The Skiddle Gig List: Upcoming gigs and tours across the UK

Live music is long overdue a big old sigh of relief in 2022. The past 2 years have really tried their best to make us all forget what it's like to see our favourite musicians on stage in venues small and large. Instead, they wanted you to stay inside and watch whatever the latest Netflix series is that everyone is talking about, subscribing to Youtube Yoga instructors and, heaven forbid, even digging out old jigsaws and board games... Ugh. But with restrictions set to make like a tree very soon, we can finally look forward to gigs without fear of cancellations! Welcome back live music, we've missed you greatly!

Below, you'll discover just a small selection of some of the many countless live gigs, tours and solo performances set to take place in venues around the British Isles over the next few weeks and months and even later into 2022.

So, whether you're into punk, dub, jazz, electronica, metal or hip hop, we guarantee there's something here to whet that insatiable live music appetite of yours. Scroll down and click or tap on the links provided for tickets and more... 

 

METZ

When: Sunday 3rd April 2022

Where: YES in Manchester

I first saw METZ in my second year of university in 2012 at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds. I’d heard their debut album and loved it. Just about the time they were due to arrive on “stage” (they played on the floor in front of the stage), all the lights in the venue were turned off and 3 floodlights were turned on, facing upwards towards the 3 Canadian individuals who went on to bludgeon my mind for an hour with ferocious, noisy, relentless punk rock. Hayden Menzies pummeled the drums, as though he was playing them with the intent of disintegrating them; Alex Edkins thrashed around the stage, his guitar piercing like a metallic cat-o-nine tails, his vocals a barrage of charged shouts; Chris Slorach drove his bass into oblivion - distorted yet punchy, the kind of tone that holds together a noise rock trio like super glue. Needless to say, I was enamored.

On their latest album, ‘Atlas Vending’, METZ have redefined their sound somewhat, verging slightly closer to a more accessible sound, but that doesn’t mean they have relented. Their songs are still propelled forwards by thunderous repeated rhythms; seriously, the drums sound like they’re being trampled by a horde of bulls - in a good way, of course. Album closer, “A Boat to Drown In” is one of the bands best to date, with a repeated outro that leans into shoegaze territory and sees the album sail off into its own noisy slumber.

However, as good as their records are, METZ need to be seen live to be fully appreciated. Do yourself a favor, get yourself a ticket from the link below now to catch them at YES, Manchester, this April…

 

Find tickets for METZ - here

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Blanket

When: Sunday 3rd April 2022

Where: Bootleg Social in Blackpool

On their 2018 debut, ‘How To Let Go’, Blackpool 4-piece Blanket laid forth their compositional skills, as they delivered an album that defines post-rock; using rock band instrumentation to present something that goes beyond the genre definitions of “rock” music. The band pens cinematic journeys that say what they need to in the music alone, with vocals taking a back seat to epic soundscapes; the guitars and melodies scaling sky high to deliver emotional crescendos and expansive explorations. The album saw them tour Europe with bands such as Zeal and Ardor, opening for Polyphia and playing UK festivals such as Bluedot.

Their 2021 sophomore album, “Modern Escapism” saw the band turn the dials up, maintaining the post-rock loftiness, but marrying these elements with shoegaze, blackgaze and pure heavy riffs. They sound as though they have a new lease of life as they drive through spacious metal riffs and featuring more vocals than seen in previous releases. They even have a guest vocalist in the form of Kadeem France of Loathe, the UK's favourite new metal band. The band have a clear Deftones influence but are not restricted by their imprint, forming their own palette to paint atmosphere across every facet of this impressive second album.

Blanket play a special hometown show at Blackpool's Bootleg Social on February 5th, where they will play ‘Modern Escapism’ in full. They are truly a must-see band. Get your tickets from the link below now…

 

Find tickets for Blanket - here

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The Lovely Eggs

When: Thursday 7th April 2022

Where: The Castle And Falcon in Birmingham

The Lovely Eggs still hold the title for the best merch I ever bought from a gig: a blue and white, football style scarf that says “FUCK IT” in big bold letters, taken from their song of the same name, featuring on the album “Cob Dominos”, which also has tracks such as “People are Twats”, “Muhammed Ali and All His Friends” and “Don’t Look at Me (I Don’t Like It)”. They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but with song titles like these, you know what you’re getting yourself into: The Lovely Eggs are a 2-piece lo-fi punk band from the UK, composed of married couple Holly Ross and David Blackwell. 

