The Best Gigs Coming Up North In 2017
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something U2.
Another year in the music industry has just unfolded, with festivals and gigs on the brain all year long it’s hard to contain myself when such bodacious announcements hit my computer screen. With plans for Two Door Cinema Club, Bennicassim and Primavera on my mind, I thought I’d share some of the best gigs coming up north to feast on throughout 2017. With all news sourced from Get To The Front, being one of my go-to spots for music updates it’s time to start planning for the year ahead in music, it’s surprising who’s going to be coming out the woodwork, there’s some golden oldies, comebacks that we’ve been waiting years for and final tours (boo I know!).
Black Honey
The Brighton four-piece band Black Honey are set to be arriving in our neck of the woods for early spring dates including the 28th March for their gig in Manchester at The Ruby Lounge. Also home to the new upcoming When In Manchester (which I recently did the artwork for!).
If you’re a consistent music reader on this blog, you’ll no doubt be familiar with Black Honey and the summers we spend together backstage at festivals. I got the early scoop on their latest video at the front of seeing The Cure at Bestival with Izzy, and when the world saw the Tarantino-esque epic cinematic aesthetics of Hello Today we all flipped and used every opportunity to blast it from the rooftops.
The xx
The comeback that we’ve all been waiting for that is the Indie pop band, The xx have recently announced recent tour details for both the UK and Europe. The I See You Tour starts on 8th February in Sweden and also comes close to home for the 02 Apollo Manchester on the 5th and 6th March 2017.
Last week The xx announced details of their highly anticipated third album, I See You, and a brand new single On Hold. I See You will be released on 13th January 2017 via Young Turks and is the follow up to The xx’s two previous albums – xx and Coexist – which have sold over 3 million copies between them, winning a host of accolades along the way.
I See You marks a new era for the London trio of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie Smith, both sonically and in terms of process. For while xx and Coexist were both made in relative isolation in London, I See You was recorded between March 2014 and August 2016 in New York, Marfa TX, Reykjavik, Los Angeles and London, and is characterised by a more outward-looking, open and expansive approach. Produced by Jamie Smith and Rodaidh McDonald, I See You is The xx at their boldest yet, performing with more clarity and ambition than ever before.
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses will play two shows at Leeds First Direct Arena on the 20th and 21st June 2017. These two live shows are added to the already announced dates in Belfast, London and Glasgow. The news came soon after a series of mysterious lemons were spotted around Leeds, the signifier that the TSR were back in full swing and they brought their lemons with them.
U2
This may not be a gig that’s coming up north, but one I screamed about when I first discovered. Having recently seen them back in late 2015 in Glasgow, I was escastic for another leg of the tour to be announced. It may not be announced for up north, but it’s a gig worth commuting to. To mark the 30th anniversary of ‘The Joshua Tree’ with a 2017 tour performing the album in full, support from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, in Twickenham Stadium (Sat 08 July 2017) and Croke Park Dublin (Sat 22 July 2017). Tickets will be up at 9am Monday 16 Jan from Ticketmaster – U2 fanclub members via PRESALE on Wednesday 11th Jan (worth the sign up!).
Do feel free to tell me about gigs you’re excited for this year on Twitter & Instagram and what you’ll be heading to!
This post was sponsored by Get To The Front
