Liverpool music gig guide: Light Night 2018, Birdstriking, Car Seat Headrest and much more

Another week, another wedge of belting gigs to cram into your pocket, as Getintothis’ David Hall guides you in for a landing.

Well. It’s that time of year again. Soon the football season will be at an end, and we’ll have nothing to look forward to once again. Apart from the Champions League final. Also it’s a World Cup year, so there’s that too. Wait, let us start again here…

Well. It’s that time of year again. Festival season has only just started, so there’s nothing to… hang on, that’s wrong too. Summer is almost upon us, so it can only get sunnier and the days get longer and warmer…

Look at that. There’s nothing for us to be cynical about. This really is the best time of year, with so much potential ahead of us! There is everything to look forward to, and anything else that’s happened so far this year is all in the past.

Reasons to be cheerful? We’ve picked out a whopping nine highlights from this week’s gig calendar. That doesn’t even cover the rest of the listings either!

Acid Dad: Sound Food And Drink, Wednesday May 16

Chaotic New York four piece Acid Dad bring the smart licks, reassuringly fuzzy atmosphere and addictive choruses to Sound this week.

Local up and comers Eyesore and The Jinx appear as support, so the whole gig is set to be a basement gig par excellence.

Lightning Seeds: Aintree Racecourse, Friday May 18

Never let it be said that we don’t hold our hometown heroes close to our hearts around these parts.

One of Liverpool’s best songwriters – no small claim considering the competition – Ian Broudie wheels out his band the Lightning Seeds for an Aintree Racecourse show full of hits this week. They’re not ready to be put out to stud yet.

Gaz Coombes: Arts Club, Friday May 18

Former Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes hasn’t let up since the three-piece went their separate ways in 2010.

His solo career now comprises three albums showing increasing songcraft and maturity, including the Top 20-bothering Matador and the well-received World’s Strongest Man earlier this month. Coombes kicks off the weekend in Liverpool with an Arts Club theatre date.

Read our full preview here.

Alessi’s Ark: 81 Renshaw, Friday May 18

Releasing music and a familiar figure on the UK live scene since 2007, it’s hard to believe that Alessi Laurent-Marke is still so young.

Her fifth album Love Is The Currency was released last year, and her 81 Renshaw appearance will feature support from Hooton Tennis Club side project Seatbelts. Not to be missed!

Read our full preview here.

Liverpool Acoustic Light Night 2018: Philharmonic Music Room, Friday May 18

Light Night 2018 takes place on Friday evening, an open night for many of Merseyside’s cultural landmarks to roll out the welcome wagon and do something special.

Over at the Music Room, they’ve decided to join forces with Liverpool Acoustic to host a specially curated lineup Limerance, Lydiah, Chris Callander, King & Byrne, and even the electronic art-pop of St. Jude the Obscure.

Birdstriking: O2 Academy, Friday May 18

Beijing’s Birdstriking spearhead China’s underground music movement. They’re signed to Chinese indie label Far Out Distant Sounds, with releases handled internationally by Maybe Mars.

Birdstriking are building up quite the reputation for their intense and frenetic live shows. The quintet play economical, addictive art-pop, their jagged guitars and Chinese lyrics sounding like Foals on a waft of weed smoke. With The Floormen and The Probes in support, this has the makings of a classic.

Gerry Cinnamon: O2 Academy, Saturday May 19

If you’re an unsigned artist, you tweet that you’re playing a show, and it sells out, that’s impressive, right? How about, you’re an unsigned artist, you announce a show on social media… and you sell out two nights at Glasgow’s Barrowlands ballroom off the back of that?

Yeah, Gerry Cinnamon did just that. He’s something special alright, and his Liverpool show has already received two venue upgrades. See what the fuss is all about on Saturday.

Read our full preview here.

Car Seat Headrest: Invisible Wind Factory, Saturday May 19

Releasing music independently under the name Car Seat Headrest since 2012, Virginian Will Toledo moved to Seattle and quickly started gaining a cult following.

A DIY ethic to his music, jump ahead to 2015 and Car Seat Headrest was a full-fledged band snapped up by Matador Records. Nothing seems to have slowed down the project’s creativity, and this year saw Car Seat Headrest’s third album in as many years. They play a Liverpool date this Saturday, with Naked Giants in support.

Read our full preview here.

Avi Buffalo: 81 Renshaw, Sunday May 20

Having seemingly called it quits following the release of his second album on Sub Pop At Best Cuckold, Avi Buffalo returns to the UK for a Liverpool date.

With his band project behind him, we may be looking forward to new solo music from the precocious talent of Avigdor Benyamin Zahner-Isenberg. Find out at 81 Renshaw, because he plays a sold-out gig at London’s St Pancras Old Church the following evening.

Read our full preview here.

There ain’t no stopping us now, have a gander at Getintothis‘ Gigbites for an overspill of wonderment!

• Island, Club Kuru: Buyers Club, Monday May 14
• Shane Filan, Max Restaino, Andy Brown: Olympia, Tuesday May 15
• Elio Pace: Epstein Theatre, Tuesday May 15
• House Of Waters: Philharmonic Music Room, Tuesday May 15
• Eddi Reader: Epstein Theatre, Thursday May 17
• LUH: Arts Club, Thursday May 17
• The Beat Club featuring – The Sums, The Living Brain, We Are Catchers, The Racket, Matt Barton: Hangar 34, Thursday May 17
• Nils Lofgren: Philharmonic Hall, Thursday May 17
• The Punk Rock All-dayer featuring – Cuecliche, Pardon Us, Three From Above, Bear Trap, Red Winter, Meet The Robots, Hummer, Everyone And Anyone, The Hunx: The 27 Club, Saturday May 19
• Early Hours, Levity: Shipping Forecast, Saturday May 19
• Musicians Against Homelessness featuring – Skylights, Thunder & The Giants, Wispmother, Erin Durrant, Dave Keeling, Phil Daltry, Jack Desmond, Chloe French: Zanzibar Club, Saturday May 19
• Tranquil Sea: EBGBs, Saturday May 19
• The Mysterines, Monks, Shards, Jack Haworth: Arts Club, Saturday May 19
• Zulu: Arts Club, Saturday May 19

Upcoming gigs to keep an eye on:

The Vryll Society: O2 Academy 2, Friday October 19
In that far off distant land that doesn’t bear thinking about called ‘autumn’, we have one glimmer of hope waiting for us at least, as Evol announce they are bringing The Vryll Society on home.

After a steady year-long buildup, The Vryll Society are looking to make a breakout success of themselves. They’re turning to debut album Course Of The Satellite for that, which will be released over the summer on Deltasonic Records. Before their album drops on August 10, they have a LIMF slot to fulfill, followed by a UK tour in October. It rounds off with a homecoming show which is sure to be triumphant.

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