NME Awards Tour hits Birmingham O2 Academy
It's the tour when the Next Big Things appear on the same bill – and for the last time in such intimate surrounds. The NME Awards Tour has been a staple on the British music circuit for more than 15 years, after being introduced following the Britpop era.
It's the tour when the Next Big Things appear on the same bill – and for the last time in such intimate surrounds. The NME Awards Tour has been a staple on the British music circuit for more than 15 years, after being introduced following the Britpop era.
This year's tour promises to be a cracker with Two Door Cinema Club, Metronomy, Tribes and Azealia Banks linking up at the O2 Academy, in Birmingham, tomorrow (Saturday, February 18).
The tour is renowned for giving the freshest new acts their first taste of national notoriety and the Class of 2012 will set the agenda for an explosive year in music.
Irish indie types Two Door Cinema Club formed in 2007 and released a debut album, Tourist History, in 2010, which helped them win the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year. In contrast, Metronomy are based in Devon and their electro-pop is influenced by such bands as Gorillaz, Roots Manuva, Franz Ferdinand and Ladytron.
Tribes are the newest band on the tour: the Nirvana-influenced quartet from Camden released their debut EP We Were Children last April and played at XFM's Winter Wonderland gig in December.
Completing the line-up is Azealia Banks, an American rapper from Harlem who formerly performed under the pseudonym Miss Bank$. She topped the NME's 2011 Cool List, features on the BBC Sound of 2012 list and her debut single, 212, peaked at number 75 in the UK singles chart. She has numerous friends in high places, included Radio One's Annie Mac, who considers herself a big fan.
Visionary electronic star Skillrex, one of America's biggest breakthrough acts, will headline the O2 on Sunday. His mix of dubstep, electro, glitch and post-hardcore electronic has put Skillrex mainman Sonny John Moore on the cutting edge of new music.
Moore cut his teeth in Northeast Los Angeles and was the lead singer in From First To Last, before deciding to pursue a solo career in 2007. He was nominated for five Grammy Awards last year, including Best New Artist, and also made it on the BBC Sound of 2012 poll. In December, he was named on MTV's EDM Artist of the Year, ahead of more established acts like David Guetta and deadmau5.
Alternative rockers Pulled Apart By Horses are also in town this week, with a headline gig at the Library @ Birmingham's HMV Institute. PABH formed in their native Leeds in 2007 and released their debut album in June 2010 and a single followed in January this year, called V.E.N.O.M.
PABH are fresh from supporting the equally-equine Foals and the world-conquering Muse. Support will come from The Computers.
NME Tour and Skrillex ickets are available from the Academy's website www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk while Pulled Apart By Horses fans can visit www.hmvtickets.com
