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Gigs & Tours Round-Up: The Libertines, Blondie, 1Xtra, Flying Lotus, and Kaiser Chiefs

By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 23 April 2014

Rounding up the latest gig news…

I hope you’re sitting down, because I’ve got some big news. The Libertines (pictured) are getting back together! Again! Possibly! The band cryptically (super cryptically) posted a picture of a map of Hyde Park at the weekend. Then, when pushed for information about the potential reunion, Carl Barat told Gigslutz to “keep the 5th of July free”.

Now, that might mean that Carl and the boys are going to pop around to that particular Gigslutz reporter’s house at some point on that particular Saturday for a sleepover, or something. But it’s probably worth mentioning that the 5 Jul line-up for the British Summer Time festival in Hyde Park hasn’t yet been announced.

Further evidence, if you need it, comes from an interview with Pete Doherty in Israeli newspaper Ynet, ahead of a solo show in Tel Aviv next week. Doherty told the paper that he had agreed to play a The Libertines reunion show in Hyde Park in July because he’s in debt and needs the money, thanks in part to the recent emergence of a third child he has to pay child support to.

If that doesn’t float your reunion boat, how about a one-off Blondie show? Yeah, I know they haven’t technically split since their reunion in 1997, but your nit-picking is really forcing this whole thing to drag on, so be quiet. Why spoil an otherwise seamless segue? Honestly, you people.

Anyway, now that I’ve been forced to start another paragraph, thus making this thing even longer, I can tell you that Blondie will be playing a one-off show at Sheffield’s Academy venue on 29 Jun. I know, it does seem like a slightly odd booking, but what are you going to do? They’re also playing at Glastonbury.

In other Blondie news, because this round-up really isn’t long enough already, the band will be releasing a special new collection of old and new songs to mark their 40th anniversary. Titled ‘Blondie 4(0) Ever’, the release will include a greatest hits collection, plus a whole new album called ‘Ghosts Of Download’. That’s out on 12 May.

If a road trip to Sheffield to see Blondie didn’t excite you, how about we all head up to Glasgow for BBC Radio 1Xtra Live In Glasgow instead? It’s a live event being put on by BBC 1Xtra. In Glasgow. As well as 1Xtra’s own MistaJam, Charlie Sloth, DJ Target, DJ Semtex and CJ Beatz, artists including DJ Fresh, Duke Dumont and Breach will be appearing on the bill.

Says DJ Fresh: “I can’t wait to perform at 1Xtra Live In Glasgow where I’ll be road testing our new DJ show for the first time ever!”

The event will take place at 17 May at the Riverside Museum as a precursor to Radio 1’s previously reported Big Weekend festival the following weekend. Oh, and you know I said we should all go up there? Well, it’s probably worth mentioning that 70% of the tickets will be held for Glasgow residents, with another 25% made available to the rest of Scotland and 5% left over for everywhere else in the UK. You’ll be able to try to get a pair of the free tickets for the 1Xtra show on 26 Apr from 7.30pm at bbc.co.uk/1xtra.

While we’re planning trips together, I’d quite like you to join me in Bristol to see Flying Lotus. Could you lend me the money for the ticket though? This is all getting a bit expensive. He’ll be playing at Colston Hall in the city on 6 Jun. Support will come from Thundercat and Flying Lotus’ rapper alter ego Captain Murphy. Tickets and further details on that are available here.

Finally, it’s the news you’ve all be waiting for. The Kaiser Chiefs‘ inexplicable return to fame will see them play a couple of arena dates. Next February, as well. So they’re confident it’ll last. Let’s hope Ricky Wilson gets another go at judging on ‘The Voice’, hey.

Saying some words, Wilson said: “The last few months have been great, we’re enjoying playing the new album and getting our songs ready for our festival slots and then to top it off – we get to start next year at the O2!”

Bassist Simon Rix added: “It’s a great time for the Leeds music scene, there’s a lot going on right now. We’re so happy to be able to play the new Arena again, nothing can match the support we get from the Yorkshire crowds”.

Now, all that remains is for me to bring all this information together and fill in the gaps. The band will be playing the O2 Arena in London on 13 Feb, and then the First Direct Arena in Leeds on 15 Feb. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 9am.

And that, at last, is all I have to say on this matter.