Touts Finally Being Tackled

The government has finally come up with a solution to confront the problem of touts selling on tickets.

At the moment only ‘Crown-Jewel’ events are going to be protected from tickets being sold on by touts, but its a start!

Crown Jewel events are events such as Commonwealth games, Rugby and Cricket World Cups.

For the plan to work, event organisers, promoters and tickets agents will have to agree to support it.

So, this is good news for music fans who, like me are fed up of touts buying 50 tickets and selling them three times the original price!

BUT

EBay have said that the plan won’t work unless the government put pressure on event organisers to offer refunds and this may be difficult.

British Sea Power and Courteeners Tickets out 18th April

British Sea Power have been creating indie tunes for eight years and still don’t receive enough recognition for their talent. The four-piece from Cumbria are touring to promote their new album ‘Do you Like Rock Music?’. If you like post punk these guys are for you.

They are worth going to see just for the stage performance. Past performances have involved flags, smoke machines and impressive light displays.

This band have a devoted fan base which proves they are full of talent.

The Courteeners are another new addition to the Indie music scene. Formed in 2006 they have toured with the likes of The Coral. Radio 1′s Zane Lowe is fond of the lads from Manchester who are confirmed to play V festival.

Their single ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ has finally got them into the mainstream with alot of radio play.

Both bands are to play Brimingham Academy in October, check out the gigs ’08 page to find out more.

Foals Tickets Onsale Tomorrow for October Gig

Tickets to see indie’s newest band are onsale Friday 4th April at 9am.

Foals are becoming extremely popular with their new single ‘Cassius’ and are playing the Carling Academy 14th October.

With their pinging guitar rifts and hints of electro this single is annoying catchy. I’ve just bought the album like ‘Cassius’ its fast paced drum beats and callous inducing guitar riffs are going to make this band big.

Buy tickets now to avoid disappointment.

They released their debut album ‘Antidotes’ on 25th March.

Another Wainwright Music Prodigy

Martha Wainwright seems to be famously known as the female vocalist on Snow Patrols’ ‘Set Fire To the Third Bar’.

The Canadian born folk singer is the third member of the Wainwright family to join the music business. After her brother Rufus and father Loudon Wainwright III. Her mother is also famous folk singer Kate McGarrigle.

Her music isn’t something I’d usually listen to but her painfully truthful lyrics are brilliant. Both her and her brother have written songs about their father, who left when Rufus was only little.

Martha is playing the Birmingham Symphony Hall on 24th May, she’s worth seeing because of her raw talent plus she’s only playing 5 venues in the U.k.

Mobile Act Unsigned Winners Touring

You may of heard of these guys if you watch T4 on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Birmingham based The Envy and Other Sins featured on an indie version of Pop Idol called Mobile Act Unsigned. Embarrassingly they were voted out early in the show. However, they were then given a second chance and went on to win the £1 million recording contract!

I met these guys a couple of years ago when they supported ‘The Feeling’ at Birmingham Academy 2. They were really friendly as they walked out to greet all the fans after the show. All dressed in head to toe with totally 18th century flat caps, braces, waistcoats and pressed shirts.

I spoke to them about their sound which they described as ‘Like Roxy Music’. They mentioned their main influence was the Kinks. When they performed their music has hints of barbershop quartets contrasted with synthes and hard drum beats. They managed to grab the audiences attention straight away.

Their new single ‘Highness’ is released today. Its extremely catchy and bods well for the rest of the album.

Their debut album ‘We Leave at Dawn’ is on sale now

Alexisonfire’s frontman Heads to Brum for Solo Project

Dallas Green, lead singer for punk rock band ‘Alexisonfire’ is touring; with side project ‘City and Colour’.

City and Colour is a completely different direction for Dallas with its acoustic folk sound.

Their songs were originally uploaded on the Internet and due to their popularity they were made into their debut album ‘Sometimes’.

With the release of their new album ‘Bring me your love’ City and Colour are coming to Birmingham’s Glee Club.

Here’s City and Colour’s new single:

New Found Glory ‘Coming Home’ Back to Brum

American punk rockers New Found Glory are set to come back to Birmingham in November this year.

Each gig is legendary with their awesome stage presence and catchy pop punk rifts.

They are playing Birmingham Carling Academy Saturday 22nd November.

Tickets are on sale now, get them ASAP these guys are likely to sell out.

Breed 77 Playing Barfly 19th March

This English/Spanish Heavy metal band are to grace the Barfly in Birmingham tomorrow night.

Doors open 7pm and tickets are £11.50

Support acts are: Panic Cell, Last Stop China Town and Forever Never. All three bands Heavy metal, all sound the same.

MGMT Tickets Now On Sale

New Yorkers MGMT are playing 8th May this year. 

Tickets for one of this years most up and coming bands is on sale for the Academy 2 in Birmingham. Tickets are £10.

You have probably heard their debut single ‘Time to Pretend’ as its being secreted over the air waves. Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/mgmt.

They have catchy electro rifts covered by soft vocals. Definately worth listening to!

Get their song ‘Weekend Wars’ FREE on iTunes because it’s the single of the week.

The Dykeenies tickets for tonight still availible

The Dykeenies are playing Birmingham Academy tonight. Tickets are still availible for anyone that wants to go. At only £7, it’s definately worth it. This band is going to be huge, loved by Radio 1 and NME. They have an awesome stage prescence with their electro indie tunes.

 Doors open at 7pm. There’s also a competition to win free tickets on www.birmingham-academy.co.uk/gotm.php 

Support bands are: Figure 5 and Page 44

Figure 5 along side the Dykeenies are from Glasgow, Scotland. Their sound can only be described as raw brit pop fused with indie and garage. They look like the next big thing from Scotland so it’s worth checking them out.

Page 44 based in Redditch, Birmingham are an American punk influenced band. Just a warning, they are slightly emo.