Gig: Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr. Pioneering guitarist responsible for some of the most iconic riffs of the past 20 years and half of one of indie’s most revered duos.
And, more recently, part-time six-stringer with Canadian indie rockers Modest Mouse and latterly Wakefield noisy boys The Cribs.
This headline show, though, sees him get rid of the others for a solo performance that is all about him.Marr and mate Steven Morrissey were the driving forces behind The Smiths, the Manchester indie band who defined an era of guitar music and were one of the key influences on the Britpop bands that exploded in the Nineties.
The Queen Is Dead, How Soon Is Now?, This Charming Man – the band’s classic tunes were matched only by their intelligent yet prickly demeanour.
Post-Smiths, Marr’s continued to work and gig, and has played with a who’s who of alt and indie talent. Paul McCartney? Yup, shortly after The Smiths’ demise.
He was briefly a member of The Pretenders, too, and then part of New Zealand musician Neil Finn’s 7 Worlds Collide, with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Radiohead’s Phil Selway no less. In the mid-Noughties he joined Montreal indie-rock legends Modest Mouse.
Then, after a meeting at the 2008 NME Awards, he join the brothers Jarman in The Cribs, touring and recording on their fourth LP Ignore The Ignorant before setting off for pastures new.
His first solo album, The Messenger, is the current period’s produce, and this is the first time he’s taken it out on the road. Take your chance to see a living legend.
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, W12 8TT
Fri Mar 15 | Doors at 7pm | £22.50
Tube | Shepherd’s Bush
o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk
Gig: Republica
Ready To Go and Drop Dead Gorgeous are the dance-rock mega-hits that made Republica radio regulars at the height of Britpop and Cool Britannia, which saw them grace many a Nineties US teen movie soundtrack.
Lead singer Saffron and the boys are back now touring new EP and single, Christiana Obey.
Thur Mar 14. 7pm £14
The Garage 20-22
Highbury Corner, N5 1RD
Tube | Highbury & Islington
thegarage.co.uk
Club: Bass Culture Clash Tour
This musical competition has been touring the UK and drops in to town with a host of up-and-coming talent (Stylo G and Lady Leshurr) and established legends (Top Cat and Skibadee) for a night that celebrates Jamaican music and its influence on the British bass scene through a live music battle.
sat, mar 16. 10pm-6am £6+
Plan B 418 Brixton Road,
London, SW9 7AY
Tube | Brixton
ukbassculture.net
Club: Old School Indie – Bowie Night
The Old School Indie night takes the reins for this second event in Feeling Gloomy’s Bowie Week to honour one of rock’s most celebrated artists in the year of his majestic return.
There’s a screening of Labyrinth, the creepy Eighties fantasy flick, prizes for the best-dressed Bowie and loads of The Thin White Duke’s songs.
Sat, mar 16. 8pm-3.30pm £4.50+
02 Academy Islington
16 Parkfield St, Islington, N1 0PS
Tube | Angel
oldschoolindie.com
Gig: Roots Manuva
South Londoner Rodney Smith won plaudits galore for his 2011 LP, 4everevolution, and especially for a knockout Roundhouse show supporting it.
He had a new EP out earlier this year, Banana Skank, and will be playing from this, as well as cuts from his already classic five-strong studio album back catalogue.
Sat Mar 16. 9pm £14.50+
Koko 1a Camden High St, NW1 7JE
Tube | Mornington Crescent
koko.uk.com
Club: Ram Records Party
Bass music label Ram Records, which turned 20 last year, hosts its first warehouse party.
Label head Andy C is joined by live D&B act Loadstar (above) and tech-step stars Calyx & TeeBee with Delta Heavy, Dub PhiZix, Break b2b Die Killsonik, MJ Cole, Cyantific, Ray Rampage b2b Unknown Error and MCs GQ, 2Shy and Strategy.
Sat Mar 16. 10pm-5am £20
Ewer Street Warehouse
29 Great Suffolk Street, SE1 0NS
Tube | Southwark
ramrecords.com
Gig: Status Quo
Co-frontman Francis Rossi may have cut off his ponytail now but little else has changed with the rockers who have 29 albums to their name.
The last was Quid Pro Quo in 2011 but they’re still rocking all over the world – here on the Made In Britain world tour they play the Apollo (March 15 and 16) and Wembley Arena (March 17).
Sat Mar 15, 16 & 17. 7pm £19.50
Hammersmith Apollo
45 Queen Caroline St, W6 9QH
Tube | Hammersmith
hammersmithapollo.com
Festival watch: Secret Garden Party
Belgian dance-rockers Soulwax and London-via-Edinburgh indie troupe Django Django (above), who won a Mercury Prize nom for their self-titled debut last year, will grace the Great Stage at this festival in beautiful sculpted gardens in Cambridgeshire.
This year’s theme is superstition. Make shapes as XFM’s Eddy Temple Morris curates the Temple of Boom dance tent or hire a boat and paddle into a tranquil lake. Chilled out festivities.
July 25-28. Abbots Ripton,
PE28 2PH. £142.50
secretgardenparty.com
Station | Huntingdon
Photos: Getty
