Next week, one of the most respected awards ceremonies in the UK music calendar takes place in London. Yes, it’s the Ivor Novello Awards. Now in its 54th year, the awards celebrate the best in British music, and whilst not as widely publicised as, say, The Brit Awards or the Mercury prize, they’re just as coveted by the winners.

This year’s awards feature Elbow, Duffy and Coldplay (pictured right) all nominated for numerous awards. Like the Mercury prize, there are also a few unknowns thrown in for good measure – this year, The Leisure Society are nominated for the prize of “Best song musically and lyrically”, alongside The Last Shadow Puppets’ (pictured top) “My Mistakes Were Made For You” and Elbow’s “One Day Like This”.

The first awards were held on 11th March 1956, to recognise entries released in 1955, at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. It was hoped that they would not only celebrate British writing talent, but boost the Songwriters Guild’s campaign for British music; at the time of the Awards’ inception, only around 20% of music broadcast by the BBC was British. In 1974, the Performing Right Society became the main sponsor of the Ivors and has remained a valued supporter ever since. Named after the famous Welsh composer, singer and actor Ivor Novello, he was author of the immortal line “Me Tarzan, you Jane” for the film “Tarzan the Apeman”, amongst other famous credits.

Previous winners of the Ivors reads like a who’s who of famous stars – Amy Winehouse (pictured top), Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Spice Girls, The Beatles, Pet Shop Boys, The Bee Gees, Pink Floyd, oh, and The Darkness have all won awards, which are split into three categories

• Nominated categories. These are judged by a jury made up of songwriters and composers of writers and acknowledge achievement in the previous calendar year. They include Best Song Musically and Lyrically, the Album Award and Best Original Film Score
• Statistical categories. These include Best Selling British Song and PRS for Music Most Performed Work. The recipients are decided by sales/download figures and statistics for ‘performance’ according to PRS for Music data. This is a combination of radio play, live and general usage.
• Gift of the Academy categories. These are decided by the Ivors Committee and recognise achievement over a longer period. Categories include Lifetime Achievement, Outstanding Song Collection, The Ivors Classical Music Award and The Ivors Inspiration Award.

So, if you ever were a bit hazy about the awards, you now have no excuse with the amount of information you’ve got there!

The Ivors presented by BASCA in association with PRS for Music take place on Thursday 21st May at London’s Grosvenor Hotel.

It’s late 2006 and a friend pushes a CD into my hands. “You’ll love this”, she whispered. Bearing in mind that this same friend had said that I’d love the new Britney album at the time, I wasn’t holding out much hope. However, when I pressed play, The Sunshine Underground blew me away. It was like the early 90s had come back, got good and very very catchy. Sadly I missed them on the NME tour in 2007 when they toured with Klaxons and CSS but finally they decided to come to Oxford, where I caught them tonight.

First, however, we had the sypport, Exit Calm and hotly tipped Boy Crisis

Take the crazy lovechild of The Verve of the mid 90s on their most drug hazed days, kasabian on their most reverb filled days and sigur ros on a very bad day and you end up with Exit Calm. Multi coloured search lights spread out over the Academy 2 (probably better known as the Zodiac for those of you who remember the days before Oxford’s premier music venue was refurbed). Perfectly competent, their 30 minute set featured dreamy, reverb filled numbers and potential titans of the record buying public. The downside? Vocals buried beneath the layers of effects peddles, barely audible. Shame, as I think Nicky Smith probably has some interesting things to say, if only we could hear them.

When Newsweek ran a cover story about falling standards among young men, a problem the magazine attributed to the “biologically disrespectful education system” as well as to the different ways in which male (compared to female) brains are hardwired. Their term for this phenomenon was “Boy Crisis”, and with that passing comment, five Brooklyn based boys thought it would be good to call themselves that, and in the process become a new buzz band of the blogging elite. But after that quick biology lesson, do they live up to the hype? Well, much like MGMT, Hockey, LCD Soundsystem and most US party bands before them, you need to be drunk to get the best out of them. Unlike MGMT and LCD Soundsystem however, when you’re sober Boy Crisis aren’t up to much – fun and funky they maybe, but ultimately they’re a poor younger “me-too” step brother to the indie dance megastars. Feel free to crucify me now, readers of Pitchfork, Stereogum et al.

After a quick clean of the stage, time for the headliners, Leeds based Sunshine Underground. Having overheard someone comment from a fellow audience member about them playing mostly new stuff, I was a tad concerned – most of times that bands do this it’s to show their “radical new direction” that ultimately leads to their lack of a record deal in coming months and a drastically shortened publicity trail and tour. However, it was great to see that this was far from the case.

