The sensational Shockwaves NME Awards shows have been announced for next January and February to start off a 2009 in great style. The likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Wombats and Simian Mobile Disco are among this year’s great gigs, with more to be announced shortly.

Franz Ferdinand’s frontman Alex Kapranos said of their opening night honour: “We’re going to play the gig to celebrate ‘Ulysess’ coming out and Heaven is the best place to go and celebrate. The new songs are the type that should be heard in clubs so we liked the idea of playing a show in one. We want people close to us who are dancing and sweating, that’s the vibe that we want. We definitely don’t want polite theatre shows for this record- we want some excitement!”

Tickets are available exclusively at NME from 9am on Wednesday, 26th November and then go on general sale on Monday 1st December.

UPDATE: More gigs added today (2nd December 2008) - full details below.

Catch the full details of the gigs below:

Tuesday 20th January 2009 - Franz Ferdinand @ London Heaven
Sunday 8th February 2009 - The Gaslight Anthems, Frank Turner and The Polar Bear Club @ London Shepherds Bush Empire
Monday 9th February 2009 - Howling Bells @ London Islington Academy
Tuesday 10th February 2009 - The View @ London Koko
Wednesday 11th February 2009 - Ida Maria @ London Koko
Thursday 12th February 2009 - Ida Maria @ Manchester Club Academy
Thursday 12th February 2009 - Simian Mobile Disco and Chrome Hoof @ London Koko
Friday 13th February 2009 - Ida Maria @ Glasgow Garage
Friday 13th February 2009 - Mystery Jets and Little Boots @ London Shepherds Bush Empire
Sunday 15th February 2009 - Black Lips and Vivian Girls @ London Islington Academy
Monday 16th February 2009 - Secret Machines @ London Islington Academy
Tuesday 17th February 2009 - Iglu and Hartley @ London Islington Academy
Wednesday 18th February 2009 - Black Kids, Boy Crisis, Passion Pit @ London Koko
Wednesday 18th February 2009 - Tricky @ Manchester Club Academy
Wednesday 18th February 2009 - Iglu and Hartley @ Manchester Academy 3
Thursday 19th February 2009 - Tricky @ Glasgow Arches
Thursday 19th February 2009 - Iglu and Hartley @ Glasgow QMU
Thursday 19th February 2009 - Roots Manuva @ London Koko
Friday 20th February 2009 - Tricky @ London Shepherds Bush Empire
Monday 23rd February 2009 - Wombats @ London Shepherds Bush Empire
Tuesday 24th February 2009 - Metronomy @ London Koko
Tuesday 24th February 2009 - Wombats @ Manchester Academy
Thursday 26th February 2009 - Wombats @ Glasgow Barrowlands

Lily Allen is off on tour early next year. She’s just announced a string of UK tour dates for March next year in support of her new album.

Tickets go on sale at 9am tomorrow (2nd December 2008), Ticket prices are £19.50 for all dates except £21.50 in London €24.00 for Dublin.

(Pictures and general prettiness will resume later)

Saturday 14th March - Glasgow Academy
Sunday 15th March - Manchester Academy
Monday 16th March - Dublin Academy
Wednesday 18th March - Bristol Academy
Thursday 19th March - Southampton Guildhall
Friday 20th March - Brighton Dome
Sunday 22th March - Norwich UEA
Monday 23th March - Birmingham Academy
Tuesday 24th March - Leeds Academy
Thursday 26th March - London Shepherd’s Bush Empire

When I saw The Gaslight Anthem were playing Shepherds Bush Empire for the NME Shockwaves tour next year, I was a bit puzzled. How could a band come under the radar and play a venue that big and expect to sell it out?

I’ve since done a bit of research and it seems that my musical radar seems to have plain and simply missed them out, which is a hell of a shame - they’re pretty darned amazing and full of energy it seems - its pop punk, but for adults. Mature, loud, and good. Just how music should be.

Their new single, “Old White Lincoln” is after the dates, and is sounding amazing - it’s out on Monday and available to preorder from Recordstore. If you like that, you might also want to get hold of a copy of their sophomore album, “The ‘59 Sound” available now.

