs until 11pm.
New Tempest – The Cookie
Thursday 7 November
5 piece Loughborough-based rock band, New Tempest, play a free show at The Cookie. For fans of Lower Than Atlantis, Don Broco, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Deaf Havana.
Highly Strung – West End Brewery
Thursday 7 November
Two middle aged men who still think they’ll be famous after 35 years of playing guitar together,are going to inflict their acoustic noodlings on the good patrons of the West End Brewery. Music from 8pm, free entry.
Open Mic – BrewDog
Thursday 7 November
Everyone welcome to come along and play, sing or just get your jam on. Limited to three songs per act. Music from 7pm.
Michelle Malone – The Musician
Thursday 7 November
Michelle Malone’s musical roots run deep and wide, twisting and turning through rock, blues, and alt-country music territory. She is “a master at mixing blues and Americana music” (Guitar Player Magazine). She has shared stages with artists from Gregg Allman to Indigo Girls and Bon Iver to Brandi Carlisle, released more than a dozen records, and went indie when it still took guts. TICKETS.
The Total Stone Roses – The Soundhouse
Friday 8 November
Wake Up Promotions present The Total Stone Roses as they return to The Soundhouse playing the best ‘Roses material including ‘She Bangs The Drums’, ‘Fools Gold’, ‘Waterfall’, ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ and ‘Love Spreads’. You won’t find a better sound-a-like band this side of 1989. TICKETS.
Opening Party – The Friary
Friday 8 November
Join the new management at The Friary for their opening night party. Kicking off at 7pm with free fizz for the first 100 people. Live music from Midnight Spires. Drinks offers, giveaways and DJs. Free entry.
Steve Hackett – De Montfort Hall
Friday 8 November
For the first time ever, Steve will perform the seminal Genesis album Selling England By The Pound in its entirety. Released in 1973, the album went to No. 3 in the UK charts and has been described as ‘the definitive Genesis album’. SOLD OUT.
Larkins – Duffy’s Bar
Friday 8 November
A four piece, indie rock ‘n’ roll band from Manchester. “Manchester’s next arena act” – Manchester Evening News, “Straight laced indie pop filled with anthemic choruses and heartfelt lyricisms” – The Line of Best Fit. TICKETS.
Boston Manor – O2 Academy Leicester
Friday 8 November
One of the UK’s finest pop-punk band’s is heading to Leicester for a show at O2 Academy. Boston Manor have released a brand new single ‘Liquid’, just before they head back out to the US for a tour with A Day To Remember and Knocked Loose. The summer saw them take to the BBC Radio 1 Stage at Reading & Leeds Festivals, among others, gathering new fans along the way. Boston Manor were recently seen whipping up frenzies at Slam Dunk Festival and various other mammoth festivals across the US, so it’s not a show to miss. TICKETS.
The Leylines – The Shed
Friday 8 November
The Leylines are a five-piece band hailing from Weston-super-Mare (via Bristol). Since 2013, they have been bringing their unique blend of foot-stomping folk and full-blown festival rock to crowds across the UK. Join them on tour celebrating their second album, Recover Reveal. TICKETS.
U2UK – 2Funky Music Cafe
Friday 8 November
U2UK have won the hearts of U2 fans all over by performing in Europe and beyond, including U2’s after show party at the Heineken Stadium for two consecutive nights on the Dutch leg of the Vertigo Tour. Performing songs spanning four decades of some of the greatest rock anthems ever written, U2UK recreates the most captivating moments of the tours which have earned U2 their reputation as ‘The World’s Greatest Rock Band’. TICKETS.
*POSTPONED* Lagwagon – o2 Academy Leicester
Friday 8 November
American punk rockers, Lagwagon, are back with a short UK tour. They formed in 1990, building a big fanbase before going on hiatus in 2000, having reunited several times over the years. They have a brand new album coming out in October and are back with a small number of UK dates to support the release. SHOW POSTPONED.
Albany Down – The Musician
Friday 8 November
Contemporary UK blues-rock band, Albany Down, came together with some classic rock and Brit blues-rock influences, but with their 2011 debut album, ‘South of the City‘, they found their own sound. “These guys are really going somewhere; make sure they take you with them!” – Paul Jones, BBC Radio 2 Blues Rock Review. TICKETS.
Burna Boy – O2 Academy
Saturday 6 November
Afro-sensation Burna Boy returns to Leicester this week. Best known for his mixes of Dance-Hall, Afrobeat, R&B and Hip-Hop, his African Giant UK tour also includes a massive date at Wembley Arena and you’ll be able to hear more from him as he collaborates with Leicester’s Mahalia on her brand new album. TICKETS.