The band's entire ethos is exactly as the scarf says, doing things their way, without a care for conventions and restrictions, just as punk rock should. But while punk can carry a stigma of machismo and aggression, TLE are anything but that, imbuing their noisy pop numbers with infectious joy and humour, never taking themselves too seriously, but delivering devilish earworms at the same time. And it's this attitude towards music that has won the hearts of the UK's music press and even Iggy Pop, who features on the single “I, Moron”. Louder Than War refers to Holly and David as “The Mother and Father of England”, and I am all for it.

You can catch Mummy and Daddy live at The Castle and Falcon as they return to Birmingham on the 7th of April. Get your tickets now, they may or may not have scarves on the merch table, I’m not sure…

 

Find tickets for The Lovely Eggs - here

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Chrystabell

When: Sunday 6th February 2022

Where: The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh

Ok, I admit it, Chrystabell has been included in the gig list this week because it gives me a chance to write about Twin Peaks and David Lynch, and there's nothing I like more than to talk about Twin Peaks and David Lynch. Chrysta appeared as FBI agent Tammy Preston in Twin Peaks: The Return in 2017, which, in my opinion, was the greatest television event of this generation. But aside from that, she has also worked with Lynch to produce music of an ethereal nature, her vocals reminiscent of dark, smoky, shaded whisky bars and noir mysteries.

On her latest album, ‘Midnight Star’, Chrysta moves away from her earlier sounds, employing sci-fi synths aplenty to create a sound that's simultaneously 80s, futuristic and dreamy. She’s an artist of her own desires, not wanting to repeat previous works, pushing herself in new directions and explorations, much in the same way her spiritual mentor Lynch does with his films. See, I knew I’d come back to talking about Lynch…

Chrysta makes a rare appearance in the UK, performing in Edinburgh on 6th February. Grab your tickets from the link below…

 

Find tickets for Chrystabell - here

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Spirit of the Beehive

When: Wednesday 20th April 2022

Where: Record Junkee in Sheffield

In 2021, Spirit of the Beehive released their 4th record, ‘ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH’, an album which saw them tired of traditional rock band setups, each member lending their hand to multiple instruments, crafting songs together over remote sessions from their homes. They headed into the studio with a bunch of songs that would see Spirit at their most experimental yet in their new 3-piece guise. They self-produced a record that would go on to feature on just about every “best of the year” list for 2021. 

And for good reason; the album is an absolute journey through psychedelic, dreamy alt-pop songs, each living in its own space and breathing its own air, resulting in an album that is cohesive yet wildly varied. There is something hypnotic, yet discomforting about their music. While the melodies are soothing, there is always something going on to give the music a dark edge. The album art sums it up beautifully; a vampire with his mouth held wide, luring his perfectly willing victims into his jaws; and they enter with pleasure. I reckon the devil probably knows how to play these songs on his solid gold fiddle.

Spirit of the Beehive, much like the rest of the music world, have not had the chance to take these new songs on the road yet, but finally, the band can make it to the UK, including a stop at Record Junkee in Sheffield in April. Get your tickets from the link below now…

 

Find tickets for Spirit of the Beehive - here

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Roméo Elvis

When: Sunday 30th October 2022

Where: O2 Forum Kentish Town in London

Roméo Elvis is a Belgian rapper whose infectious blending of alternative hip hop and traditional instrumentation has seen him achieve number 1 status in his home country, as well as making a name for himself globally. His deep, bass-y vocal style layers beautifully with plucked acoustic guitars and electronic production to create a style that is unique to Roméo, sounding both modern and traditionalist European. Despite his early successes, Roméo had to keep up his day job as a cashier to support his music, but before releasing his debut album, he made the brave decision to concentrate fully on his music. Thankfully, it paid off.

Roméo is known for pouring everything into his live performances, each one being delivered with passion and boundless enthusiasm as though he appreciates each and every opportunity he has to perform his music worldwide. He is quickly making a name for himself as one of the best MCs to come out of Belgian for a long time.

You can catch Roméo live at O2 Forum Kentish Town on October 30th, 2022. Grab your tickets from the link below…

 

Find tickets for Roméo Elvis - here

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Melt-Banana

When: Saturday 2nd April 2022

Where: Hare And Hounds in Birmingham

How do you describe a band like Melt-Banana? Considering the fact the band refuse to be shoehorned into a genre, describing themselves as a “Chimera,” that's quite a tall order. On the surface, they’re a noisy rock band from Japan, but when you start to peel back the alien layers folded on top of that basic outline, what we get is grindcore, hardcore, punk, electronica and experimental music, all tied together with pop sensibilities. It’s like all these styles were put into a blender and fed into the mouths of some of Japan's most forward thinking members of the noise rock community. Oh yeah, and they also cite the sense of victory achieved through playing video games as an influence. Make of that what you will.

