Kula Shaker play Electric Ballroom [Nicole Frobusch]
GET your list together, look up your fave record stores and check out the in-stores – Record Store Day is coming up on April 20. As ever, special vinyl releases are made exclusively for the day and there are live performances in record stores across the country. Rough Trade East has announced its line-up, which includes This Is The Kit celebrating the release of the Live From The Minack Theatre LP; production duo Blue Lab Beats and London rapper John Glacier, while special release will be in a pop-up with DJ sets from the likes of Sega Bodega and London Grammar’s Dot Major. Sister Ray in Berwick Street promises a treasure trove of limited editions, and for those who can’t make it to the store, they’ll be available online from 8am. Check out www.recordstoreday.co.uk/ for the list of participating stores and releases.
• A reminder that the Roundhouse’s magical In The Round Festival continues until April 27 with an eclectic range of talented artists performing on the venue’s circular stage, giving the audience a unique perspective of these one-off shows.
• If you happen to be at King’s Cross station next week (April 24-25), look out for TikTok’s music pop-up, a stage for emerging artists to showcase their talent. Musicians commanding thousands of followers between them – including Charlie Tyler, Russell James Williams, Fiaa Hamilton and James Fitz – will perform under the clock tower from 11am to 7pm.
• NYC-born singer-songwriter Annie Dressner stops off at Green Note on April 25 in support of her upcoming new album I Thought It Would Be Easier, reflecting on love, friendships and memories.
• The 90s nostalgia continues with two nights of Kula Shaker at Electric Ballroom (April 26-27) touring their 7th studio album Natural Magick with the band’s original four members reunited.
• We hear Club de Fromage’s Afternoon Party for Over-30s at Scala was such a success that they’ve decided to make it a regular thing. Join Slow Alfie and crew for a daytime riot of pop, rock, indie, ballads, disco and more plus the usual Fromage shenanigans – and bring ID – no under-30s allowed!
• Chicago original brass siblings Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, a fascinating collective of eight horn-playing brothers – all sons of jazz trumpeter and composer Kelan Phil Cohran (Sun Ra Arkestra) – and one unrelated drummer, play Jazz Café on April 27. I’ve said it before but if you can track down their documentary Brothers Hypnotic, it’s worth a watch – as is their live show.
• Abbie McCarthy’s Good Karma Club takes over The Lexington on May 2, a night that celebrates new sounds and emerging musicians, providing an early platform for the likes of Mae Muller, Olivia Dean and Tom Grennan. This latest line-up features Manchester’s most talked about new indie artist Freak Slug, Toronto country / Americana singer-songwriter Tallulah Argue and the evocative Imogen and the Knife.
• BBC introducing moves to The Lower Third on May 2 with performances from April Jai, Alsa and Nectar Woode.
More upcoming gigs
April 19 – Oli Brown & The Dead Collective + Zac and the New Men, The Camden Assembly; Smoove & Turrell, The Forge; La Linea London Latin Music Festival – Fruk & The Bonita House Band, Jazz Café; Ryan Beatty, Alexandra Palace;
April 20 – Fania Records 60th Anniversary, The Forge;
April 21 – The Mighty Mocambos, The Forge;
April 22 – Everyone You Know, Koko;
April 23 – Lainey Wilson, The Forum; Daniel Bedingfield, London Palladium; Jamila Woods, Islington Assembly Hall; Aoife Scott, Green Note; Jlin + Nyx, Roundhouse;
April 24 – Microwave & The Dirty Nil, Scala; Porij, Electric Ballroom; Paraorchestra with Brett Anderson & Charles Hazlewood, Roundhouse;
April 25 – The Mavericks, The Palladium; Pet Needs, The Underworld; ADMT, Scala; Lazy Habits + Super Duty Tough Work, The Forge; Lucy Rose, Roundhouse;
April 26 – Charles Esten, Palladium; Lucas Santtana, The Forge; Lonnie Holley & Matana Roberts + Theon Cross, Roundhouse;
April 27 – Samara Joy, Roundhouse; Ute Lemper, St Martin-in-the-Fields; The Warning, The Forum; Adrianne Lenker + friends, Barbican; Omar, The Forge;
April 28 – Tré Burt, The Social; May 1 – Jota.pê, Jazz Cafe;
May 2 – The Ks, Electric Ballroom; Lucinda Chua and Galya Bisengalieva with London Contemporary Orchestra, Milton Court Concert Hall; Jane Weaver + Halo Maud + Adwaith, Scala.
