Five bands you need to see this month

Love gigs? Here's the five bands you simply must see this month.

Ben Smith

Last updated: 31st Aug 2016

As festival season draws to a close, the opportunity to catch your favourite acts in more intimate surroundings begins to arise. Gone are the muddy missions to a far flung corner of Leeds Festival to catch that indie band with that really good song you've heard; once autumn draws nearer, they're now likely to be on your doorstep.

As artists fill their schedules with shows at a city near you, it's a chance to see them on their own terms with longer setlists, better staging and a chance to hear that album track you're really into. We've divulged into the heaps of gigs taking place in September to bring you our top five must see bands performing throughout the month.

Cymande

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Back in the 70s, Cymande's melting pot of funk, jazz, calypso and more resulted in several key records: 'Dove', 'The Message' and 'Bra' - all examples of the kind of loose genre bending grooves which struck a chord with many at the time - especially with a mantra of peace at the heart of everything they did.

That influence seeped into hip-hop, with Wu-Tang, De la Soul, Fugees and Gang Starr among the artists who've plundered their back-catalogue for sample material over the years. Back as a live band, their unique celebration of Black Britishness has lost none of its fervour.

Jimmy Coultas

London - KOKO, Thursday 29th September

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Eagulls

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Emerging from Leeds at the dawn of the decade, the post-punk quintet have enjoyed no shortage of praise from the music world for their nostalgic, song-writing prowess, whilst the lads have enjoyed many high profile touring partnerships along the way for good measure.

Their sophomore album Ullages released earlier this year saw the band shift from the gritty, intense punk of their debut to more ponderous output bordering on dream pop, with nods to goth legends The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen. It's a dazzling sound brimming with heartfelt fervour that sucks you in entirely.

Mike Warburton

Preston - The Ferret, Friday 23rd September

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Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia, Saturday 24th September

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Deap Vally

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The two piece from LA pack a real punch as a live outift with a tendency for rock n roll histrionics and outfits to match. Their angsty, feminist hollerings have spawned massive songs like 'Smile More' (listen below) and their onstage demeanour makes them engaging and simply unmissable.

Their second album, Femejism, comes out on 16th September and it is from this record that Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards will be dipping into heavily when they hit the UK this month.

Henry Lewis

Liverpool - The Invisible Wind Factory, Tuesday 20th September

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Pete Rock & Cl Smooth

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Hip-hop's deadly duo are one of the most iconic examples of the chemistry between DJ and rapper, effortlessly dropping a slew of stone cold classics during their early nineties heyday including the immortal 'They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)'.

They're back on tour to celebrate the 25 year anniversary of debut release All Souled Out. This special celebration of a quarter of a century in the game will be earmarked by a run of shows that take them beyond the usual hip hop central locations of London and Manchester.

Jimmy Coultas

Leicester - 2funkymusiccafe, Thursday 1st September

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London - The Garage, Friday 2nd September

Manchester - Mantra Warehouse, Saturday 3rd September

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London - The Jazz Cafe, Monday 5th September

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Oxford - 02 Academy, Thursday 8th September

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Newcastle - 02 Academy, Friday 9th September

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The Lottery Winners

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After recently signing to global imprint Warner Brothers, a 'World Tour of the UK' lies ahead for the band in September. Contrary to what their band name suggests, the indie-pop gangs success is by no means down to pot luck.

In Tom Rylance they have a hilarious and enduring focal point, as each band member comes together to string upbeat melodies with an eighties indie gloss. Off the back of a rampant Kendal Calling performance, they're without doubt a must-see live band for the upcoming touring season.

Ben Smith

Liverpool - Arts Club, Sunday 18th September

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