Top 10 gigs in June – the pick of this months live music…

Top 10 gigs in June

Summer is almost here, which means festival season will soon be upon us – so there’s plenty of good live music going on as bands hone their shows before hitting the festivals. Here’s my pick of the best gigs to go to in June:

The Charlatans – Friday 1st June – O2 Apollo, Manchester

Madchester/Britpop veterans The Charlatans are on a bit of a victory lap at the minute – and after going through everything they have, you can’t begrudge them a sense of celebration! This summer’s run of smaller gigs and festival appearances promises to have a bit of a party atmosphere to it – so catch them if you can.

2:54 – Thursday 7th June – Scala, London

One of my favourite new bands (check out their brilliant single ‘Creeping’ here), sisters Colette and Hannah Thurlow are set to embark on their biggest headline tour to date – promoting their brilliant self-titled debut album. After this gig they head straight over to the US, before touring Europe and then returning to the UK again to see out the summer – busy girls!

Reptar – Thursday 7th June – Birthdays, London

Another great new band currently getting a lot of attention, US band Reptar only have two UK dates booked so far this year – both in London. So although this gig will probably be full of hipster-poser types, they’re well worth checking out before they become massive… or are forgotten altogether (remember MGMT!?)

The Maccabees – Friday 8th June – Alexandra Palace, London

The surprise package so far this year, The Maccabees’ Given To The Wild album has not only reinvigorated their career – but it’s dragging UK guitar music along with it as well.

This huge show kicks off their summer gigging activity, which will see them performing at Ibiza Rocks, T In The Park, Benicassim and the Reading and Leeds double-header, amongst others.

Richard Hawley – Friday 8th June – HMV Forum, London

It’s not often I give out five-star reviews, but Hawley’s Standing At The Sky’s Edge album blew me away. I’d always been a fan, but his new album has taken him to a new level – so this tour is a must-see.

Hot Chip – Sunday 10 June – The Leadmill, Sheffield

You always know what you going to get with Hot Chip – an unpretentious, unabandoned night of fun and charm. So if that sounds like your bag, get on it. They’re new album, In Our Heads, is out on 11 June as well – so you’re sure to hear quite a bit of new material.

Bat For Lashes – Wednesday 13 June – The Junction, Cambridge

Yep, Natasha Khan is back – this is her first UK show for more than two years – and ready to challenge Florence for the crown of kooky Queen of Pop. There’s an as-yet-untitled new album in the works apparently, so there will probably be a fair bit of new material for fans to get their ears around.

Primal Scream – Friday 15 June – Music Hall, Aberdeen

Like The Charlatans, Primal Scream are one of the mainstays of the UK music scene – and are always a reliable live act. They’ve been celebrating 20 years since their seminal Screamadelica album recently, so expect a lot of that going on.

Jack White – Thursday 21 June – O2 Academy Brixton, London

The blues/punk/rock troubadour du jour released his storming solo album Blunderbuss recently, and his live shows are drawing plaudits from all angles – so go see him in all his glory while you can…

The Stone Roses – Friday 29th June – Heaton Park, Manchester

Last but not least, there’s some band called The Stone Roses playing a few gigs in Manchester 🙂