Oxford quintet Foals‘ much anticipated second album Total Life Forever will be released on May 10th, preceded on May 3rd by debut single ‘This Orient’, and to celebrate they’re gonna be hitting the road for a sizeable tour in late April and early May.

Tickets for all dates go on sale on Friday (12th March 2010) at 9am.

Thursday 29th April 2010 – Liverpool Kazimier
Friday 30th April 2010 – Newcastle University
Sunday 2nd May 2010 – Glasgow ABC
Monday 3rd May 2010 – Leeds Met University
Tuesday 4th May 2010 – Manchester Ritz
Thursday 6th May 2010 – Cambridge Junction
Friday 7th May 2010 – Nottingham Trent University
Saturday 8th May 2010 – Bristol Anson Rooms
Monday 10th May 2010 – London Electric Ballroom
Wednesday 12th May 2010 – Oxford O2 Academy
Friday 14th May 2010 – Dublin Abassador

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

Delphic are cementing their name as one of 2010’s brightest stars by playing another tour, this time throughout the middle of March.

Catch them at:

Thursday 4th March 2010 – Middlesbrough Teeside University
Saturday 6th March 2010 – Dublin – Propaganda @ The Academy
Sunday 7th March 2010 – Stoke – Sugarmill
Tuesday 9th March 2010 – Northampton – Roadmender
Wednesday 10th March 2010 – Wigan – Club Nirvana
Thursday 11th March 2010 – Edinburgh – Studio 24
Friday 12th March 2010 – Newcastle – Digital
Sunday 14th March 2010 – Birmingham – Academy
Monday 15th March 2010 – London – Heaven
Tuesday 16th March 2010 – Cambridge – Junction
Wednesday 17th March 2010 – Manchester – Sankeys
Friday 19th March 2010 – Sheffield – Leadmill
Saturday 20th March 2010 – Southampton – University

Continuing her meteoric rise to fame, Marina and the Diamonds have announced a 2010 UK tour playing some of her biggest venues yet.

Sunday 2nd May 2010 – Birmingham Glee Club
Thursday 13th May 2010 – Bournemouth Old Fire Station
Saturday 15th May 2010 – Brighton Concorde
Sunday 16th May 2010 – Cardiff Millenium Music Hall
Tuesday 18th May 2010 – Norwich Waterfront
Wednesday 19th May 2010 – London Bloomsbury Ballroom
Saturday 22nd May 2010 – Sheffield Leadmill
Sunday 23rd May 2010 – Manchester University
Tuesday 25th May 2010 – Liverpool Masque
Wednesday 26th May 2010 – Belfast Speakeasy
Thursday 27th May 2010 – Dublin Tripod
Saturday 29th May 2010 – Glasgow QMU
Sunday 30th May 2010 – Edinburgh Liquid Rooms
Monday 31st May 2010 – Leeds Cockpit

Javelin, a electronic duo from Brooklyn by way of Providence, Rhode Island, will be dropping their mad beats in the UK next month, touring with Yeasayer. I caught the duo and their engaging live show here in Washington at DC9 and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel, and you can catch them in a venue near you.

Tuesday 16th February 2010 - Birmingham Academy 2

Wednesday 17th February 2010 – Glasgow Oran Mor

Friday 19th February 2010 – Dublin Academy
Saturday 20th February 2010 – Belfast Speakeasy
Sunday 21st February 2010 – Manchester Academy 3
Monday 22nd February 2010 – Leeds The Faversham
Tuesday 23rd February 2010 – London Heaven (NME Shockwaves show)

Thursday 25th February 2010 – Bristol Thekla
Friday 26th February 2010 – Brighton Digital

Field Music have announced a string of dates around the UK and Ireland for early 2010. Expect more to be added as time goes on.

Thursday 7th January 2010 – London Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
Wednesday 24th February 2010 – Glasgow Nice N Sleazy
Thursday 25th February 2010 – Leeds Brudenell Social Club
Friday 26th February 2010 – Manchester Islington Mill
Sunday 28th February 2010 – Sheffield University
Monday 1st March 2010 – Birmingham O2 Academy 2
Tuesday 2nd March 2010 – Oxford O2 Academy 2
Friday 5th March 2010 – Dublin Crawdaddy

Rod Stewart has announced his first UK and Ireland tour in five years for next May.

Tuesday 11th May 2010 – Dublin O2
Saturday 15th May 2010 – Belfast Odyssey
Tuesday 18th May 2010 – Newcastle Metro Arena
Thursday 20th May 2010 – Nottingham Arena
Saturday 22nd May 2010 – Birmingham NIA
Wednesday 26th May 2010 – Manchester MEN
Saturday 29th May 2010 – London O2 Arena

Hockey have announced a string of their biggest UK and Ireland shows for next February.

Tickets are on sale now.

Wednesday 24th February 2010 – London Koko
Thursday 25th February 2010 – Manchester Academy 2
Friday 26th February 2010 – Glasgow Queen Margaret Union
Saturday 27th February 2010 – Belfast Spring & Airbrake
Sunday 28th February 2010 – Dublin Academy

Indie Folksters Mumford and Sons have announced a string of UK tour dates for March next year.

Tickets for the UK dates are £12 (£14 London). Irish dates are Dublin €16.50, Belfast £14.50.

Catch the guys at:

Wednesday 3rd March 2010 – Glasgow ABC
Thursday 4th March 2010 – Manchester Academy 2
Saturday 6th March 2010 – Wolverhampton Wulfrun
Sunday 7th March 2010 – Newcastle University
Tuesday 9th March 2010 – Liverpool Academy
Wednesday 10th March 2010 – Cambridge Junction
Friday 12th March 2010 – Brighton Corn Exchange
Saturday 13th March 2010 – London Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Tuesday 16th March 2010 – Edinburgh Queen’s Hall
Thursday 18th March 2010 – Dublin The Academy
Saturday 20th March 2010 – Belfast Spring & Airbrake