SOAP & SKIN (London EartH, 15/04/19)

I knew the artist responsible for the most intensely harrowing performance I've ever experienced would bring her A-game to her first London show since 2012, but even I wasn't expecting a set of such ambition, artistry and passion. Moments of beautiful subtlety suddenly interrupted by abrasive industrial noise, gothic grandeur yielding to Omar Souleyman covers...truly, this set had it all. I am in awe.

BEIRUT (London Hammersmith Apollo, 12/04/19)

After the youthful exuberance of Aurora, Pom Poko and Black Country New Road earlier in the week, Zach Condon and co. struck me as a little 'Last Of The Summer Wine' in comparison, but all was forgiven when they basically ditched their recent stuff for a 'Flying Cup Club'-era setlist. Most pleasant.

BLACK COUNTRY NEW ROAD (London Lexington, 11/04/19)

I GUESS...I'M A LITTLE LATE...TO THE PARTY.

POM POKO (London Lexington, 10/04/19)

Excellent, hyper-kinetic set from the Norwegian four-piece. Think Battles covered by a Scandi pop-punk band, or Deerhoof but...less so. Cowbell-tastic!

AURORA (London Courtyard Theatre, 08/04/19)

Sometimes a bit of eccentric Norwegian elf magic is exactly what you need, and Aurora Aksnes delivers it in spades. A magical show for a worthwhile cause (even if the setlist was sorely missing "Conqueror").

DESPERATE JOURNALIST (London Garage, 05/04/19)

Review: HERE

KOKOKO! (London Xoyo, 04/04/19)

Sixty minutes of undiluted joy from a Congolese quintet so electrifying they could solve the global energy crisis. Yellow jumpsuits, home-made instruments, and a heady brew of afropop and hip-hop is apparently a recipe for sure-fire success.

EMILY WELLS (London Lexington, 23/03/19)

Spellbinding maverick multi-instrumentalism from the obscenely talented Texan. A minor revelation.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND (London Islington Assembly Hall, 23/03/19)

"Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?" Can't say I care that much either way, but spending a Saturday morning in the exuberant company of Ezra Koenig and co. was a pretty fun way to celebrate my 1,500th gig.

ONEIDA (London Oslo, 11/03/19)

Radical dadcore from the eclectic, perpetually cacophonous Brooklyn experimentalists.

THE HOLD STEADY (London Oslo, 10/03/19)

Ended up covered with beer, sweat and confetti, my voice was completely shot, but mytenth Hold Steady show was, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best "rock" gigs I've ever been to. It's difficult to pick a highlight, but the closing run of 'Chips Ahoy', 'Stay Positive' and 'Killer Parties' (not to mention 'Stuck Between Stations' and 'Massive Nights' back-to-back) left me higher than one of the protagonists in a Craig Finn song.

THE COMET IS COMING (London Village Underground, 06/03/19)

Review: HERE

KAMASI WASHINGTON (London Brixton Academy, 05/03/19)

There's not much more I can say about King Kamasi that I haven't said before, but though this didn't quite eclipse the Roundhouse show as Potentially The Best Gig Ever, "Fists of Fury" (ft. Thundercat on bass) was one of the most monumental-sounding things these ears have ever been graced with.

SNAPPED ANKLES (London Oslo, 28/02/19)

Review: HERE

ANDREW BIRD (London Rough Trade West, 28/02/19)

Whistle Boss 5000 performing 'Tables & Chairs' (and six new songs) in a 80-capacity record store in Notting Hill. Nice.

ADVANCE BASE (London The Islington, 25/02/19)

Maudlin, lo-fi indie-tronica par excellence from Owen Ashworth, returning to Europe after a six year absence. Nice sprinkling of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone classics as a sop to us veterans, but the new material stands up well enough on its own merits.

THE ANDREAS ROYSUM ENSEMBLE (Oslo Nordic Black Theatre, 24/02/19)

Spent my final night in Scandinavia watching improv jazz in an avant-garde theatre founded by a guy named Cliff Moustache, which even I must admit is pretty on-brand.