GLORIA CYCLES • Hector’s House Fri 3rd
It’s a hugely sad day – honestly a great, great shame. This is Gloria Cycles last ever gig, run down – mainly – by constantly fighting with their record label and waiting for their music to be delivered to what ought to have been an eager public. Because there was real magic in their easy-going indie pop anthems. Hyper-powered bass of ‘Wonderbus’ – their greatest commercial success as the soundtrack to a camera advert – and the bouncy skank-slash of ‘Chancer’ should have been right up in the charts. ‘If I Wanted To Tell You’ will have tears rolling down cheeks tonight – bring tissues. They burned brightly. (JK)
THE VAUDEVILLE (Supporting Gloria Cycles) • Hectors House Fri 3rd
In the mere year that they’ve been around Vaudeville have stamped a real mark on Brighton, fusing the style of The Stokes and The Maccabees with a definite essence of Beirut in the delivery. Max Fletcher and Kieran Mansfield’s vocal tones hit all the right notes; playful song sections and drumbeats conspire to keep the crowd moving. They’re landing good gigs left, right and centre – this show with Jumping Ships is truly not to be missed. (AP)
UK GUNS N ROSES Concorde 2 Sat 4th
When Guns N Roses last hit the UK, Axl put in a real effort for all the long-suffering fans who hadn’t hung themselves awaiting the comically delayed ‘Chinese Democracy’. In Newcastle, he reportedly refused to go onstage until a roast dinner was served, while a Wembley Arena show didn’t start until the entire underground network had shut, leaving many to walk the ten miles back into London. Our advice? Try out this rabble instead. The guitarist looks just like Slash! Or is that Axl!? (BG)
WOMEN Hope Mon 6th
Calgary four-piece Women (who, hilariously, are all quite the opposite) are back, with ‘Public Strain’, the follow up to their critically applauded, self-titled 2008 debut. A large measure of indie post punk, a sprinkle of Animal Collective-esque vocal happiness and just a dash of Pitchfork hipster-love makes SOURCE very excited indeed, and that’s before the mention of soon-to-make-good local boys Cold Pumas in support. (MB)
BLACK MOUNTAIN Concorde 2 Weds 8th
Picture the scene: Canada’s finest stoner rock collective have set the controls for the heart of the sun, piloting their Zeppelin spacecraft of sound gracefully, powerfully upwards. But wait! Who’s this bag lady wandering onstage, dragging a tambourine like she’s off to the local Poundland? It’s Amber Webber, who fronts the band’s gigs with such futility that apocalypse seems likely to be achieved not through thundering riffs and stallion mains but a brain haemorrhaging yawn. Move along love, there’s nothing to see here. (BG)
CYMBALS EAT GUITARS Audio Thurs 9th
Proving the Freebutt will never die, this night sees it teaming up with Concorde 2 and Audio to bring you an evening of live music power. The indie rock band Cymbals Eat Guitars hail from Staten Island and manage to create forceful walls of grunge while also maintaining an approachable fragility through lead singer Joseph D’Agostino’s soft vocals. This provides a mesmerising contrast to their music – sometimes the audience is met with distorted noise, sometimes it’s heel clipping singalongs, whichever it is though, it’ll never fail to command your attention. (ZC)
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS Concorde 2 Thurs 9th
Demi-gods of gorgeous art-rock, this sultry supergroup of eight Canadians will be strutting on stage at the Concorde with a hatful of new songs from their album ‘Together’. Their trademark twangy guitar, vocal acrobatics, soaring strings and sparkly piano will combine to create a breathtaking, unusual, but reassuringly friendly show. This century’s answer to Fleetwood Mac? As they say themselves, “Come and put your hands together.” (NH)
FAT FREDDY’S DROP Concorde 2 Fri 10th
Fat Freddy’s Drop epitomise laidback dub reggae in the way only seven New Zealanders can, and thus the husky tiles of the Concorde are the perfect venue for a slow-motion skank fest. Expect subtle beats dripping with spacey keyboard, rippling synth and unidentifiable samples. (NH)
