War Child Brit awards show
This annual benefit gig for the War Child charity, which helps children around the world affected by conflict, has landed one of its biggest headliners in recent years for this month’s event – none other than stadium-shredding megastars Muse are set to touch down in west London.
The trio of Devon-born boys have, in the space of six albums, become the biggest band on the planet.
And deservedly so. They’re in the middle of a global arena tour in support of their sixth release, the ambitious and bombastic The 2nd Law, with Matt Bellamy and co. slated to play Wembley Stadium this summer.
Before then, though, fans will get the chance to see them in the far more intimate surrounds of the 2000-capacity Shepherd’s Bush Empire, a chance that doesn’t come along all that often, if ever.
Never ones to shy away from grandstanding, epic future-rock, Muse have built on their impressive debut, Showbiz, with its subsequent follow-ups to amass a catalogue packed with global smash singles including Plug In Baby, New Born, Time Is Running Out and The 2nd Law lead Madness.
Nothing is too big for the band, no idea too OTT, as evidenced by their current tour’s unveiling of a giant upside down pyramid that descends during the performance and rotates into different positions.
Now that’s the sort of show even U2 in their giant cocktail glass heyday would have bowed down to.
So expect a laser-filled, hit-laden show of monolithic proportions. And remember to dig deep!
Shepherd’s Bush Empire, W12 8TT
Mon Feb 18 | Doors at 7pm | £50
Tube | Shepherd’s Bush
o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk
Gig: Angus Stone
Half of Angus And Julie Stone goes it alone sans little sis as he takes his heartfelt acoustic tunes from the recent solo sojourn Broken Brights and 2007’s Smoking Gun out on the road.
You’d be a fool to bet against him dipping into the duo’s much adored back catalogue of folk-blues, too.
Wed Feb 13. 7.30pm £16.50
Shepherd’s Bush Empire W12 8TT
Tube | Shepherd’s Bush
o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk
Club: Egg presents – Suara Record
Spanish DJ and producer Coyu’s Barcelona-based Suara Records take centre stage this week, with the label head bringing along Ramon Tapia and Zombie Disco Squad for the ride.
The likes of Jay Deep, Jason Smythe, Long & Harris and Lukas Greenberg will be turning up the heat across the four rooms of electro-techno-house heaven.
Fri Feb 15. 10pm-8am £10+
Egg 200 York Way,
London, N7 9AX
Tube | King’s Cross
egglondon.net
Club: Mr Scruff
The turntablist terror, known as Andy Carthy to others, plays his 16th consecutive show in his residency at Camden’s classy Koko with a five-hour DJ set.
He’ll be delving into his vault of sounds to bring you hip-hop, disco, electro, indie, house, reggae, funk – basically a what’s-what of music. Unrelentingly eclectic.
Sat, Feb 16. 9.30pm-3am
£18 Koko 1a
Camden High Street, NW1 7JE
Tube | Mornington Crescent
koko.uk.com
Gig: Deftones
The Sacramento noisemongers quickly outgrew the nu-metal tag they were lumped with in the late-Nineties as they expanded their sound to take in gothic soundscapes and electronic flourishes, only with Chino Moreno’s piercing howl.
They’re back in London with last year’s record Koi No Yokan in tow.
Wed, Feb 20. 7pm £28.50
Brixton Academy 211
Stockwell Road, SW9 9SL
Tube | Brixton
o2academybrixton.co.uk
Club: Fabriclive: Dub Police & Roska Presents
This Friday night party takes a tour through music in all its guises, genres and flavours.
So you get everything from drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep to electro and hip-hop, with a whole host more.
Residents spinning the tunes tonight are Roska (above), Riva Starr, Artwork, Preditah, Ossie, Shox and Jamie George.
Fri, Feb 15. 10pm-6am £16+
Fabric 77a Charterhouse Street, EC1M 3HN
Tube | Farringdon
fabriclondon.com
Gig: The Datsuns
The Kiwi garage rock kings return to the capital to play this low-key show.
The scruffed-up foursome hit the charts with Harmonic Generator back in the early-Noughties and have been beavering away, cranking out the riffs – fifth and most recent album Death Rattle Boogie was out last October – and touring the world ever since.
fri, feb 15. 7pm £10
Dingwalls Middle Yard,
Camden Lock, NW1 8AB
Tube | Camden Town
dingwalls.com
Photos: Getty
