The Week Ahead: Blur, Elizabeth Fraser, Meltdown Festival, Funeral For a Friend and more
Posted: 11 years agoThis week:
All prices are exclusive of booking fees.
Tours
The update for Damon Albarn's boys is quite simple - all their upcoming appearances, free or otherwise, in London or regionally, are sold out. Winners of tickets to their free BBC Radio and Converse shows will be notified directly on the day.
There are just a few tickets left for the ex-Pavement founder's Leeds show on Thursday night, with Manchester now entirely sold out. Tickets cost £15 for Leeds, while there are still tickets to catch him at this year's Green Man Festival in Wales on 17th August.
The return of ex-Cocteau Twins vocalist Fraser is seen as something of a long-awaited comeback and fans wasted no time in snapping up her two Meltdown shows. Beforehand, the vocalist and her new songs will appear in Bath on Saturday night - £22.50.
Meltdown 2012
Antony Hegarty has done a good curator's job with this year's selection selling out fast. There are still tickets for Diamanda Galas (Weds show), Joan As Policewoman, Laurie Anderson and Buffy Saint-Marie, but Elizabeth Fraser, Lou Reed and William Basinski are sold out.
Blackpool's Winter Gardens await your presence as PiL, Rancid, Social Distortion, UK Subs, SLF, Altered Images, The Only Ones and more new wave legends line-up for 3 and a half days of punk mayhem. £50 a day or £130 for the whole weekend.
There are still a variety of day (£25-£39) and weekend tickets (£78-£99) available for Hertfordshire's sister-festival to Kendal Calling. Death in Vegas, Beardyman, Fat Freddy's Drop, Willy Mason, King Charles and Field Music all feature.
Just two shows are on offer next week for the Welsh metallers and both are still available surprisingly. Reading on Thursday night will cost £14 while Weymouth on Friday evening is still up for £15.
Perennial pop-favourite Friedman from the '70s, familiar for 'Lydia' and 'Lucky Stars', is on a mission this year with Scottish (and Fringe) shows throughout August and then further south later in the autumn. Expect a singer and raconteur at all shows, priced from £18.
Reggae legend Hibbert and co has a busy August approaching beginning in Middlesbrough on Thursday night and a show at the IndigO2's Jamaica 50th celebrations on Friday, plus others across the UK. Tickets start from £19.50, depending on location.
Armed with new songs and a credible '80s/'90s catalogue, Green Gartside doesn't tour that often so these shows may sell out by the time Thursday's show in Nottingham comes around. Lo and behold, Hebden Bridge has sold out - the rest cost £12 - £14.
Theatre, Comedy and Arts
Arguably the biggest UK arts festival kicks off on Wednesday with a veritable array of comedians, theatre, literature, spoken-word, dance and unannounced music gigs throughout the month. Unrivalled and a must-go, tickets and venues vary - click on the image for details
If you can't make it north of the border to Edinburgh, why not head north of the Thames instead for London's alternative to the Olympics? First up is the play 'Wake' at the Etcetera Theatre from Monday night - £8/£10. Click on the image for other Camden Fringe shows.
If you only see one ballet in your life, make it this timeless Tchaikovsky epic. At three hours long, it's worth every penny. Friday and Saturday performances have sold out. Sunday 5th August's matinee is still available for £20-£67, while other shows in the week are selling fast.