This selection looks a little bit special, plus it’s Independent Venue Week. Get out and enjoy the music somewhere; your local music venue needs you!
THE WHOLLS + THE KEEPERS + GARDEN + KING PURPLE
Thursday February 1st
The Lab, Northampton
The Lab is the only Northants venue hosting Independent Venue Week shows. So we of course plug their three events! Opening night sees Bedford anthemic rockers, and new Sony Records signing, The Wholls storm into ShoeTown wearing their hearts and riffs on their sleeves. A trio of excellent county supports too means this will go off big time. Doors 7.30pm, £4.50 tickets
SURGE
Friday February 2nd
Club 43, Northampton
Noughties-style angular garage/indie rock from Clacton-On-Sea, who feature a couple of UoN graduates. An intriguing show, as this gig is also a video shoot, and presented by local shoemakers Jeffrey-West. Doors 8pm, free entry (arrive early as there is limited capacity)
DEAF TRAP + 72% MORRISSEY + LOOSE TOOTH + WE ARE GIANTS + DRINSIPA
Friday February 2nd
The Lab, Northampton
The second IVW show at The Lab sees Sound Munkey get the tribes together for a night of pleasurable noise from some of the county’s standard bearers of alt-rock and hardcore. Doors 7pm, tickets are £2 members / £3 standard
GARDEN CENTRE + LUNA ROSA + PORRIDGE RADIO
Friday February 2nd
The Three Cocks Inn, Kettering
Two great acts on tour from Brighton sandwiched between Kettering’s kaleidoscopic pop noiseniks. Garden Centre is fronted by ex-King Of Cats Max Levy; expect guitars, ultra vocals, and fun. Porridge Radio is a solo venture featuring “shouting, guitar, and swaying”. Doors 7.30pm, free entry
BLACK COAST + WARS + REAPER
Friday February 2nd
The White Hart, Corby
Stoke’s melodic metallers return to play for Rocked Up, as do Rugby’s hardcore punks Wars. Local thrash metallers Reaper open proceedings. Doors 8pm, £3 tickets
FOREST OF FOOLS + THE GINHOUSE GYPSIES + HIB WORD
Saturday February 3rd
The Lab, Northampton
The third and final IVW at The Lab sees Forest Of Fools headline; they fuse traditional instruments with funked-up, high tempo beats to create “acoustic dance music”. The Ginhouse Gypsies are a gypsy/jazz/blues collective from Northampton, whilst HibWord is a solo female beatboxer of much repute. Doors 7pm, £4.50 tickets
GROOVY UNDERWEAR + PAUL COX
Saturday February 3rd
The Garibaldi Hotel, Northampton
Folks against facism, doing their mixed-up thing since the early ’80s. Ex-Motherlode/The Earthmovers singer Cox makes Nick Drake/John Martyn acoustic solo moves in support. Doors 8pm, free entry
BAD GIRLFRIEND + 40 SHILLINGS ON THE DRUM + BLUE TONGUES
Saturday February 3rd
The Pomfret Arms, Northampton
Brighton folk-rock troupe 40 Shillings On The Drum bring their Early Days tour to ShoeTown. Brummies Bad Girlfriend bring the grungey confrontation, whilst fellow Second City dwellers Blue Tongues kick us off with some alt-rock/garage flavourings. They’re all raising money for The Music Therapy charity. Doors 8pm, £5 entry
STEVIE JONES & MARK GILL + KENNETH J NASH + THE WAY OUT
Saturday February 3rd
The Old Forge Team Room, Kettering
Jones and Gill reunite for an acoustic show to play tracks from their 2007 album Weather The Storm. Only 45 tickets available. Doors 8pm, tickets £7