THE MACCABEES WITH NME AWARDS TOUR AT BRISTOL O2 (From Mid Devon Star)

THE MACCABEES WITH NME AWARDS TOUR AT BRISTOL O2

2:39pm Tuesday 12th January 2010

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THE BBC’s Sound of 2010 – Ellie Goulding – will be appearing in Bristol in March. The ‘sound’ list, which showcases the best rising music stars for the coming year, was compiled using tips from 165 leading UK tastemakers, including top music critics, magazine editors, broadcasters and influential bloggers, who named their favourite three new acts.

The news of Ellie’s success follows the announcement last month that she had scooped the Brit Awards Critics’ Choice prize for the act most likely to break through this year. She will collect her award live on stage at Earls Court at the Brit Awards on February 16.

Ellie Goulding will release her next single ‘Starry Eyed’ on Polydor on February 22, followed by her debut album ‘Lights’ on March 1.

On February 4 she will be appearing live at Cardiff Xbox Reverb, and makes the first of two Bristol appearances first with Paqssion Pit on March 3 at the Academy and she returns to the Thekla in Bristol on her own headline tour on March 25, Then, on April 17, she will be back in Cardiff ay the Barfly.

THE Maccabees will headline the Shockwaves NME Awards Tour 2010 when it comes to the Bristol O2 Academy on Sunday February 14.

They will appear with Bombay Bicycle Club, The Big Pink and The Drums in the line-up.

The tour kicks off in Newcastle on February 4 and culminates on February 20 at London’s Brixton Academy (see dates an d ticket details below)..

The South London five-piece recently played a triumphant home-coming headline show at this very venue, from which The Guardian ran a five star review, acknowledging that “The Maccabees' star has risen spectacularly in 2009”.

In October The Maccabees headlined the Lake of Stars festival in Malawi, Africa and are currently on tour with Editors in Europe.

It’s been a great year for The Maccabees with career-defining sets at Leeds and Reading Festival last summer which had The Observer dubbing them “festival heroes” and NME reminding us “they’re probably the best home-grown indie rock band the UK has to offer right now”.

In ‘Wall of Arms’ they have released one of the best-received albums of the year – it entered the UK album charts at number 13 in May, winning praise across the board from fans and critics alike.

Recorded in Paris and England with producer Markus Dravs (Bjork, Arcade Fire, Coldplay), they blasted the myth of the “difficult second album” out of the water with songs like the epic No Kind Words and brilliant singles Love You Better and Can You Give It.

The Maccabees have won over a whole new legion of fans, building upon the success of their debut album ‘Colour It In’ with three sold-out headline tours already last year and key festival appearances at Isle of Wight, Glastonbury and T in The Park and Reading and Leeds.

BRISTOL The Automatic, who released their single ‘Interstate’ in December, have a number of local appearances in a headline tour starting at the end of January.

They will be at the Exeter Cavern on March 4, Yeovil Orange Box on March 6 and the Thekla in Bristol on March 29.

It marks the start of a whole new chapter for the Cardiff-based quartet. Following a three year rollercoaster ride which saw the release of two albums (‘Not Accepted Anywhere’ and ‘This Is A Fix’) and a string of top 40 singles, they return on their own label (Armoured Records) with complete control, absolute vision and total honesty.

Huge new single ‘Interstate’ is as melodic and anthemic as ever, recorded in the band’s Cardiff Studio with producer Richard Jackson; it is a song about “freedom, no stress, being away from everything and basically driving along a big long road to God knows where”.

This track, like the album as a whole, finds Rob Hawkins and Paul Mullen further developing the shared lead vocal duties begun on the last album.

The release also features artwork inspired by an abstract painting by Rob on the sleeve.

Meanwhile, The Automatic are putting the finishing touches to their third album. Titled ‘Tear the Signs Down’, the new album will be released in February but before then, the band embarks on its UK tour to preview a host of new material.

DELPHIC are coming to The Thekla in Bristol on January 17.

The Manchester lads shouldn’t need much introducing having been announced as third in the BBC Sound of 2010, with a recent performance on Jools Holland;s TV show, and as runners-up for the BRITs Critics Choice Awards.

Their debut album ‘Acolyte’ is due for release in January, preceded by their third single and a superior slice of synth-based wizardry ‘Doubt’ on January 4. A track that helped get the band spotted in the early days, ‘Doubt’ has become a firm favourite already having been Zane Lowe’s ‘The hottest record in the world right now’ and Greg James record of the week on Radio 1.

INDIE-rock band, The Cheek, spent 2009 impressing everyone from festival crowds to BBC Radio 1 personality Huw Stephens.

Now, they’re gearing up to bring their unique sound to the radios and ipods of the UK. Their debut single ‘Hung Up’ was released on A & M Records last November and The Fly are already touting them as ‘One to Watch’.

The Cheek will be coming to play at the Skins House Party at the Old Fire Station in Bristol on January 21.

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