Support on all dates comes from Frank Turner (who I have it on good authority from Winston that he is amazing) and The Polar Bear Club.

Tickets are on sale now for all shows, priced around the £10 to £14 mark each. Catch The Gaslight Anthem and friends at the below shows:

Monday 2nd February 2009 - Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms (Tickets)
Tuesday 3rd February 2009 - Birmingham Academy (Tickets)
Wednesday 4th February 2009 - Manchester Academy 2 (Tickets)
Thursday 5th February 2009 - Bristol Academy 2 (Tickets)
Friday 6th February 2009 - Brighton Concorde (Tickets)
Sunday 8th February 2009 - London Shepherds Bush Empire (NME Awards Show) (Tickets)
Monday 2nd March 2009 - Norwich @ Waterfront (Tickets)
Tuesday 3rd March 2009 - Nottingham @ Rock City (Tickets)
Wednesday 4th March 2009 - Dublin @ The Academy (Tickets)

Now, you may not have heard of Bridgette Amofah before. I’ll even hold up my hands and admit that I hadn’t heard of her before I got the email introducing us.

However since then I haven’t looked back. She’s got an amazing voice, and could well be one of the shining talents of 2009 - the songs are quintessentially English but inspired by her musical heroes - from classic French artists such as Serge Gainsbourg and Edith Piaf, to Burt Bacharach and Minnie Ripperton with a nod to contemporary artists like Feist.

She’s not just a one talent flash-in the pan - Amofah’s life story could have resulted with her heading down one of many different routes. She toyed with becoming an author – the first poems she ever wrote as a child were published – and she still writes stories today. Then she did stint as a charity worker raising money for worthy causes before becoming a catwalk model - she was flown first class around Europe but was ultimately turned off by the industry and it’s ways.

Her debut single, ‘What It Takes/Not Your Style’ is released in two weeks time on 8th December, so be sure to at least have a listen on the myspace, and if you like it go and buy it.

She’s off on tour throughout December and early next year, playing the below dates, including a stint supporting Candi Staton - surely a match made in heaven.

Wednesday 3rd December - London Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
Saturday 6th December - Reading, Oakford Social Club
Thursday 11th December - London YoYo @ Notting Hill Arts Club
Friday 19th December - London Portobello WInterfest
Wednesday 21st January 2009 - London Monto Water Rats
Wednesday 18th February 2009 - Bristol Academy (supporting Candu Staton)
Friday 20th February 2009 - Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (supporting Candi Staton)
Saturday 21st February 2009 - Birmingham Town Hall (Supporting Candi Staton)
Tuesday 24th February 2009 - London Shepherds Bush Empire (supporting Candi Staton)
Wednesday 25th February 2009 - Hove The Old Market (Supporting Candi Staton)
Thursday 26th February 2009 - London Book Slam @ Neighbourhood
Wednesday 4th March 2009 - Exeter Vibraphonic Festival

Secret Machines have announced a string of UK tour dates next February in support of their third album, “Secret Machines” (out on January 19th and available for preorder here).

Tickets are on sale now, priced between £10 and £14 each.

Catch them at:

Wednesday 11th February 2009 - Glasgow King Tut’s
Thursday 12th February 2009 - Manchester Ruby Lounge
Friday 13th February 2009 - Sheffield Leadmill
Saturday 14th February 2009 - Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Sunday 15th February 2009 - Bristol Thekla
Tuesday 17th February 2009 - Brighton Digital

Late of the Pier have announced a string of tour dates for next February.

Tickets are £9 for most dates except London which is £12.50 a ticket.