The vast majority of the songs they played during their 70 minute set were new ones, and whilst I had no idea of the lyrics, they’re frankly amazing. Any band that can get their fans jumping around as much for a new track as their old album tracks is definately on to a winner in my eyes. The old songs took on a bigger sound, fuller and with a few nice changes – “Borders” with a slow and tender beginning before plunging straight in. The new stuff sounds absolutely huge – if their first album was meant to fill pubs and small clubs, their forthcoming album is going to be filling Academies, such is the power – they’re not quite at stadium sized yet, but certainly huge anthems.

“This is “The Way it Is”, and it’s my favourite track from “Raise the Alarm” – FACT!” joked Craig just over halfway through. Not the chattiest frontman I’ve seen, he lets the songs do the talking, with The Way It Is sounding particuarly huge – hypnotic at times, it seems all the “Raise the Alarm” tracks have been given a massive make over to become, well, huge.

Have I expressed my love for these four Leeds lads enough yet? Their second album is sounding amazing from their show at the Oxford Academy, be sure to check them out on tour (though many of the dates are sold out now). They’ll also be blogging their way through their tour on their official website.

MP3: The Sunshine Underground & FC Kahuna – From The City To The Sea

After the jump: More pictures.
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Nine Black Alps have announced a string of tour dates for May around the UK.

Tickets are on sale now, priced between £8 and £9 each.

Monday 18th May 2009 – Bodega Nottingham (See Tickets)
Tuesday 19th May 2009 – The Soul Tree Cambridge (See Tickets)
Wednesday 20th May 2009 – Little Civic Wolverhampton (See Tickets)
Thursday 21st May 2009 – The Musician Leicester (See Tickets)
Saturday 23rd May 2009 – Hungry Pigeon Festival Manchester
Sunday 24th May 2009 – Picturedrome Northampton (See Tickets)
Monday 25th May 2009 – Audio Brighton (See Tickets)
Tuesday 26th May 2009 – Talking Heads Southampton (TicketWeb)
Wednesday 27th May 2009 – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen London (TicketWeb)

Having already been one of our first ever MP3 of the days back in February, Amazing Baby. The New York based band release their 11-track début, Rewild, through Cooperative Music on June 22nd, and in the lead up to the release play the below shows.

Monday 27th April 2009 – Manchester Deaf Institute (“>See Tickets)
Tuesday 28th April 2009 – London Borderline (TicketWeb)
Thursday 7th May 2009 – Southampton Hamptons (See Tickets)
Friday 8th May 2009 – Oxford Academy 3 (WeGotTickets, TicketWeb)
Saturday 9th May 2009 – York Fibbers (TicketWeb)
Monday 11th May 2009 – Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s, (TicketWeb)
Tuesday 12th May 2009 – Nottingham Bodega (See Tickets)
Wednesday 13th May 2009 – Bristol Thekla (See Tickets)

One of 2009’s hottest starts, The Joy Formidable, have announced a string of dates for the end of May and early June around the UK before embarking on a huge festival offensive this summer.

We first featured the band as one of our MP3s of the Day series, and have had Austere on repeat for much of the month.

Tickets are on sale now, priced between £6 and £7 each.

Sunday 31st May 2009 – Liverpool Barfly (TicketWeb)
Monday 1st June 2009 – Newcastle Academy 2 (TicketWeb)
Tuesday 2nd June 2009 – York Fibbers (TicketWeb)
Wednesday 3rd June 2009 – The Royal Derby (Gigantic)
Friday 5th June 2009 – Manchester Ruby Lounge (Ticketline)
Sunday 7th June 2009 – Birmingham Bar Academy (TicketWeb)
Monday 8th June 2009 – London Borderline (TicketWeb)
Tuesday 9th June 2009 – Cambridge Portland (WeGotTickets)
Wednesday 10th June 2009 – Southampton Joiners Arms (See Tickets)
Thursday 11th June 2009 – Brighton Audio (WeGotTickets, TicketWeb)

Graham Coxon has announced a string of tour dates throughout May.

The former Blur guitarist will play the dates in support of his forthcoming album, ‘The Spinning Top‘ and before he embarks on Blur’s new dates.

Tickets are on sale now, priced between £12.50 and £14 each.

