Yes, you’re probably fed up of going on and on about Blog Off!? This Saturday night – Theregoesthefear’s first gig night at London’s Roundhouse with Victoria & Jacob, Jazica and Starlings all playing.

We were all geared up for Saturday night. Then a friend mentioned about the lack of between set entertainment, so rather than the classic “pop the ipod on shuffle” trick, we asked a few friends, dug around, called in a few favours and managed to blag the rather fantabulous Ou Est Le Swimming Pool to DJ between sets. Yes, that’s right, the same Ou Est Le Swimming Pool that finished in our top “10 for 2010″ poll last year. The same Ou Est Le Swimming Pool that are supporting La Roux in a few months. Oh yes.

So, if you’re at a loss as to what to do on Saturday night, why not pop down to Camden’s Roundhouse studios to catch some ace live music? doors are at 7:30pm on 20th March 2010 and tickets are on sale now for those of you that like a discount and planning ahead – they’re just £5 now and will be £6 on the door. Or, if you don’t fancy paying, you can win one of two pairs of tickets to the event here.

You can order your tickets now on the Roundhouse’s website, or join the Facebook event.

Northern Irish dance pop band Two Door Cinema Club have just announced a string of 12 dates for September. The tour starts on the 15th of September in Birmingham and includes their biggest headlining show to date, at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire on 22 September. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday (19 March).

Wednesday 15th September 2010 – Birmingham, Academy 2
Thursday 16th September 2010 - Newcastle, Northumbria University
Friday 17th September 2010 – Glasgow, Oran Mor
Saturday 18th September 2010 – Manchester, Academy 2
Monday 20th September 2010 - Sheffield, Leadmill
Tuesday 21st September 2010 – Leeds Metropolitan University
Wednesday 22nd September 2010 – London, Shepherds Bush Empire
Friday 24th September 2010 – Oxford, Academy
Saturday 25th September 2010 – Brighton, Digital
Monday 27th September 2010 – Stoke, Underground
Tuesday 28th September 2010 – Cambridge, Junction
Wednesday 29th September 2010 – Liverpool, Academy 2

Having lit up the hearts and imaginations of the Hype Machine crowd with new track ‘World Sick, and with their third album “Forgiveness Rock Record” due for release early May, Broken Social Scene have just announced some more UK shows in late June.

Tickets are available at Gigsandtours on Friday morning (19th March 2010)

Saturday 26th June 2010 – Birmingham O2 Academy2
Monday 28th June 2010 – Manchester Club Academy
Wednesday 30th June 2010 – London HMV Forum

One of Manchester’s brightest talents, Doves have announced a string of UK shows for April and May this year to co-incide with the release of their greatest hits, “The Places Between: The Best Of Doves” which is out on 5th April.

Tickets go on sale on Friday (19th March 2010)

Wednesday 28th April 2010 – Hull City Hall
Thursday 29th April 2010 – Leicester De Montfort Hall
Sunday 2nd May 2010 – Blackburn King Georges Hall
Tuesday 4th May 2010 – Folkestone Lea Cliffs Hall
Wednesday 5th May 2010 – Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Thursday 6th May 2010 – London Troxy
Saturday 8th May 2010 – Liverpool University
Sunday 9th May 2010 – Bradford St George’s Hall

Many, many years ago I had a young girl’s dream of becoming a singer. Long story short: for a multitude of reasons, it never happened, but as a result, I’m very critical of female singing voices upon hearing them for the first time. Most of the time, I am displeased (that’s putting it mildly) by what frivolous and unimpassioned warblings some girl is passing off as quote music unquote. I’m happy to report that last week I was pleasantly surprised and even a bit stunned upon hearing the band I am about to describe to you.

The anti-folk foursome Erin K and Tash is fronted by, yep, you guessed it, two angelic, incredible-sounding singers named Erin Kleh and Tash ter Braak. The two met in August 2009 after ter Braak, a talented pianist, answered Kleh’s ad for a backing vocalist for her burgeoning amateur band. The two hit it off right away and have been writing and performing together ever since with Paul Durbin (percussion) and Nicolas Cornu (guitar).

Check out the funny and evocative ‘Sorry I’m Not Black’ (mentioning American basketball star Dennis Rodman and English party girl singer Amy Winehouse) for an example of their lyrics: witty, humourous, and a breath of fresh air. The songs are delivered with such sweetness than the first thing that came into mind upon listening to a gorgeously spare version of ‘Oh Well (without noise version)’ on their MySpace, I thought of Emmy the Great.

The sultry ‘Jiggy Miggy’ reminds me of the great Mama Cass of the Mamas and the Papas. It’s a great example that even though female voices can be angelic, these women are real women; they feel emotions like love and lust like the rest of us and aren’t afraid to sing about them in a thoughtful way that we normal people can relate to, not at all in the distasteful way that seems pretty much par for the course for female, mass-marketed pop singers these days. So I say to Erin K and Tash, hip hip hooray!

