Music

336 Hours

Snipe | Saturday 15 May, 2010 15:46

YEASAYER » 26 May 2010
KoKo | 1a Camden High Street NW1 7JE

Yeasayer’s “Odd Blood” was a welcome new year curveball of a record, bewitching bloggers and broadsheets alike. It has drawn comparison to Animal Collective’s “Merriweather Post Pavillion” in early 2010, in that it’s a breakthrough album for an indie band with a growing cult status, catching the popular imagination with it’s catchy tunes and sharp pop production that feels both classic and contemporary. The heightened attention culminates in Yeasayer’s biggest UK headline show to date at Camden’s palatial Koko on May 26th. Expect a celebratory atmosphere, a smattering of stage-side celebs, and a scramble for ticket returns on the steps of the venue. John Rogers

THE KISSAWAY TRAIL » 27 May 2010
Cargo | 83 Rivington Street EC2A 3AY

When Bella Union sign a new band, we sit up and take notice. Run by producer and former Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde, this almost religiously revered indie label has brought us incredible music in recent years from overseas acts like Beach House, The Acorn, Peter Broderick and Fleet Foxes. Danish indie rockers The Kissaway Trail are one of the label’s latest acquisitions. Touching on the euphoric emotion of early Arcade Fire and the distinctly Scandinavian tunes of bands like The Notwist, they’ll be playing songs from their recently released second studio album “Sleep Mountain” at Cargo on May 27th as part of a whistle-stop European tour. John Rogers

STAG & DAGGER » 21 May 2010
Various Venues

Shoreditch will once again become a frantic melee this May 21st as five thousand gig goers take to the narrow streets in search of the hottest bands and the best parties at this year’s Stag And Dagger all-dayer. With no stage times released as yet it’s hard to pre-plan a route through the chaos, but the many highlights include fast rising Icelandic upstarts FM Belfast at The Hobby Horse, dreamy pop from White Hinterland at the Quietus-curated Macbeth pub, and a Wichita anniversary party at The Old Blue Last; there’s also a miasma of hypnotic sounds at Sonic Cathedral’s Legion event, a Line Of Best Fit party at The Spread Eagle and John + Jehn’s smouldering French indie-rock at CAMP. John Rogers

REAL ESTATE » Tuesday 18 May 2010
Cargo | 83 Rivington Street EC2A 3AY

It’s the perfect time to get involved with some lazy beach jams and surf-pop vibes as Summer starts to show its face in London. New Jersey’s Real Estate are hitting these shores as a result of tireless work from two of the most exciting emerging labels in recent times; Underwater Peoples and Woodsist have released them, as well as the fruits of their many side-projects, and built up various such collectives that now tour and write together. Support comes from Ganglians, who have a more psychedelic pop take on things, and Double Dagger’s punkier but no less joyous sound. Jonathan Fisher

ATP PRESENTS THE CLEAN » Wednesday 19 May 2010
ICA | The Mall SW1Y 5AH

I’ll be honest. Despite owning a copy of Darwin’s On The Origin Of Species, I’ve barely dipped into it in any depth. I love his ideas, but the book is too big and the writing is a bit old fashioned for my liking. One of my favourite parts is about how instead of looking into how giraffes came to have such long necks (dem leaves are high, stupid) he wrote about how their tails had developed into highly efficient fly-swatters. Genius. I’m also really into marsupials. I doubt they could have survived and thrived to such an extent anywhere else but in but Australasia, right? What with there being no bit nasty predators to eat them. Same goes for those weird little kiwi birds. Craig Nunn

TRANSPARENT PRESENTS ACTIVE CHILD » Saturday 22 May 2010
The Hobby Horse | 281 Kingsland Road
This show has moved to CAMP, 70-74 City Road, Old Street, London, EC1Y 2BJ

It seems the London-based duo behind the Transparent Blog and 7” Singles Label can do no wrong at the moment. Whether it be breaking Summer Camp from a diddly MySpace experiment to an overnight blog phenomenon or releasing 7” singles by next-big-things Yuck, Washed Out or Perfume Genius – these guys certainly know their onions. Which is exactly why we urge you to head down to the Transparent night at The Hobby Horse, Hackney Camp, Shoreditch on 22 May. Pat Grossi aka Active Child will bring his chilling lo-fi gospel to the UK for the first time, plus current blog sensation Kisses are behind the decks. Rich Thane

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