Preview: the week ahead (16th - 22nd Jan)

The "What's in store for 2012" preview really got us excited about live music again, after the slow days over Christmas and New Year's. So this week is letting us down, with very little happening around town. You may see it as the calm before the storm.

Monday

Charles Hayward, Barberos and Ultraspießer at NK: you should head to NK and start the week with this show. Charles Hayward was the drummer in This Heat, definitely one of my favorite 'post punk' bands ever. Nowadays he plays solo shows that look and sound like the video below, I'm pretty sure this is going to be rad! Then there's Barberos from the UK playing, check the link above (also a video) to get the idea. It's basically two drummers and two guys on synthesizers in costumes, it's fast and hectic and strongly reminds me of the Locust. Ultraspießer play something like very noisy ambient and collage style. It all fits quite well together and I'm really looking forward to this.

Thursday

And the Wiremen and Squid Libets at Schokoladen: And the Wiremen from New York is a band around Songwriter Lynn Wright. They play smooth jazzy indie pop, probably think of a less depressing  version of Tindersticks or the Black Heart Procession, although they tend to let every song sound quite different from the other. Squid Libets from Berlin play something like weird surfy post hardcore. Remember to be early!

Friday

Hanna & Kerttu and Joe Hansn at Madame Claude: Hanna & Kerttu are Berlin-based, albeit originating from Scandinavia. Theatrical singer-songwriter music is the best description I can come up with. It's special alright and Madame Claud probably the best venue for this.

the Black Atlantic and Rue Royale at HBC: I never heard of both bands before. They both play dark indie pop music with acoustic guitars and wide ambient sounds. Check out the video below of them performing a song together and you pretty much get an impression of what to expect.