Feeling a bit blue from the post-Christmas slump? Here at Stereoboard, we’re missing those mince pies, putting out recycling bins full of used wrapping paper, finishing the last of the chocolate and looking at the now-depressing Christmas tree with despair. Fear not - we’ve a list of the most exciting events in live music to start thinking positively about the new year. Get out your diaries, kids...
The Cribs
At their recent ‘Cribsmas’ residencies, the Cribs thought long and hard about the line-up of acts that would support them in each city. They ended up with Dream Wife, Paws, Demob Happy, Pins, Nick J D Hodgson and Canshaker Pi following them around the country, alongside providing a platform for smaller, up and coming bands in each city. They gave a helping hand to Chump, Pinact and Tongue Trap in Glasgow, Peaness, Babe Punch and Mutes in Manchester, City Yelps, Magic Mountain, Esper Scout and Harkin in Leeds, and finally $au$age$ and Peaness again in London. These opportunities allowed rising bands to play bigger stages, helping to boost their exposure and help them on their way to success. Nice one, the Cribs.
Don’t worry if you missed the residency shows, because the Cribs continue the ‘24-7 Rock Star Shit’ tour throughout January, starting next week. Given the thoughtfulness of the December line ups, it’s exciting to see what Yonaka, Fangclub and the returning Paws will bring to the supporting table.
Brian Fallon likes to keep his friends close. Bestie Ian Perkins has travelled with Fallon throughout his time with the Gaslight Anthem and the Horrible Crowes, and last year played in the backing band for Fallon’s solo tour, under the friendlier moniker the Crowes. Even the support act on his 2017 tour played in his backing band, too. It’ll be interesting to see then, who will be involved in the latest backing arrangement - the Horrible Weather - on Fallon’s 2018 solo tour. Will it continue to be a family affair, or will new faces grace the stage? There’s only one way to find out…
Now in its sixth year, WGP! only gets bigger and better. Taking place at the Gate in Cardiff, one of the many arts venues in the city, the three day festival this year sees the Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Shonen Knife and Sweet Baboo at the forefront of a long list of artists performing - including Kero Kero Bonito, Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts, Brix & the Extricated, Goat Girl, Drahla, Peaness, Personal Best, Colour Me Wednesday, The School, El Goodo, PURS, Charmpit, Axolotes Mexicanos, Jemma Roper, She Makes War, Buzzard, Adwaith, Thee Manatees, Perfect Body, Think Pretty and even more to be announced later this month! Although small, this little Welsh indie-pop festival packs a lot of punch.
This brand new 10 day event, set in London’s Victoria Park, is going to be huge. When the line up was released, music fans around the country frankly became far more excitable than is socially acceptable for adults. Joining the laid back beats of the XX as headliners will be comeback kings LCD Soundsystem and Björk, with the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lorde, Sampha, Phoenix, Beck, Father John Misty and more over the course of the weekend.
But wait - it gets better still! The most exciting part of the event might not be the festival itself, but the APE Presents shows. June 2 will see the National play their biggest headline show to date following the success of ‘Sleep Well Beast’, with special guests the War On Drugs, Future Islands, Warpaint, and the Districts. Meanwhile, the following day finds Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds headlining, with support from Patti Smith and Her Band, St Vincent, and Courtney Barnett. It seems the organisers have outdone themselves with this one, and other festivals may struggle to match both the quality and quantity of artists performing. This is definitely not one to miss.
Despite the controversy surrounding her, Swift still manages to be one of the most successful artists of our generation. ‘Reputation’, her latest record, although critically disappointing, a tad generic, and with a conventional pop glaze, became the highest-selling album of 2017 by shifting over a million copies in its first week, despite Swift skipping the press circuit altogether. If nothing else, country singer turned pop megastar’s beguiling facade and new attitude will make for a fascinating performance when the 'Reputation' tour hits stadiums in the UK and Ireland this summer. It’ll be interesting to see what she conjures up with her new reputation.
Björk’s avant-garde, experimental pop style has been the foundation of a career spanning forty years and more awards than you could shake a stick at. Her distinctive, celestial voice haunted 2017’s ‘Utopia’, and although at times intimidating, was startlingly emotional.
Set in the otherworldly premises of the Eden Project in Cornwall, an educational charity which aims to connect us with each other and the living world, and its biospheres, there is no place more fitting for the pioneering Icelandic artist.
Additional Eden Sessions performances in 2018 include Hawaiian surfer favourite Jack Johnson, Massive Attack and Gary Barlow.
Succeeding the announcements of Roger Waters, Eric Clapton, Bruno Mars and Michael Bublé all headlining massive Hyde Park dates this summer, the Cure are the best of this bunch. The show, boasting support from Interpol, Goldfrapp, Editors, Ride, Slowdive and the Twilight Sad, will celebrate the influential post-punk band’s 40th anniversary as their only UK appearance for 2018. BST-goers can expect to hear hit after hit. Just Like Heaven.
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