Put down your brollies, stash your wellies away and take off your coat - it's Bank Holiday time and it's going to be fine and dandy, trust me. If not, blame the media weather forecasters. But before the BBQs get wheeled-out and the burgers defrosted, kick back and relax with our round-up of Friday's beautifully-formed newly-released tickets.
All on sale from 9am unless stated - prices + booking fees. For ticket availability, click on the images, below, or scroll down for the full event listing.
Faithless
Always a top-drawer attraction is Faithless, who will be embarking on a UK tour from 30th November (Bournemouth) until 11th December (London's O2 Arena). Recent album, "The Dance", is a cracking return to form (well, to these ears anyway) and should reaffirm their rightful place as one of the UK's leading club-outfits from the past 20 years. New single "Feelin' Good" is garnering attention for its use in a car advert (yawn) BUT, it's still a top tune (although far far better in its original 9-minute album state). £29.50 - £32.50 plus fees and on sale at 9.30am.
Roll Deep
What seems to be the outfit with the biggest members' line-up in world history (apart from Polyphonic Spree or the Surrey branch of the Man Utd supporters' club) is Roll Deep. Perched like proud pumas at the top of the singles chart with "Green Light" at the moment, plus a new album that will surely got the same way, Wiley and co have announced a tour for 2011, beginning in Preston on Valentine's Day and ending up in London on the 28th. Tickets are on sale at 9am.
Lissie
The American pop-pixie returns to the UK in December for a full headlining tour, ranging from Glasgow (8th) to Brighton (19th) and an album which is starting to vault back up the album charts, suggesting that the Great British Public are getting the hang of Lissie. Her music isn't rocket-science - husky femininity, jolly summer-dress imagery with just enough depth to her bite and choruses that wouldn't offend most fans of family TV dramas. Wholesome, that's our Lissie - so why not consider a ticket or two? £12.50 upwards to you, madam/sir.
Professor Green
Out on his own with a solo gig in December is another chart-topping (well, number 2) act, this time East London's gritty and grimy Professor Green. He is traversing the capital to appear at the Shepherd's Bush Empire on 15th December and tickets will go on sale at 9am costing £15.40. He's already announced that he has a second album lined up for 2011 so expect the odd new song during this gig.
I Blame Coco
A band with a pop-star's daughter is always going to gather some attention, normally from the over-excitable media, but I Blame Coco (featuring Coco Sumner, daughter of Sting) have been quick off the blocks with a couple of well-received singles in "Caesar" (with Robyn) and "Self Machine". But it's album-time now and "The Constant" is all set to appear in September along with the single "Quicker" and in anticipation of the subsequent interest, a tour looms ever nearer. Tickets for an array of October/November dates will go on sale at 9am, priced around a tenner (or less in some places).
Lostboy AKA Jim Kerr
Kerr's recent album (actually, his debut album I should say), hasn't done too badly considering the big-spend wasn't behind its campaign. Instead Jim has been playing a few dates to plug it, with another magnificent seven penned in for November. He'll begin in London on the 15th and end up in Liverpool on the 22nd. Tickets for this "Electroset" tour will cost around £20. Actually taking place just a few days before the tour is a single date in Belfast on the 10th Nov, possibly a warm up but of no less interest to Simple Minds' followers.
Gil Scott-Heron
The soul legend is back in London again in November with a special date at the Brixton Academy. Billed as 'an evening with Gil', this concert will stretch across much of his back catalogue as well as excerpts from the 2010 album "I'm New Here". Tickets cost £30.
Tricky
Not really part of the Fat Friday is Knowle West boy, Tricky, who has been drip-feeding new dates to his October tour, with tickets on sale now between £15 and £20. There are currently five dates: Nottingham, Glasgow, Sheffield, London and Portsmouth between 18th and 23rd October, but no sooner will I have written this than a new date is bound to have been added... I suspect there may just be a date in Bristol, but that's purely speculation on my part...
Happy clicking!