MUSIC

Hey Ho, Let’s Go to The Black Prince

Manchester’s Delights are on the rise, and on their way to The Black Prince; the band will play the ‘fampton fun house on May 6.

They take influence from their own musical discoveries, and those that their parents shared with them. Then the quartet merges them ‘into a blend of bedroom pop with hints of 70’s psychedelic music,’ and it’s paying dividends; they are now signed to indie label Modern Sky, and have racked up a mighty amount of streams. Not the watery sort...

Apparently they’ve been called ‘Kaleidoscopic guitar janglers’ before now, which we quite like.

The press pic is a wee bit more interesting than many that land in our inbox, but we do hope they took the trolley back and reclaimed their quid – the graveyard of carts scattered near many supermarkets is a total bugbear...

Support is coming from locals Baby Lung, who delve into alt-indie, 60s soul and pop. Mirror Image will open things up.

For the best part of two decades The Ramonas have been going Gabba Gabba Hey with their spin on the blistering catalogue gifted to us by The Ramones.

When they aren’t busy spilling the attitude and mighty music of Dee Dee and co, in recent years the now settled line-up has found time to deliver their own material.

Sheena is a Punk Rocker, but so too are Cloey, Rohnny, Pee Pee and Cammy, and their Black Prince date (May 14) promises to be quite the night. who can remember that far back. The career of plenty saw him hit the Top 40 singles chart plenty of times, but there is no reason to peer over the shoulder at what was, when there is still so much going on now; Tom is still releasing new music, the most recent of which is the 2020 elpee Hymns for the Hungry. He arrives in town on May 28.

These days, Tom delivers an eclectic mix of folk, soul, gospel and blues, so there will be lots to get your ears around. And there will be plenty to tickle the taste buds from Hingley too; he has his own bitter, cunningly called Tom Hingley’s Bitter. Grab a bottle (or a few more) at the show.

Steve Pilgrim is on the bill too. Having carved out a successful career as a musician in his own right, the acclaimed hard-hitter has stage-shared with some notables; Noel Gallagher, Roger Daltrey, Graham Coxon and many others. Fans of the Modfather will know him well as the keeper of time with Weller.

In the spotlight and acoustic, you should expect a refreshing honesty, and a passion that will connect.

Chris Watson from The Moons will set the night up the right way, using the date to showcase new material of his own.

Able assistance before, during and after the live stuff comes from the Shindig DJs. You don’t need to be a mathematician to know that the sum total of Hingley + Pilgrim + Watson + Shindig = One great Saturday night out.

The Delights (top) are riding into town on May 6, followed by the punk rock of The Ramonas (above) on May 14

Go along expecting a full throttle, one hourlong show and you’ll come away beaming.

Support comes from Northampton’s own punk aces Spring Park and Crash Induction, who straddle Milton Keynes and Northampton.

Ask anyone in the know and they’ll tell you that Beans means tunes, and the great news for fans of tasty yet simple songs about complicated subjects is that the man responsible, Beans on Toast will be serving up a portion of his quick-wit lyricism and mellow acoustic melodies at TBP on May 19.

The cult folk legend is great at putting the world to rights, but we imagine even he will have his work cut out just now.

Doubtless Beans will be pulling a number or two from his 2021 long-player, Survival of the Friendliest, a record all about hope, positivity and camaraderie, which sees him celebrating the very best of human nature.

Tom Hingley found fame as the frontman with Madchester’s Inspiral Carpets for those

> Getting mitts on tickets and more info is easy – tap to sbdpromotions.com

Catch Tom Hingley on May 28

Take your positions for an electric night

Gary Numan stops off at the Royal & Derngate (May 14) to thrill the faithful with a career spanning set, which will include material from his current album Intruder.

Numan is keen as mustard to perform for you after that prolonged absence that none of us saw coming: “I can’t wait to walk out onto a stage again, to hear the roar of the crowd, the ear shattering volume of the music, to be bathed in light and soak up that emotion. It’s what I’m here for,” Gary added.

> Tickets were scant at the time of writing, but try for the last few at royalandderngate.co.uk

Take the Nightrain to the ‘Mender

The Roadmender is busy with Thin Lizzy founding member Brian Downey and his band Alive and Dangerous (May 5) who will play the tracks you want and expect; from The Boys Are Back in Town to Jailbreak and Waiting For An Alibi to Killer on the Loose. Classics every one of them, and there are plenty more where they came from.

Bingo Loco (May 6) is numbered madness promising ‘hilarious hosts, the best of 90s/00 music, confetti showers, dance off, lip sync battles and incredible prizes.’

From Kelly’s Eye to Top of the Shop...

Shy FX is up on May 7, with five hours of drum & bass and jungle tunes launching at 11pm, and there is more drum & bass in the place (May 13) performed by the Symphonica Orchestra.

Composer and conductor Miles Hancock will lead the way, and world champion Mr Switch will assume DJ duties as anthems and classics from the past to the present are twisted up and revamped, ‘with the clashing of amen breaks & double bass, strings, synths and samples.’

If they are good enough for audiences at Glasto and Shambala, they’ll be good enough for us.

Guns 2 Roses (May 13) have spent two decades playing tribute to Slash, Duff and Axl, and during that time they’ve been joined on stage by four members of the real deal. Come to think of it, we saw them with a certain Steven Adler on drums over at the now defunct Pitz club in Milton Keynes...

The Dutty Moonshine Big Band (May 19) and The Wedding Present (May 20) visit before Aussie risers Rolling Blackouts C.F. arrive to promote their latest album, Sideways to New Italy, which is out through the legendary Sub Pop label.

> Whatever takes your fancy, tapping to theroadmender.com is the quickest way to get connected.

What’s your favourite song, Kenneth?

2022 marks the 30th anniversary since the release of Automatic For The People, the eighth album from R.E.M and tribute mob R.E.M/Stipe are planning to mark the occasion in fitting style – by playing the release in its entirety at the Deco on Friday, May 13.

That album delivered singles including Everybody Hurts, Man on the Moon and Nightswimming.

But if you are partial to the power of Losing My Religion, like the sing-a-long opportunity delivered with Shiny Happy People or feel the allure of seminal track The One I Love?

You’ll be ok; the band have promised to deliver an all-round greatest hits set too.

> Tickets are £22.50. Visit theoldsavoy.co.uk to book.