SKY LARKIN Audio Fri 10th
Sky Larkin are growing rapidly in popularity and have been filling larger and larger venues with their sparky indie pop rock tunes. This is impressive considering it’s just Katie, Doug and Nestor, three youths from Leeds churning out endlessly catchy, discordant, guitar-fuelled songs with a carefree, pared-down 90s feel. Go and be beguiled. (NH)
MELTING VINYL & WILLKOMMEN FOXTROT • Stanmer House Sun 12th
In their second annual house party festival (and by the way, what a house!), Melting Vinyl and Wilkommen are showcasing the loveliest nu folk to be found, this year taking in local fellows Sons Of Noel And Adrian, Miserable Rich, Shoreline and Mary Hampton plus a very special (and we mean mesmerisingly special) secret headliner. It’s Laura Marling. Ooops. (MB)
JONSI Dome Tues 14th
It’s not just Jonsi Birgisson that speaks Vonlenska, the peculiar language used by the Sigur Ros singer turned solo star. SOURCE is also that way gifted after attending Icelandic finishing school. “Vindurinn, og útilykt af hárinu þínu. Ég anda eins fast og ég get með nefinu mínu. ‘Hoppípolla’ Í engum stígvélum. Allur rennvotur Í engum stígvélum,” you see? But what does it all mean? That Jonsi can expect a real mouthful of gobbledegook from yours truly if he doesn’t play ‘Hoppipola’ tonight. High hopes. (BG)
WILLY MASON Komedia Tues 14th
There are worse things to be called than “the new Bob Dylan”. “The new Gary Glitter” springs to mind. But as pop predictions go, few would wish to be saddled with an anchor as heavy as Mason’s. Having grown up in New York, the son of folk singers, such comparisons seem inevitable, particularly in the aftermath of two albums of elegant, wordy and wistful tales from the Americana frontline. Expect this evening to provide a low-key introduction to the third. (BG)
DUCKTAILS/DOLPHINS INTO THE FUTURE Prince Albert Mon 20th
Here at SOURCE gig previews, we’ve got 80-odd words to try and sum up what those verbose folk at The Wire have been attempting to define for the past two years. Suffice to say that New Jersey’s Ducktails and Antwerp’s Dolphins Into The Future’s aqueous beauty may be one of the best things you’ve never heard. Their waves of heavily treated instrumentation (predominantly guitar in Ducktails’ case, electronics in Dolphins’) should make the Albert unusually womblike tonight. (DL)
FYFE DANGERFIELD Komedia Weds 22nd
This classically-trained music-machine and lead singer of the band The Guillemots arrives in Brighton as part of his own headline tour. He’s earned many new fans, following the release back in January of his debut solo album, ‘Fly Yellow Moon’, which continued to show off his canny ability to pen a batch of well-crafted pop songs. For this show, you should expect a fine combination of singalongs and poignant balladry of the highest order. (TR)
DR EUGENE CHADBOURNE Komedia Studio Bar Thurs 23rd
Spirit Of Gravity may be taking a little sidestep away from their electronic comfort zone this month, unable to resist this rare chance to put on a show by cult New York guitarist/banjo player Eugene Chadbourne. Perhaps best known for playing in Shockabilly with Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer, Chadbourne has pursued an idiosyncratic, politicised path through independent American music for decades. Chadbourne’s improvisational abilities fit well with SOG’s beliefs, but quite where he’ll direct this evening is anyone’s guess. (DL)
TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB Digital Sat 25th
This excellent three-piece band from Northern Ireland could write the book on how to make it in the modern world of new music. Having had their razor-sharp indie pop picked up by the trend-setting label, Kitsune, they buzzed around the blogs like wildfire, before hitting the likes of Radio One. As a consequence they arrive in Brighton as part of their UK headline tour, which is followed by flying out to do the same in the US, before a similar run around Europe. (TR)
LITTLE DRAGON Coalition Sat 25th
