Sailing solo, James Walsh visits The Black Prince W

e’ve taken great pleasure in watching Milton Keynes trio Torus evolve; seeing them gain in confidence with each successive gig over the past couple of years, and listening when they committed some of those monster tunes to disc for their 2022 EP, Sail.

Torus are on the rise and rise, and the six legged-beast, founded and fronted by multi-instrumentalist Alfie Glass, are an exciting live proposition.

It’s good news for ‘fampton music lovers with a penchant for artists like desert disciples Kyuss, early QOTSA and the storming riffs of Sabbath, because the band – completed by bassist Harry Quinn and drummer Jack Orr – all share a passion for those artists which shines through.

Self-styled British grunge-pop players Dude Safari are signed up to support when they play The Black Prince on May 5.

Worth A Shot will open the show. Fans of Weezer and Royal Blood might find favour with their deliveries, and they’ll have something tangible for you imminently; their debut album YUSSUS is on its way.

A day later, psychedelic power trio Black Helium (May 6) will hold court.

The Londoners ‘traverse aural hallucinatory soundscapes; from detuned Neanderthal rock to deep oceans of introspective blissed out psychedelia.’

If trippy, heavy and intoxicating noise is your go to, you’ll want to go to this. Support comes from One Way Ticket

Mad Mods and Englishmen are bringing the soundtrack to your extra Bank Holiday with a Sunday (May 7) night session of covers that will get you all fired up before they bring the house down.

Hits from The Who, Small Faces, The Kinks, The Stones and the Yardbirds will figure among the setlist. French Boutik will warm up the stage first.

Before the month end SBD promotions has one more date for you to devour; and it’s a night in the company of Starsailor frontman James Walsh

With Starsailor, James has supported artists including The Rolling Stones, The Police, The Killers and U2.

Starsailor’s most recent elpee was issued in 2017, but when not working with the band, James has cultivated a nice solo career as a solo singer-songwriter and has written with the

FFSYTHO?! makes Glasto shortlist

We’re keeping fingers crossed for grime ace FFSYTHO?! who has made it through to the shortlist for this year’s Emerging Talent competition - and the winner will bag a spot at the Glastonbury Festival this summer.

Thousands of artists entered the competition, and a panel of industry judges whittled those entries down to a long list of 90. That list then became nine, and FFSYTHO?! is sitting pretty on it.

The competition final is happening this Saturday (April 29). The winner will take a slot on one of the main stages at Glasto, and a £5,000 Talent Development prize. Two runnersup will each take a £2,500 prize.

superb Suzanne Vega (recently on stage in the town at the Derngate), Professor Green, Eliza Doolittle and Melanie C. Not content to leave it there, this powerhouse of creativity has turned his hand to movie soundtracks too. Oh, and he’s just issued a new solo release, Coming Good

This ‘fampton date comes hot on the heels of the announcement that Starsailor will tour in November and December to mark the 20th anniversary of their second, lauded Gold-certified album, Silence is Easy, which spawned singles Silence Is Easy and Four To The Floor. It was also the last album produced by Phil Spector.

Starsailor will release new music in 2024. Support is coming from alternative singersongwriter Charlotte Carpenter, a lady who has been championed on air by Tom Robinson over on BBC 6, and will ready her debut album before the year end, thanks to some funding from Help Musicians UK.

> Go grab tickets for your choice(s) at sbdpromotions.com

Coronation day crescendo

Grunge rock trio Liliths Army will be live at the Charles Bradlaugh in Northampton on Saturday, May 6.

The band will be using the Coronation day show as their official single launch bash for the track, Sick of It.

Sylvie, Tommy and Sam will be joined in play by Northampton’s Skybeard and their ‘brooding, riff based, groovy-heavy and proggish instrumental stuff.’

This show will be the first time that Skybeard has been on the stage for three long years, so give them a warm welcome.

Good Fridays will open the billing, and postshow the Mix Tape DJs will keep the sounds rolling through to 1am.