JOSEPH KNIGHT / Photo: Unknown
Bloody hell Notts. Why do you make our job so hard? Why do you put on so many amazing gigs week after week? We’ve been sat here debating which three gigs deserve to be in this fine piece of editorial you’re reading for a good few hours now.
Staying in line with our strict ‘trying to be fair’ vibes, the following three gigs are in our opinion (with strong editorial justification) the three best gigs going off this week. If you want even more, why don’t ya check out our media Dad Leftlion’s listings HERE?
Annnnddd – if you’d like to see six Nottinghamshire musicians live the dream and play the most famous stage in the city, the Future Sound of Nottingham final takes place this Sunday. Free, as always. Event info HERE.
PS – those first few lines are meant to be read as sarcasm. Notts is beaut. We’re just tryna be funny. Soz.
SATURDAY
After keeping us waiting longer than an average delivery from DPD, KETO have got an EP’s worth of material out there now, which means it’s time to party! So, they’ve got together some of Notts’ biggest party bringers to take over The Chameleon! Well – okay party bringers may be a slight exaggeration, but they’re bloody fabulous musicians, and that’s all that matters.
KETO, fronted by Leah Sinead make this blissful concoction of a kinda lo-fi Indie / Pop hybrid. They build this wall of sound, whack Leah’s hauntingly beautiful vocal on top of it, and then ride it out into a motorway of spacey dreams. Ya feel me? The end result is something that… well, it can’t quite be put into words. It’s just really special. And now you’re really curious ain’t cha? So you need to pop down to see what that sensation is all about!
Supporting we have two of Nottingham’s loveliest human beings and almost more importantly, two of Nottingham’s finest singer-songwriters. DAUDI MATSIKO is one of those musicians who can *CLICHE ALERT* leave the room so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. With a voice that’s only really comparable to a lovely warm hug, Daudi sings about sad things and happy things, but he’ll comfort you about them either way. So shut the hell up when he sings okay?
You’ll start to notice a trend now – the other lovely human supporting – GALLERY 47, is a singer-songwriter who will have you feeling the feels you didn’t know you could feel. Sad feels, and happy feels. All projected on to you, by one man (with a very nice hat), a guitar, and a very soothing voicebox.
The Chameleon
Doors: 8pm
Entry: £5
SATURDAY
Southwell lad JOSEPH KNIGHT is releasing his debut EP at Nottingham Contemporary this weekend, and he’s bringing a right bunch of beautiful sound makers with him.
Joe writes super lovely, catchy, heart-warming at times, ‘delighfully dismal’ at others, Pop songs. Songs that’ll have you going “ooh, that’s interesting”, “hmm, I get where this guys coming from” and “DO MIRRORS MAKE YOU NERVOUS”… no, just me? Okay. Basically – Joe is the full package as a musician, he knows his way with words, his guitar, and writes some effin fabulous melodies. Make sure you’re one of the first to get yer dirty mitts on one of those shiny new EP’s, and maybe a sticker too…
TYLER NUGENT will be bringing his beautiful Ben Howard-esque folk vibes to the evening as one of the supports. Flat out comparisons to artists can be seen as lazy journalism, and I get that – but Tyler does sound a lot like BH, but in his own unique way. And – with a rasp to his vocal that keeps us coming back for more. He dropped his latest EP ‘Birklands’ just a few months ago, and it’s a stunning creation. We’re sure it’ll translate live just as well.
MATT HUMPHRIES is also on this mighty fine lineup. He’s one of those guys that exists purely to make all of us mere mortals look pathetic. He’s got the voice of an angel one minute, singing the biggest tear-jerker of a song you’ve ever heard; then, he comes out and brings the party with some funky acoustic Pop. Dammit Matt, give the rest of us a chance… please.
AND – after Joe has finished his set, LOWRIE takes to the stage to deliver one of his jaw-dropping Electronic-Pop-Don’t-Really-Know-What-To-Call-It sets. LOWRIE’s vocal is out of this world (that rasp maaaaan), and the beats – well, they just make us wish we were in a smoke filled warehouse at 2 in the morning. Slightly different vibe to the Contemporary, but we’re sure his performance will astound either way.
Nottingham Contemporary
Doors: 8pm
Entry: Free
SUNDAY
THREE GIRL RHUMBA are taking over The Bodega for a headline show, and they’ve got quite the lineup to accompany them.
To get the confusion out of the way, TGR are not three girls. In fact, some of you may know them as three guys – well, just to confuse things even more, it’s now four guys (not five guys, that’s the burger place). Now we’ve done our basic numeracy – MUSIC. TGR make Alt-Indie with a sprinkling of Pop sensibility and a dose of random noises every now and again. What that translates to live is one of the most energetic, and fun performances that you’ll find anywhere. There’ll be plenty of dancing – rhumba probably isn’t the most suitable form of dance though..
LAUREN APRIL will bring a bit of a different vibe with her Pop-Country stylings. She released her debut single ‘Picture on the Wall’ a few months ago, and within 17.5 seconds you’re transported to Nashville. Simple as that – she has the Country thaaang nailed. And it’s so catchy – even if you’ve never listened to Country in your life, there’s a pretty good chance it’ll become your shower anthem for the next few weeks.
Also supporting is Folk super-songwriter RICHARD JENKINS. Another fella whose voice is only comparable to really nice things like honey and… nutella. And, just like nutella, Richard’s voice fits on top of multiple things rather nicely. Whether it’s his sweet little acoustic tunes like ‘Fading Soldier’, or the TAURTOLLO remix of ‘Festival Haze’. He’s an all rounder – and we’re sure he’ll put on a stellar performance on Sunday too.
Anyone else fancy nutella right about now?
PS – Sunflower Thieves from Derby will also be performing.
The Bodega
Doors: 7pm
Entry: £6
Yours in Love of New Music,
Sam Nahirny x
