Sound of Guns

Sound of Guns announce UK tour dates.

Sound Of Guns have announced the details of their UK tour in May.

The band, who are releasing their XFM Single of the Week ‘Breakwater’ on April 4th and who are heading out on the road with The View in April, will kick off their headline dates in Hull on May 19th and finish up at The Pier in Cleethorpes on May 28th taking in Sound City Festival in their hometown of Liverpool along the way.

Having been shortlisted for XFM’s New Music Award and wowing crowds whilst supporting Miles Kane and on their own sold-out shows earlier this year, Sound of Guns are going from strength to strength and will be taking it to an even higher level with their headline shows. The full list of tour dates is below:

MAY
Thurs 19 Hull, Fruit
Fri 20 Durham, Durham Live
Sat 21 Liverpool, St Georges Hall – Sound City Festival
Sun 22 Newcastle, The Cluny
Tue 24 Glasgow, King Tuts
Wed 25 York, Fibbers
Thu 26 Cambridge, The Corner House
Fri 27 Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
Sat 28 Cleethorpes, The Pier

Xfm announces New Music Award shortlist

NewsXfm announces New Music Award shortlist

Today, Xfm, the station that brings you music that rocks, announces the ten shortlisted albums that are now eligible to win the Best British Debut Album of the Year at the station’s fourth consecutive Xfm New Music Award. The winner will be announced at the Xfm New Music Award gig on Wednesday 9th February at The Borderline. Following thousands of votes from the great British public, the Xfm New Music Award shortlist comprises:

Delphic ‘ ‘Acolyte’
Dinosaur Pile-Up ‘ ‘Growing Pains’
Everything Everything ‘ ‘Man Alive’
Fenech-Soler ‘ ‘Fenech-Soler’
Hurts ‘ ‘Happiness’
Kele ‘ ‘The Boxer’
Marina And The Diamonds ‘ ‘The Family Jewels’
Sound of Guns ‘ ‘What Came From Fire’
Stornoway ‘ ‘Beachcomber’s Windowsill’
Two Door Cinema Club ‘ ‘Tourist History’

Selected by a panel of industry experts – including new addition Snow Patrol front-man Gary Lightbody and Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder ‘ this year’s winner will be announced on the evening of Wednesday 9th February.

On the same night the station presents an Xfm New Music Award gig at The Borderline in Central London. Hosted by Xfm Breakfast’s Dave Berry and a part of HMV’s Next Big Thing Festival, the intimate invite-only event will feature performances from Wolfgang, Romance, and Luna Belle ‘ acts hotly tipped as potential winners for next year’s award.

Previous winners of the award are The Enemy with ‘We’ll Live and Die in These Towns’ (2007), Glasvegas with ‘Glasvegas’ (2008), and The xx with ‘XX’ (2009).

The full judging panel for this year, chaired by Xfm’s Deputy Programme Director/Head of Music Mike Walsh, includes:

Andy Ashton (Xfm) Ben Cardew (Music Week)
Brett Anderson (Suede) Clint Boon (Xfm)
Craig Potter (Elbow) David Mogendorff (MTV)
Dom Howard (Muse) Dave Berry (Xfm)
Frank Turner Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol)
Gordon Smart (The Sun ‘ Bizarre) John Kennedy (Xfm)
John Leckie (producer) Peter Hook (Joy Division)
Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays) Tim Burgess (The Charlatans)
Gary Warren (MD of Content and Talent at MAMA Group)

For more information, visit www.xfm.co.uk/nma

The ultimate winner will be announced on Xfm on Wednesday 9th February.

Sound of Guns release new single ‘Alcatraz’

Sound of Guns release their new single ‘Alcatraz’ on March 8th through Distiller Records. The single will be available on 7′ and digital download and is the first track to be released from their forthcoming debut album, which will be out later this year. The band have been busy in the studio with the renowned producer/mixer Chris Potter (Verve / U2) who has mixed the single. They also recently completed a string of dates supporting Adam Green with audiences lapping up their performances. Sound Of Guns are from Liverpool but don’t have the usual sound associated with the city. They have chosen anthemic power chords over jangly guitars and riotous gang vocals over quirky lyricism- an experience of epic proportions. Having broken through the ranks via BBC Introducing last year, the band have had many highlights including playing at Radio One’s Big Weekend, a main stage performance at Latitude festival and 4 performances at Glastonbury festival. They rounded off the year with a show at the inaugural Sound City festival in Dubai and opening Liverpool’s Music Week. Sound of Guns will be playing the following (see www.myspace.com/soundofguns for more):

Feb
19 Liverpool The Masque NME Awards

March
6 Cambridge Portland
9 Glasgow King Tuts
12 Tunbridge Wells Forum
15 Stoke Sugarmill
16 Cardiff Barfly
17 Manchester Ruby Lounge
18 York Fibbers
19 Atherton Fever
20 Leeds Cockpit
23 London Lexington
24 Nottingham Bodega