London Live Music: October

London Live Music: October

30 September, 2008
by: Marcus

'I read the news today, oh boy,' sang John Lennon once. You do wonder what Johnny might make of the state of things today as he perused the doom and gloom that pervades our national press. Global recession due to the credit crunch, spiralling food and travel costs and the fear that you might see a 'closed for business' sign the next time you pop to the bank. It all makes a few holes in Blackburn seem rather trivial.

Yet music fans should take solace in a couple of thoughts. First of all, there is the undeniable fact that through adversity, great music shines through. From jazz to reggae, from punk to Britpop, every era's troubled times are absorbed, digested and translated into some of the best music the world has seen. Whether popular music really has anywhere left to go is immaterial – art will always find a way.

The second layer of this silver lining is that, quite frankly, things aren't too bad as they are. As I write, the Kings of Leon are number one in both the singles and album charts, a stunning victory for 'real' rock music and proof that not all indie bands are lost in a twee-folk wonderland. It is testament to guitar music's strength, as it breaks through into a mainstream audience that, by its fickle nature, should really be fed up with it by now.

And this continued victory for contemporary rock n roll manifests itself across the capital this autumn. As October dawns, we've got Seasick Steve playing the Royal Albert Hall, and the thought of an aging hobo playing a three-stringed guitar on one of the most hallowed stages in the world positively delights us. Mercury winners Elbow are also back in London, with three shows at The Roundhouse sure to be hot tickets this month, and it's also great to see that Foals have graduated to selling out Brixton Academy. My, haven't they grown?

It is the aforementioned Roundhouse in Chalk Farm, so imposing from the outside and yet so intimate within, that forms the centrepiece for the BBC's third annual Electric Proms season. With Burt Bacharach, The Streets, Nitin Sawhney and Oasis all performing in it's main area, we're probably more excited about the XX Teens/Wild Beasts show in the FREEDM Studio on the opening night. There are also rare low-key shows for Chaka Khan and Goldfrapp, at Dingwalls and Cecil Sharp House respectively.

Though we can't deny our Scouse cousins the chance to be part of this celebration, I'm a little peeved that The Last Shadow Puppets, Rolo Tomassi and Esser are playing up there rather than down here. I mean, does London really need another Keane gig? And yet, even as the nights pull in and the leaves fall from the trees, the fact that Razorlight are being enforced upon our northern brethren is enough to convince me that Lady Luck still smiles on London town.

Check out the BBC's Electric Proms page here.
Like what I've written this month? Infuriated by my lack of respect for Keane and Razorlight? Make friends with me and let me know.

Marcus