Glastonbudget Auditions – The Soundhouse
Saturday 9 November
Head down to The Soundhouse to see 5 brilliant bands battle it out to secure their slot at Glastonbudget 2020. £5 on the door.
Steve Mason – O2 Academy
Saturday 9 November 
Scottish musician, Steve Mason, is best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of The Beta Band. He has also been a member of Black Affair with Jimmy Edgar and is now back performing solo. TICKETS.
Tongue n Groove – Bean Gaming
Saturday 9 November
Join the Tongue n Groove boys playing tunes for you all night on Bean Gaming’s brand new sound system. Food, drinks and of course board games. From 7.30pm.
Evade Escape – The Shed
Saturday 9 November
Evade Escape are a five-piece Alternative Rock band from Birmingham. They bring to the table massive riffs, packed with huge melodies and infectious hooks. TICKETS.
Henge – The Cookie
Saturday 9 November
Offensive basslines, power-psych synth riffs and ten ton drum beats are what we’ve come to expect from London based Henge. Guaranteed to provide a cosmic, uplifting experience, Henge have built a reputation for wild live shows. TICKETS.
House of Verse – 2Funky Street Kitchen
Saturday 9 November
It’s been 5 and a half years since the House of Verse party came alive and whilst they’re bidding farewell for now, they’re going out with a party. Enjoy the original house band, spoken word, comedy, live music, beatboxing, live looping, rapping, DJs, live projection and more. From 7pm.
Tony Kofi’s Portrait of Cannonball – The Y Theatre
Saturday 9 November
Tony Kofi first came to prominence as a member of the Jazz Warriors. His international reputation was enhanced when he became a member of the iconic World Saxophone Quartet. His present group celebrates the music of the jazz giant Julian “Cannonball” Adderley from his first session as a leader in 1955 through work with Miles Davis to the Soul Jazz of the 1960’s.
“An absolute blast, one of the most exciting gigs of the year!” London Jazz News. TICKETS
Fleetingwood Mac – The Musician
Saturday 9 November
A must for Fleetwood Mac fans as this young and exciting new tribute band play all of the hits. TICKETS.
Stevie Nimmo Trio – The Musician
Sunday 10 November
As one half of Scotland’s highly respected Nimmo Brothers, Stevie Nimmo has been a well known and respected figure throughout the blues and roots world for over 15 years. Now, having toured extensively with the critically acclaimed blues rock outfit over the last few years, as well as taking to the road in a stripped back, acoustic format, Stevie is now setting out on a new adventure in a full-on, electric, no-holds-barred trio format. TICKETS.
Ginger Wildheart – The Y Theatre
Sunday 10 November
Ginger Wildheart is joined by backing band The Sinners to play tracks from his new album, The Pessimist’s Companion, and other solo material. With special guest Lauren Tate from Hands off Gretel.
HAWXX / The Fisters – Duffy’s Bar
Sunday 10 November
Named after the bird of prey, with the double XX symbolising the double XX female chromosome, HAWXX are proud to shake-up the male-dominated rock scene with a fresh sound and energy. HAWXX write songs that reflect the lies of our current political climate, the deterioration of the NHS, about how love is a bitch and about self empowerment. TICKETS.
Dawson Smith & The Dissenters – The Donkey
Sunday 10 November
Loud blues and rock from Leicester blues veteran Dawson Smith. Now featuring Martin Burch on guitar, expect bar room rock and roll with a shot of rhythm and blues mixed in with some Dawson classics and a few Americana specials.
Open Mic – The Grand Union
Sunday 10 November
Join the hosts Carter & Hartmann for the regular open mic at Leicester’s newest venue, The Grand Union on New Walk. From 7pm, plenty of drinks offers.
Martyn Smith – The Musician
Monday 11 November
Cardiff’s acclaimed singer songwriter is an incomparable performer with an uncanny knack of fusing fearless, full-bodied ‘songs with a message’ with fragile love songs. Voted ‘Best Male Artist’ in the 2004 BBC Welsh Music Awards, he has one of the most powerful voices on the acoustic circuit and a string of Top 50 hits to his name. “One of the most charismatic and electrifying performers in Britain today” – Tom Robinson, BBC 6. TICKETS.
Drinks & Jams – The Shed
Monday 4 November 
Every Monday it’s open mic night at The Shed as they host Drinks & Jams. It kicks off at 7.30pm but you can arrive from 7pm to sign up to play. Each week there is a featured act on at 9.15pm. Friendly atmosphere, drinks offers and a great way to start the week.
••••••
DIARY DATES
Get Cape Wear Cape Fly – Firebug
Tuesday 17 December
Get Cape Wear Cape Fly will be at Firebug in December for a headline slot in the series of shows supporting the Robot Needs Home Collective’s 15th birthday. Aka Sam Duckworth, the Southend troubadour released his 10th album last year. Support from Charlotte Carpenter. TICKETS.
