Smoke Fairies
Hot from their support shows with Jack White, and with the release of their much-anticipated second album Blood Speaks now less than two weeks away, SMOKE FAIRIES have just announced news of a huge UK tour in September and October. Ahead of this Katherine and Jessica will be playing a headline show at the Tabernacle in west London, the week after release, showcasing tracks from this sublime new album, and will also be appearing at the Latitude Festival in July.

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Alabama Shakes!  New!  Improved!  Now with BIGGER venue!
Yes. That’s right people, remember you heard it here first (or maybe you were on the HMV Institute mailing list like me ;o) ) 

If you were upset that you missed-out on a Birmingham ticket to see the hotly tipped Alabama Shakes, then fret no more! They’ve been upgraded to the BIG ROOM! I know!

But be quick as they’re obviously selling fast HERE. The gig is still on Friday 11 May 2012, by the way.

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Black Sabbath
In preparation for their hugely anticipated headline performance at this year’s Download Festival, Black Sabbath have announced an intimate homecoming show at the O2 Academy in Birmingham on Saturday, 19th May. The show will be the band’s first in Birmingham for thirteen years. A donation to Help for Heroes will be made from the proceeds of the show. 

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Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons are pleased to announce details of a series of ‘Gentlemen of the Road Stopover…’ shows this Summer. The one-day, outdoor events will tour globally, kicking off in Greenhead Park, Huddersfield (UK) on Saturday 2nd June, followed by Salthill Park, Galway (Ireland) on Saturday 9th June. Both shows will be headlined by Mumford & Sons, and will feature full bills of support acts curated by the band themselves. 

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Liz Green
Rising star of the alt folk scene, the distinctively voiced Liz Green, hits the road in support of her universally acclaimed album O, Devotion! and new single Bad Medicine. Spinning twisted tales seemingly beamed in from a dim and distant past…and world for that matter…she’s had reviewers scrambling for superlatives. Expect to see the words ‘haunting’ and ‘beautiful’ a lot too. 

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Kanye West and Jay-Z
After the phenomenal success of their chart topping album WATCH THE THRONE, a 35 date sold out, critically acclaimed North American tour and hot on the heels of their huge success at the 2012 Grammy Awards, winning the award for ‘Best Rap Performance’ (for their track ‘Otis’), superstars Kanye West and JAY Z’s collaboration ‘The Throne’ have today announced that they will be bringing the WATCH THE THRONE tour to Europe in 2012. The European leg will visit arenas in the UK, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Belgium, Germany and Ireland. 

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Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell Brings Songbook To UKOpening dates of June 2012 European Tour Announced. Rock icon Chris Cornell has announced his first headline UK tour dates in over three years. UK audiences will be the first in Europe to get the chance to see Chris perform unplugged, up close and personal. 

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Michael Kiwanuka
Michael Kiwanuka has today unveiled the video for his new single ‘I’m Getting Ready’. Few records make such an instant impression as ‘Home Again’, the debut album by Michael Kiwanuka. Immersing the listener in a sound that is both modern and at the same time as familiar as the classics, it manages to strike the balance between being contemporary and somehow utterly timeless. 

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Barclaycard Mercury Prize
The Barclaycard Mercury Prize for ‘Albums of the Year’ celebrates and promotes the best of UK music. The shortlist provides a snapshot of the year in music, recognizing artistic achievement across a range of genres. For more information visit: www.mercuryprize.com

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High Voltage Festival 2011
Following the launch of the UK’s new prestige rock festival, in 2010, High Voltage returns in 2011 with exclusive performances from headliners Judas Priest and Dream Theater, UK festival exclusives from Black Country Communion, Jethro Tull, Queensryche, Thunder, Neal Morse and Spock’s Beard and performances from Slash, Thin Lizzy, Michael Schenker group, John Lee’s Barclay James Harvest, Skin, Rival Sons, Amplifier, Von Hertzen Brothers, Caravan, The Enid, Pallas, Saint Jude, Anathema, Curved Air, Mostly Autumn, Neurosis, Electric Wizard, Evile, Grand Magus, Raven’s Creed, Primitai, Attica Rage, Black Spiders, Gentlemens Pistols and Furyon. 

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Janes Addiction Free Download
April 7th, JANE’S ADDICTION gave their fans the chance to be the first to hear music from THE GREAT ESCAPE ARTIST, their first new studio album in eight years. 

The band’s singer Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins are giving away a free download of the final mix of ‘End To The Lies’ exclusively at their website: CLICK HERE. THE GREAT ESCAPE ARTIST will be released this August on Parlophone (exact date TBA).

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Ke$ha
Fresh from selling out her entire US tour in just a few short minutes & conquering Australia earlier this year leaving a shiny trail of glitter & sweat behind in her wake, global pop sensation KE$HA has announced she will bring her ‘Get Sleazy’ World Tour to the UK and Europe this Summer for a series of explosive headline & festival shows throughout June and July. 

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Paul Carrack Announces 3 Intimate London Show
One of the hardest working figures in modern music, Paul Carrack is set to play 3 special, up close and personal shows at The Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music in London on 26, 27 & 28 April 2011. 

The intimate shows will be filmed as part of a TV documentary and a concert DVD that will be released later in the year and will be recorded with the seventy – piece Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Click here for more information.