Once upon a time there was a weekly London publication called Time Out – it featured intensive listings for film, theatre, art, clubs and – most importantly – concerts. The internet put paid to TO (a free edition was given away at tube stations for a few years but this was worthless – there remains an internet edition but it doesn’t offer listings – or much else...) and, since then, finding out about forthcoming gigs can be challenging – I’m on various venue mailing lists but still find I’ve missed out on gigs purely via being unaware the artist was performing in London. The one I feel most aggrieved at missing was Betty Wright at The Barbican a few years back – it turned out to be her final European performance…
Thus I often ask friends who are regular gig goers what they have lined up. And, in turn, friends ask me what notable live events are forthcoming. As live music is my favourite cultural experience (admittedly, it can be disappointing/depressing – on occasion I’ve headed home thinking “I need to take a break and watch TV/read” after travelling across town to experience mediocrity/laziness) and live music across the UK is under threat – that is, live music in small venues, stadium filling artists are doing booming business – I’ve decided to compile my own London listings offering tips on gigs I think might be of interest to my subscribers. No, I won’t be attending all that are listed, but I will give each one consideration.