GARTH'S GIG GUIDE
MAYHEM IN MAY WITH MANY MUSICIANS FROM TEMPERATE CLIMES - MAORIS TO MALIAN ICONS - ALONGSIDE LA LINEA, BRICK LANE, FOLK & SONGSLINES FESTIVALS & MORE (MUCH MORE!).
Dapper Soho character George steps back in time in a listening booth at the 78 Revolutions Per Minute exhibition (on - free - until 6pm Saturday).
Hello there, dear readers! I flew the redeye from Austin, Texas, to London yesterday and, as I can’t sleep on planes, this means I’m horribly jet-lagged. Well, that’s my excuse if this edition of GGG isn’t as definitive as it might be on occasions where I’ve spent the preceding weeks in London….
Anyway, there’s heaps on, both ticketed and free, and any music lover spending time in the Smoke should feel grateful that there’s such an abundance of live music available: while New Orleans continues to offer a feast of live music (although very much in the jazz-R&B-country-rock vein) Austin, once a major music city, is feeling rather tired. As always, use it or lose it…
First off, rather than a gig is an exhibition that finishes on Saturday.
78 Revolutions Per Minute: The Early Music Publishing and Record Retailing Industry in the West End of London (open Noon till 18:00 12th till 26th April - free) All Is Joy, 75 Dean Street, Soho
This exhibition explores the golden era of shellac 78rpm records, a time when these records revolutionised home entertainment and defined the music industry. Its hosted by the British Record Shop Archive (check their website for wormholes to disappear into) and is joyous with an old listening booth recreated!
Right, now after that public service announcement let’s get on with the Gig Guide!
APRIL 23 -30
Extraordinary Spanish singer Rodrigo Cuevas sings in London as part of La Linea Festival tonight!
Liminal Chords: A Dreamscape in Verse & Sound. MA.MOYO (Belinda Zhawi) + Friends feat. Roxanne Tataei & Marysia Osu, respond to the radical work of Noah Davis - 23 April, Barbican Art Gallery
Taking place amidst the Noah Davis exhibition in the Barbican Art Gallery, this special performance by poet and sound artist MA.MOYO (Belinda Zhawi) responds to the radical work and philosophy of the visionary artist. MA.MOYO is joined by harpist and beatmaker Marysia Osu and vocalist Roxanne Tataei for an interdisciplinary performance blending poetry, vocal textures, and harp with real-time effects. Together, they explore the emotive, uncanny landscapes of Davis’ art, delving into the spaces between dreams and lucidity, joy and melancholy, individuality and community. A Zimbabwean-born, London and Marseille-based artist, Zhawi uses the moniker MA.MOYO to experiment with the interplay of text and sound, often collaborating with musicians from South East London’s vibrant jazz and beat-making scene. Her work reflects on themes of African diaspora narratives, history, and community.
Rodrigo Cuevas – 23 April, Islington Assemble Hall, Highbury & Islington
Rodrigo Cuevas has carved a career as one of the most successful Spanish artists of the 21stcentury having been awarded the National Prize for Current Music in 2023 and the Arcoíris (Rainbow) Prize from the Ministry of Equality in 2022 amongst other prestigious accolades.
The Young Uns – 23 April, Union Chapel, Highbury & Islington
Much loved folk trio, the Young’uns, celebrate 20 years of singing together.
The Day After – 23 April, The Vortex, Dalston Kingsland
The Day After are an improvising trio – Pat Thomas ; piano, Gary Willcox ; drums, Olie Brice ; double bass – of great dynamic range & depth.
Handsome Maori crooner Marlon Williams is at St P’ Old Church this week!
Marlon Williams – 23-24-25 April, St Pancras Old Church, Kings Cross
The celebrated Kiwi crooner and songwriter makes a rare London appearance to promote his first album where every song is sung in te reo Maori.
Matt Woods (USA) / Neil Bob Herd & The Dirty Little Acoustic Band – 23 April, What’s Cookin’, Leytonstone.
American country singer songwriter supported by local Americana band.
JTQ featuring Yvonne Yanney – 24-26 April, Ronnie Scott’s, Soho
James Taylor Quartet have set the standard for the creating funky acid jazz and the resurgence of the Hammond B3 in popular music.
Guillermo Hill Quartet - 25 April, The Crypt, Camberwell
GHQ will play tunes from their new album “Landing”, mainly influenced by contemporary and traditional instrumental music from South America, in particular from Hill’s native Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. Their style of music is upbeat and influenced by legendary 70’s bands such as Opa, Azimuth and the Candombe Rhythm.
Villano Antillano – 25 April, Jazz Cafe, Camden Town
Puerto Rican rap sensation rapidly becoming known for her blend of Latin rhythms with sharp social commentary, and being a prominent voice for the trans community.