Given a stellar guest list that included Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Lou Reed and Shaun Ryder, the lacklustre Gorillaz display at June’s Glastonbury came as some surprise. Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano, co-writer of two tracks on latest album ‘Plastic Beach’, was also among the performers and recently featured on the Maximum Balloon debut, new project from TV On The Radio mainbrain Dave Sitek. But expect tonight to be all about her Swedish band’s charming, intricate, ornate and delicious electronica. Enter the Dragon. (BG)
THE MAGIC NUMBERS Komedia Sat 25th
On the back of orchestral new album ‘The Runaway’, The Magic Numbers return to brighten your day before the winter really sets in (hopefully, seeing as it’s only September). Expect more sunshiny, 60s-tinged love songs and smiley melodies than you can shake several acoustic guitars at and a small string section at. (NH)
I AM KLOOT Komedia Mon 27th
According to their lying in the gutter, looking at the stars romantic reputation, I Am Kloot would most likely turn up for an interview with a bagful of Special Brew. They did, one morning in London around ten years ago, when SOURCE was introduced to their weather and life-beaten charm. They may not have sold many records since but a Mercury nomination for the Guy Garvey-produced ‘Sky At Night’ suggest riches may finally await at the end of their intoxicated odyssey. Fingers crossed. (BG)
STILL FLYIN’ Jam Mon 27th
There’s a delicate balance to strike when adding members to your band. You’d love to get all your pals in, but let the Polyphonic Spree be a warning – it’s an expensive business. When San Francisco resident Sean Rawls formed Still Flyin’ he managed to add just enough – 15 – to fill their joyful, discofied rocksteady sound with a house party amount of high fives and sing-along harmonies, but few enough to get them all on a bus and over here. (MB)
MT. DESOLATION Brighton Ballroom
Tues 28th Despite their convincingly anonymous name, Mt. Desolation are actually a surprise alt-country side project for Keane’s principal songwriter Tim Rice-Oxley and his band’s unofficial fourth member Jesse Quin. Mt. Desolation’s music actually bears very little resemblance to the pair’s day jobs, presenting instead some gorgeous, moodily downbeat balladry. With assorted Mumfords, Noahs and Killers passing through their ranks, Mt. Desolation may turn out to be rich men’s folly, but we reckon this could be rather special. (DL)
TIM ROBBINS & THE ROGUES GALLERY Duke of Yorks
Weds 29th Part of the Duke Of Yorks’ ongoing centenary celebrations, this month sees Hollywood good guy Tim Robbins bring his honky-tonk Rogues Gallery band along for an aptly located gig. Film buffs will know that Robbins wrote the satirical tunes he performed in his directorial and screenwriting debut ‘Bob Roberts’, so he’s got form in this area. The Rogues Gallery play that adult American roots music that Uncut love so much, but hey, it’s Tim Robbins! You know, for kids! (DL)
FRANKIE & THE HEARTSTRINGS/SUMMER CAMP Thurs 30th Jam
Hype is often seen as a bad thing, but that’s usually when in reference to accountants at record labels plying radio DJs with nights out in return for it. But when it’s your mates raving about a band, hype is the single best indicator of quality. Sunderland’s bingo hall indie-popsters F&THS and medium wave bliss mongers Summer Camp have this kind of hype in spades, and deservedly so. Don’t believe us? Try it. (MB)
SKY HARBOUR • Hope, Tues 30th
In the short time they have been together Sky Harbour have proved they’re definitely here to be heard, if you know what we mean. With a debut DIY record ‘Words Best Left Unsaid (Big Calter)’, the band combine the styles of Twin Atlantic and Goodbye Elliot and manage to fit in with General Fiasco’s growing fan base. There’s an honesty to the EP and enough angst in Josh Rowley’s vocal from that should make Kids In Glass Houses wish they’d stayed at home. (AP)
WORDS BY MATT BARKER, ZAC COLBERT, BEN GILBERT, NICOLE HOLGATE, DAVID LETTS, ANDREW PARRY, THE RECOMMENDER