Catch the lads at:

Tuesday 3rd February 2009 - Bath Burdalls Yard
Wednesday 4th February 2009 - Exeter Phoenix
Thursday 5th February 2009 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Saturday 7th February 2009 - Sheffield Leadmill
Sunday 8th February 2009 - Glasgow Oran Mor
Monday 9th February 2009 - Aberdeen Moshulu
Wednesday 11th February 2009 - Middlesbrough Empire
Thursday 12th February 2009 - Leeds Metro
Friday 13th February 2009 - Derby The Royal
Saturday 14th February 2009 - Manchester Academy 2
Monday 16th February 2009 - Oxford Zodiac
Tuesday 17th February 2009 - London Forum
Wednesday 18th February 2009 - Brighton C2
Friday 20th February 2009 - Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
Saturday 21st February 2009 - Hitchin Remix
Sunday 22nd February 2009 - Cambridge Junction

We’re always hearing stuff on the news about how we’re meant to be being greener, looking after the planet, recycling and generally reducing our CO2. However, when you’re on a night out most of that goes by the wayside - until now.

Surya is a new club in Kings Cross that features a self-generating energy dancefloor which by combining materials such as quartz crystals, ceramics, cutting edge technology and the dancing motion of clubbers generates enough energy to power up to 50% of the clubs energy requirements.

A wind turbine and a solar energy system makes the club 100% fully sustainable and an advanced alternative energy system is so effective that it will produce a surplus of electricity which is freely donated to the private residents closest to the building. The club has also installed the latest air flush, waterless urinals and low flush toilets and automatic taps to ensure maximum water saving and the latest innovations in ecological air conditioning units.

And the best bit? All customers attending the club who can demonstrate that they travelled there by foot, cycle or public transport receive free entry…. sounds good to me.

Full details are available about this weekends events here, or if you want to find out more about the man behind it all, just go to the Club4Climate website here.

Top image comes from Ravingheart’s flickr stream.

Girls Aloud have announced another arena jaunt for next spring, playing one of their biggest tours to date.

Cheryl, Kimberley, Nadine, Nicola and Sarah will be hitting the road for close to a month, with possibly more dates to be added to the list to fill in the gap. (That’s me saying that, not Girls Aloud’s PR people)

Tickets for the tour go on sale on Friday morning at 9am (14th November).

Catch the girls at:

Thursday 30th April 2009 - Belfast Odyssey Arena
Saturday 2nd May 2009 - Dublin O2
Tuesday 5th May 2009 - Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Friday 8th May 2009 - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Monday 11th May 2009 - Nottingham Trent FM Arena
Friday 15th May 2009 - Sheffield Arena
Saturday 16th May 2009 - Manchester MEN Arena
Tuesday 19th May 2009 - Liverpool Arena
Wednesday 20th May 2009 - Birmingham NIA
Saturday 23rd May 2009 - London O2 Arena

NME have announced their annual NME awards tour next January and February.

The frankly amazing lineup sees Glasvegas, Friendly Fires, White Lies and Florence and the Machine all take to the road together for what is surely going to be one of the most epic tours known to mankind.

The tour culminates in the NME Awards show at Brixton Academy on Wednesday 25th February.

Tickets go on sale from 9am tomorrow, Wednesday 12th November.

Catch the tour at:

Thursday 29th January - Liverpool University
Friday 30th January - Glasgow Academy
Sunday 1st February - Newcastle Academy
Tuesday 3rd February - Sheffield Academy
Wednesday 4th February - Birmingham Academy
Friday 6th February - Manchester Academy
Sunday 8th February - Leeds Academy
Tuesday 10th February - Lincolnshire Engine Shed
Wednesday 11th February - Nottingham Rock City
Thursday 12th February - Norwich UEA
Saturday 14th February - Cardiff University
Sunday 15th February - Bristol Academy
Monday 16th February - Brighton Dome
Tuesday 17th February - Oxford Academy
Thursday 19th February - Portsmouth Pyramid
Friday 20th February - Cambridge Corn Exchange
Saturday 21st February - Brixton Academy

Wow.

Kings of Leon have announced two more dates next summer around the UK to continue their status as one of our biggest and most popular bands.

I’m guessing they may add a few more dates to make it worth their while, or play a few European festivals around the festival times… we’ll see in due course.

Tickets go on sale at 9am this Friday 14th November with all tickets priced at £32.50 each. Catch them at:

Monday 15th June 2009 - The O2 Arena, London.
Monday 22nd June 2009 - Manchester Evening News Arena.

(Some tickets go on presale from here from 9am tomorrow, 12th November by the way)