After giving the album charts a bit of a seismic upthrust last month with their debut album 'Boys and Girls', Alabama Shakes continue their meteoric rise with lots of opportunities to impress the discerning British public. From next weekend, Brittany Howard's traffic-stopping tonsils will be soundtracking your festival memories by appearing at T in the Park, before heading around Europe, then Latitude, more Europe, the Secret Garden Party, loads of American dates then back for Ireland's Electric Picnic, Dorset's End of the Road and a pair of pre-Bestival in Oxford and Brighton (both sold-out). Oh, and Bestival. Whew! Twelve months ago, Alabama Shakes couldn't get the time of day from anyone, now they just don't seem to have any spare seconds.

The cause of all this exaltation is simple - 'Boys and Girls' the album and the single 'Hold On', both of which featured on heavy rotation on BBC 6Music. A certain Mr Holland helped out a bit - sales of the album went through the roof after their appearance on Later With Jools Holland during April, while support slots on Jack White's recent tour seems to have sealed their deserved fate. Eventually 'Boys and Girls' succumbed to the vortex-like draw of Adele's '21' and finished its surge at #3, no mean feat. It's still selling as well.

With this in mind, Alabama Shakes clearly know where their audiences are poised and ready for more of them, hence the announcement of a handful of UK shows in the autumn. First stop will be Manchester on 12th November, followed by Glasgow on 13th and two shows in London. The first of the capital gigs is at The Coronet on 16th November, followed by a show at North London's HMV Forum on the following night. See? The taxi won't have to cross the river, you can pick north or south of it.

We will have tickets available from 9am on Friday 29th June, priced at £16.50/£18.50 - they'll be snapped up in seconds so be warned.