Sunday 3rd May 2009 – Norwich Arts Centre (WeGotTickets, See Tickets)
Monday 4th May 2009 – Brighton Digital (See Tickets)
Wednesday 6th May 2009 – Tunbridge Wells Forum (WeGotTickets, See Tickets)
Thursday 7th May 2009 – Hertford Marquee (WeGotTickets, See Tickets)
Friday 8th May 2009 – York Fibbers (TicketWeb)
Saturday 9th May 2009 – Glasgow King Tuts (Ticketmaster)
Tuesday 12th May 2009 – Cambridge Soul Tree (WeGotTickets, See Tickets)
Wednesday 13th May 2009 – London Lexington (WeGotTickets)
Thursday 14th May 2009 – Bristol Thekla (See Tickets)
Friday 15th May 2009 – Wolverhampton Civic (See Tickets)
Sunday 17th May 2009 – Nottingham Rescue Rooms (See Tickets)
Monday 18th May 2009 – Newcastle Cluny (TicketWeb)

Placebo were the first band that I was crazy fan-boy over (a role that has now been replaced by Delays and Bloc Party), and whilst their last album (Meds) was rather lack lustre, I’m holding out a lot of hope for their new album, Battle for the Sun. To celebrate the new album they’ve announced a trio of shows for early May around the UK.

Tickets go on pre-sale tomorrow (Monday 6th April) at 9am from here and from 9am Wednesday (8th April) for normal people.

Saturday 9th May 2009 – Sheffield O2 Academy
Sunday 10th May 2009 – Bournemouth Opera House
Tuesday 12th May 2009 – London Shepherds Bush Empire

Marina and the Diamonds (who we first introduced to you in February) has announced a string of dates around the UK for April and May.

Catch her at:

Saturday 11th April 2009 – Lancaster Library
Thursday 16th April 2009 – Edinburgh Limbo
Friday 17th April 2009 – Glasgow Twisted Wheel
Saturday 18th April 2009 – Aberdeen Moshulu
Sunday 19th April 2009 – Anthuser Home Game Festival
Thursday 30th April 2009 – Manchester Deaf Institute
Saturday 2nd May 2009 – Live at Leeds
Sunday 3rd May 2009 – Salford Sounds From the Other City

Kasabian have announced a massive summer UK tour, stopping, well, just about everywhere.

Tickets for the below dates go on sale at 9am tomorrow morning (1st April) from their website, and everywhere else on Friday morning (3rd April) at 9am.

Friday 29th May 2009 – Leicester De Montfort Hall
Saturday 30th May 2009 – Leicester De Montfort Hall
Sunday 31st May 2009 – Leicester De Montfort Hall
Tuesday 2nd June 2009 – Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Wednesday 3rd June 2009 – Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Tuesday 9th June 2009 – Newcastle O2 Academy
Saturday 13th June 2009 – Swindon Oasis
Sunday 14th June 2009 – Bridlington Spa
Tuesday 16th June 2009 – Dundee Caird Hall
Thursday 18th June 2009 – Glasgow O2 Academy
Wednesday 24th June 2009 – Nottingham Rock City
Thursday 25th June 2009 – Liverpool University
Monday 29th June 2009 – Sheffield O2 Academy
Tuesday 30th June 2009 – Manchester O2 Academy
Thursday 2nd July 2009 – Southampton Guildhall
Friday 3rd July 2009 – Newport Centre
Monday 6th July 2009 – Portsmouth Guildhall
Tuesday 7th July 2009 – Cambridge Corn Exchange
Thursday 16th July 2009 – London Brixton O2 Academy
Friday 17th July 2009 – London Brixton O2 Academy

Fanfarlo have just returned from a big string of dates in the USA at the SXSW festival in Austin and is now taking their strangely-strange-yet-oddly-hook-laden pop out on the road for a string of UK dates in support of their debut album Reservoir over the coming months.

Catch them at:

Thursday 30th April 2009 – Glasgow Hinterland Festival
Thursday 14th May 2009 – Brighton Great Escape
Sunday 17th May 2009 – Colchester Arts Centre
Monday 18th May 2009 – Sheffield Plug
Tuesday 19th May 2009 – Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s
Wednesday 20th May 2009 – Newcastle Head of Steam
Thursday 21st May 2009 – Leeds Brudenell Club
Tuesday 26th May 2009 – Oxford O2 Academy 2
Wednesday 27th May 2009 – Birmingham Flapper
Thursday 28th May 2009 – Bath Moles
Friday 29th May 2009 – Southampton Hamptons
Monday 1st June 2009 – Norwich Arts Centre
Tuesday 2nd June 2009 – London ICA

To find tickets, we suggest you try using Needtickets. Needtickets.com offers you the most comprehensive ticket service in the UK. With one click you can search every nationwide online ticket agent and as a result you can find tickets for any live music event that can be booked online. Every ticket is 100% guaranteed as Needtickets.com only offers links to official agents.