This unsigned band is based in London and plays in venues around town. Here are some upcoming dates taken from their MySpace.

Sunday 21st March 2010 – London Islington Old Queens Head
Thursday 15th April 2010 – London Gladstone (free gig)
Thursday 22nd April 2010 – London Earl’s Court Troubadour
Monday 10th May 2010 – London 12 Bar (Blang! night)
Saturday 22nd May 2010 – London Leytonstone Library Hall

North Wales band the Joy Formidable will be logging many miles travelled as they trek across the UK in March and April on tour. Note that four dates in Scotland originally slated for the start of the tour have been rescheduled for early April. Catch the band on the dates below.

Their new single ‘Popinjay’ is now available as a digital download, with a limited run of 500 7″ vinyl singles planned for 5 April.

Sunday 14th March 2010 – Manchester, Ruby Lounge
Monday 15th March 2010 – Liverpool, Korova
Tuesday 16th March 2010 – Nottingham, Bodega
Wednesday 17th March 2010 – Leeds, Cockpit
Friday 19th March 2010 – Cambridge, Portland
Saturday 20th March 2010 – Birmingham, O2 Academy 2
Sunday 21st March 2010 – Oxford, O2 Academy 2
Monday 22nd March 2010 – Brighton, Audio
Wednesday 24th March 2010 – London, Electric Ballroom
Thursday 25th March 2010 – Southampton, Joiners
Friday 26th March 2010 – Bristol, Start the Bus
Saturday 27th March 2010 – Cardiff, Barfly
Monday 29th March 2010 – Northampton, Roadmenders
Tuesday 30th March 2010 – Sheffield, O2 Academy 2
Wednesday 31st March 2010 – Newcastle, O2 Academy 2
Thursday 1st April 2010 – Wrexham, Central Station
Saturday 3rd April 2010 – Glasgow, King Tuts
Sunday 4th April 2010 – Inverness, Madhatters
Monday 5th April 2010 – Aberdeen, Snafu
Tuesday 6th April 2010 - Dundee, Fat Sams

MP3: The Joy Formidable – The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade
MP3: The Joy Formidable – Cradle
MP3: The Joy Formidable – Austere
MP3: The Joy Formidable – While the Flies

A slight break from the normal TGTF stuff here, as Beardyman has announced details of his debut solo UK tour.

The champion beatboxer is hitting the road, with a novel idea – the crowd chooses what is played.

But how is this going to work? All you have to do is send your suggestions to him on Twitter under the hash-tag #beardytour he will include them in his set, as long as you’re there to claim responsibility for how great (or shocking) they turn out to be. Marmite-hip-hop-ragga-step, renegade-banana-disco-dub, or Michael Jackson and Arnold Schwarzenegger in a techno rave-up… the never-ending choices are yours.

Sound good to you? Yeah, it does to me too. Catch him at:

Tuesday 27th April 2010 – Manchester, The Factory
Wednesday 28th April 2010 – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
Thursday 29th April 2010 – Glasgow, The Arches
Saturday 1st May 2010 – London, Islington Academy
Sunday 2nd May 2010 – Bristol, Metropolis
Friday 7th May 2010 – Dublin, The Button Factory

Kyp Malone from soulful art rockers TV On The Radio is coming to the UK with his solo project, Rain Machine in May.

Explaining the motives behind his new project, Kyp commented:

“I’ve been writing and recording songs alone since I moved to NYC in 2000, at first alone because I didn’t know anyone, then through the years by choice because of a particular freedom that going it alone afforded. I’ve played regularly since then, at first under the name Black Lights until some kids in Texas told me they were already using that name. Then under my own name but I didn’t like how “Kyp Malone” looked on mock ups of t-shirts and fliers, thus Rain Machine.”

Tickets are on sale for all these dates now. Catch Kyp’s Rain Machine at:

Monday 12th April 2010 – London, Shoreditch Village Underground
Tuesday 13th April 2010 – Manchester, The Deaf Institute
Wednesday 14th April 2010 – Belfast Speakeasy
Thursday 15th April 2010 – Belfast the Academy

So, fresh from their appearance on the Twilight soundtrack last year, Band of Skulls have announced another UK tour, this time for May this year.

Catch them at:

Friday 7th May 2010 – Leeds Cockpit
Saturday 8th May 2010 – Glasgow Classic Grand
Sunday 9th May 2010 – Manchester Factory
Monday 10th May 2010 – Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Tuesday 11th May 2010 – Wolverhampton Slade Rooms
Thursday 13th May 2010 – Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
Friday 14th May 2010 – London Electric Ballroom

Guillemots frontman gone solo, Fyfe Dangerfield, has announced a one off London gig in April. Tickets are on general sale this Friday, 26th February at 9:00am, and can be purchased from See Tickets.

Tuesday 27th April 2010 – London, Bloomsbury Ballroom