Laura Cannell + Lucy Gooch – 25 April, Cafe Oto, Dalston Junction
Laura Cannell is an internationally acclaimed composer and musician whose music straddles the worlds of contemporary and ancient music, drawing on the emotional influences of the landscape. Lucy Gooch’s music resides somewhere between meditative flow and classical arrangement, recalling incantatory chanting as much as folk songwriting. Her looping vocals and evolving ambient electronics draw you in and invite you to listen more closely.
Daniel Brandt: Without Us + Tristan Perich & Ensemble -– 25 April, Barbican Centre
Composer, drummer and filmmaker Daniel Brandt, of Brandt Brauer Frick, returns to the Barbican in 2025 for a special evening of new music in two halves. Beginning with Ensemble 0, the French contemporary music ensemble will perform Open Symmetry - the latest work by contemporary composer Tristan Perich - before Brandt presents his new project: Without Us.
Basil Hodge’s Jazz Africa – 25 April, The Vortex, Dalston Kingsland
Jazz Africa is Basil Hodge’s exciting new project. This five-piece band will perform a range of music from Africa so you will hear Jazz fused with a mixture of Afrobeat, Township and Funk rhythms. Expect breath taking musicianship including djembe and percussion skills from these excellent players.
Freddie Hall – 25 April, Art’s Music Lounge, Shrewsbury House Bar, Plumstead
US guitarist and vocalist Hall sings soul classics, backed by Italian bassist Claudio Citarella. Bring your dancing shoes!
Northern folk fiddling icon Eliza Carthy - pictured here with her dad Martin Carthy - is headlining the Folk Weekender at Kings Place. Eliza’s a force of nature in concert.
Folk Weekender: Birdsong, You’ve Never Heard So Sweet – 25-27 April, Kings Place, Kings Cross
Kings Place’s Folk Weekend tunes in to the ornithological world. Song traditions of the British Isles are inspired by the relationships that singers have with their environment and the seasons, and many are infused with the sounds and images of birds. From blackbirds to ravens, they are used symbolically to reflect human experience. But, in turn, birds themselves are the inspiration for many musicians, from larks ascending to crying doves. Akin to unsung folk songs, many bird populations are at risk, with severe declines in numbers, from curlews to turtle doves and swifts to swans. Influential performers from across the contemporary folk scene including Eliza Carthy, Martin Simpson, Chris Wood, Miranda Rutter & Rob Harbron and The Wilderness Yet celebrate and shine a spotlight on all things avian: from new songwriting to musical dialogues with birds.
Brick Lane Jazz Festival – 25-27 April,
In April 2025, Brick Lane Jazz Festival will return for its fourth year. Focused on spotlighting local and emerging talent, the festival brings together artists from jazz, hip-hop, neo-soul, R&B, breakbeat, and electronic music, performing across twelve iconic music venues on and around Brick Lane. Put simply, if you like the music Giles Peterson plays on his 6 Music show then the BLJF is for you: headliners include new age zen master Laraaji, French-Caribbean soul / funk rising star Adi Oasis and R&B trailblazer and producer-in-demand, Ragz Originale. Elsewhere the festival will feature appearances from rising stars in the jazz scene such as Ife Ogunjobi (winner of this year’s Parliamentary Jazz “Best Newcomer” award) and the Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble, as well as showcasing some of the city’s best electronic and experimental outfits with the likes of Last Nubian, Marysia Osu, and Marla Kether set to play. BLJF will also celebrate global artists with sets from Irish Jamaican artist Rio Rainz, Ukranian harpist Alina Bzhezhinska and Ghanian Dutch artist Bnnyhunna, as well as further spotlighting the ever-expanding R&B / soul crossover scene with performances from Jelani Blackman and Astrønne.
All festival venues are within a short walk from the central hub at the Truman Brewery space on Brick Lane, transforming the site and surrounding area into a hive of gig-hopping for three days every April. The two 24 hour biegel bakeries at the north end of Brick Lane will surely feed many a famished festival goer.
Francisco, el Hombre – 26 April, Jazz Cafe, Camden Town
The five-piece rock band blend Brazilian traditions with Afro-Latin rhythms, psychedelic punk-rock and electro-punk creating a sound unlike any other. This is their “London farewell” – last chance to see!
Charlie Cunningham – 26 April, Barbican Concert Hall
Rising British singer-songwriter Charlie Cunningham has carved out a wide audience with his indie-flavoured songs (and distinctive flamenco guitar textures). Here he plays his most prestigious London concert so far.
Tim Richards Trio – 27April, The Old Library, New Cross Gate (free – 5-7pm)