In their current incarnation, Melt-Banana are a duo, consisting of Yasuko Onuki on vocals and Ichiro Agata on guitar and a seemingly endless amount of effects pedals that send his guitar playing to dimensions as yet undiscovered by modern man. Yausko has a truly distinctive vocal style that can be shocking at first, but becomes incredibly endearing the more you’re exposed to it, yet another wildly unique element that sets Melt-Banana apart from just about every other band in the world. When it comes to experimental rock music, nobody does it quite like Japan.

You can catch Melt-Bananas ferocious (and loud) live set at Hare and Hounds in Birmingham on the 2nd of April this year. Click below to get your tickets now…

 

Find tickets for Melt-Banana - here

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Nordic Giants

When: Thursday 17th February 2022

Where: 24 Kitchen Street in Liverpool

Nordic Giants are a post-rock duo from the UK who blend cinematic post-rock soundscapes with breathtaking short films and visual elements. Made of members known as “Loki” and “Rôka”, they have released 2 studio albums and 3 EPs, but it is in their live performances where Nordic Giants become something to behold. They perform musical pieces set to films. Think of them as music videos, but with a live soundtrack. The sound created by the two masked individuals really is incredible, as they play guitars with violin bows, create enveloping synth loops and, at times, blow sky-high with post-rock crescendos. My only criticism is that it's hard to know whether to watch these two virtuoso musicians at the top of their game or the beautiful films unfolding just above their heads.

For 12 years now, Nordic Giants have been staple favourites of international music festivals, have toured with the likes of 65daysofstatic and Public Service Broadcasting and have even released their own feature length documentary alongside their most recent album, 2017s ‘Amplify Human Vibration’. Their epic, instrumental music is intended to spread messages of unification, positivity and love for fellow humans, sentiments that are alarmingly relevant today in 2022.

Take my word for it, Nordic Giants are a musical, cinematic experience that needs to be seen live to appreciate. And you can do just that next month as they head to 24 Kitchen Street in Liverpool. Get your tickets from the link below now…

 

Find tickets for Nordic Giants - here

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Dreadzone

When: Friday 20th May 2022

Where: Band On The Wall in Manchester

One of the finest purveyors of dub/reggae music the UK has seen in the last 25 years. Fusing electronic, trip-hop fueled beats with dub styles, Dreadzone have built up a loyal following, and while they may have only ever tasted minor commercial success, they have achieved cult status. And it really comes as no surprise, given that John Peel was a champion of these boys, naming “Second Light”, the band's 2nd album as one of his “favourite albums of all time.” High praise from such an iconic legend.

1996 saw the band opening for Oasis and also netted them their only entry into the UK top 40, with their single “Little Britain” landing in at number 20. Since then, the band have continued to refine their style, releasing 8 studio albums, their most recent being 2017’s “Dread Times”. Few bands show as much character on stage as Dreadzone, feeding into the hands of their beloved followers. They deliver their songs with finesse and personality by the bucket load.

Dreadzone are headed to Band on the Wall in Manchester on the 20th of May! Do not miss them! Get your tickets now from the link below…

 

Find tickets for Dreadzone - here

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Anika

When: Wednesday 20th April 2022

Where: The Louisiana in Bristol

Sounding something like Nico pulled by her ankles into the 21st Century, Anika is a British/German singer/songwriter, who was invited into the musical world by chance, when she met Geoff Barrow, formerly of Portishead, currently of the band Beak>. Geoff wanted Anika to be a vocalist in his band, so they entered the studio together. What they walked out with after 12 days was not a Beak> record with Anika’s understated vocals on them, but rather a solo record, mostly consisting of covers of artists such as Yoko Ono, Bob Dylan, Lynn Ripley and more.

She repaints these songs into lo-fi, avant garde, post-punk bops, with dry bass lines acting as the backbone in the style of a dub outfit. Anika sounds almost robotic on her delivery of “Yang Yang”, but in a way that is artistic and intriguing. 11 years after her debut, Anika returned in 2021 with her follow up, “Change”. Immediately from opener “Finger Pies”, we’re introduced to a more psychedelic sound, sounding akin to Shocking Blue, dripping in glamour and evoking vogue magazine covers. It's a sound that's cool and alluring, aided by Anika’s confident yet refined delivery.

You can catch Anika live at The Louisiana in Bristol this April. Grab your tickets from the link below now…

 

Find tickets for Anika - here

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.