Neon Waltz – The Cookie
Wednesday 11 December
Neon Waltz are a powerful six piece psychedelic indie rock band who honed their melodic, sun-drenched, sonic soundscapes in a remote croft, located in the wilderness of Caithness, Scotland. With their first set of demos drawing the interest of former Oasis Manager Marcus Russell, Neon Waltz went on to be named one of the finest new British bands of the year by the likes of Q, NME (“Scotland’s coolest new gang”) and Shortlist to name a few. TICKETS.
Declan Welsh & The Decadent West – The Cookie
Wednesday 13 November
Glaswegian singer-songwriter, Declan is influenced by performers such as Billy Bragg, The Proclaimers, Jarvis Cocker and Alex Turner. His music is about finding the beauty in the quirks of everyday life. TICKETS.
••••••
SPOTLIGHT
HENGE bring their unique blend of Cosmic Dross to Leicester this weekend
Attention Earth! This is HENGE! The band who are causing a stir on the live scene with a kind of music they say is new for this world, and they’re calling is Cosmic Dross. Awarded with Live Act of the Year at the Independent Festival Awards, this weekend they’re at The Cookie, so we caught up with band member ‘Zpor’ to find out more.
Describe the HENGE sound for anyone who isn’t familiar with the band?
We are practitioners of the sacred sounds of Cosmic Dross. This music is new to your planet. There are no Earth words to adequately describe these sounds – but they will help you learn how to love and dance again …
Which acts do you take most inspiration from?
I grew up on the planet Agricular in Cosmos Redshift 7. There was music all around us – the distinction between ‘musician’ and ‘non-musician’ was not as clear as it is here on Planet Earth. But I absorbed the ceremonial music of my people – The Agriculans – and its influence has pervaded every moment of my existence since.
What can fans expect from a HENGE live show?
Although attendees might report some similarity between human live music shows and HENGE gatherings, in reality the differences are more distinct than it may appear. During the transmission of Cosmic Dross, human participants are actually observing a mixture of real performance and telepathically transmitted hallucination. This unique – at least to Planet Earth – blend of reality and collective phantasm causes a side step in the brain which is instrumental in catalysing euphoria.
Recently we have sought to apply scientific method in studying the effects of our transmissions on human subjects. So far, the results of The Cosmic Dross Experiment have included:
- 1) specimens showing signs of extreme euphoria
- 2) ecstatic clapping of hands and raising of voices
- 3) the proliferation of joy among humans
For more information on the experiment view this video:
What have been the highlights of 2019 for HENGE?
One of many highlights of 2019 was our transmission to around 8,000 humans beneath the Lovell Telescope at Bluedot Festival, Jodrell Bank. We also enjoyed our appearances at Glastonbury, Beatherder and Shambala festival – footage of which can be viewed here:
You won Live Act of the Year at the Independent Music Awards 2018, what did that mean to the band?
We are puzzled by your strange customs here on Planet Earth. The very concept of competition in art does not exist in any of the intelligent civilizations that we have visited elsewhere in the universe.
If you could share the stage with any other act or person, who would it be?
We greatly admire the music of Aphex Twin.
You played a number of festivals during the summer; how do festival crowds differ to your own headline shows?
What is wonderful about festivals is the shared abandonment of inhibitions, the temporary suspension of work-related concerns and the joyful bonding between festival-goers which causes them to feel an increased sense of kinship with one another. Our own gatherings have a very similar feeling to festivals in this way. Rave-lings come dressed in sparkly raiments to share a joyful experience together and to learn what they can from communion with alien beings. One significant difference is that a HENGE headline show is longer than festival set usually allows, thus audience members can enjoy a prolonged musical journey which results in a deeper experience of the sacred glee.
What’s coming up for HENGE in 2020?
We will continue our mission here on Planet Earth. There are many locations where Cosmic Dross has yet to be heard and a great many human beings that must be reached. So, we will tour extensively and diligently, playing manifold festivals on the way. We will continue to fine tune our alien sounds for human ears and produce a second album for the edification of all mankind. There will be many video transmissions, and even a transmission via the medium of a comic book, and we will not rest until our work on this planet is complete!
Who are some of your other top tips for new acts on the road?
The Evil Usses, Paddy Steer, Dubi Dolczek, Barberos, The Comet is Coming, Beak, Alabaster Deplume, ICHI, a.P.A.t.T.
And, finally, describe HENGE in 5 words …
Five words are not enough.
You can catch HENGE at The Cookie this Saturday. TICKETS.
MORE MUSIC NEWS NEXT WEEK
