Gigs to go to - Friday 20th May Sound City

Wave Machines @ The Static Gallery

The Static Gallery did put some stuff on in the first year of Sound City, but the bands were remniscent of the ones you might find at Polish wedding receptions (don’t ask me how I know what they’re like). A particular highlight of one of the nights in the 2008 was an obscure migratory band who no one had heard of but had a singer who looked like an Italian John Lennon. He even had the glasses and everything.

I’m still not sure how they’re going to serve drinks consistently but they’ve got some top acts this year including the mesmerising Wave Machines.

Imagine a spiritual wawakening in Fangorn Forest from Lord of the Rings, complete with music being made pieces of velvet and being performed by participants in a Venician Carnival of the Rennaiscance period.

Not only can they do all this but they are also from Liverpool (go super Liverpool acts) and 6 Music loves them; Marc Riley and George Lamb have both had them on their shows to perform. The combination of this band and the artwork around the Static gallery should make for a memorable evening.

Emmy the Great @ Studio 2

Despite slipping off the radar a bit in the past year, Emmy the Great is still a quality act and one well worth going to check out. Once again, congratualtions need to be sent to the guys at Sound City for picking the perfect venue for her and her band.

Set Your Goals @ O2 Academy

Despite looking like they might be some kind of teen-emo band, Set Your Goals can at nearly all moments of their set, pound out some good old-fashioned American hardcore punk. Couple this with apop sensibility to a lot of their songs, and you’ve got a gig filled with equal parts aggression and equal parts singalong joy.

They’ve also managed to break a couple of the billboard album charts in America and are planning a new album to come out soon, so this night could produce some new material to mosh along to.

In Casino Out will also be the supporting act which is an inspired choice quite frankly. They are one of the loudest and best bands to come out of Liverpool in years. It’ll be interesting to see how are local lads will stack up against these yanks. Normally we wouldn’t be too keen on going to the O2 at Sound City, but this promises to be brilliant.