The summer of 2011 may be readily characterised by phone hacking and match-fixing scandals, as well as shock at the rising price of butter, but the soundtrack to the year's hottest months was claimed early on by three indie rockers from LA, performing under the name Foster the People.

Fronted by primary songwriter Mark Foster, and originally known as Foster and the People, the three-piece scored a viral hit in 2010 with 'Pumped Up Kicks', a slice of homemade lemonade and cooling cotton with a killer bassline and catchy chorus.

That said, it wasn't until this year that we began to hear the song everywhere. The track's soulful indie pop-slash-surf rock sound was an easy fit for radio stations the world wide, whatever their charter, and 'Pumped Up Kicks' was duly hoovered up for a TV ad campaign and a range of incidental bits and pieces. Even the acoustic version was a huge YouTube hit (above).

Foster the People's debut album, 'Torches', was released in May of this year and reached No 8 on the Billboard chart (No 24 in the UK), turning Gold in the process. Whether Foster the People's pull will extend beyond the considerable gravity of that track remains to be seen but, one thing is sure, as the chill north winds turn your ears blue, 'Pumped Up Kicks' still sounds pretty good (and oh-so-summery).

Foster the People begin their European tour at the Academy in Manchester on 25th April, followed by a show at the Brixton Academy on 27th April.

We have tickets available now for the London gig, priced £15. We will have tickets for the Manchester date when they go on sale at 9AM on Friday 16th December, priced £14.

Their November tour was sold out so expect tickets for their only two UK dates announced so far for 2012 to be in high demand.