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Critic's Choice: Top Five Gigs
By David Smyth, Evening Standard 29.09.06
Life of Ryan: The other Mr Adams comes to town
Look here too
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
Shepherd's Bush Empire, W12
After a couple of intimate solo dates in London last week, the inexhaustibly prolific songwriter returns for two shows with his current band. Fans are no doubt in for a long night - Adams has little respect for curfews and has skipload of songs to choose from, having released three albums in the past year alone. (0870 771 2000). Sat 30 Sep, Sun 1 Oct, 7pm.
Beth Orton and Bert Jansch
The Spitz, E1
The biggest show in the ongoing Spitz Festival of Folk sees the Scottish veteran and former Pentangle member united with the younger Orton, who is becoming ever more a part of the folk establishment. She's played guitar and sung on Jansch's latest album, Black Swan. (020 7392 9032). Tonight, 7pm.
Jurassic 5
Decade-old Los Angeles hip hop crew renowned for being significantly more positive about life than their gangsta peers. Now without DJ Cut Chemist, who has recently gone solo, they're still going strong with two large shows this weekend.
Brixton Academy, SW9. Sat 30 Sep, 7pm (0870 771 2000). Astoria, WC2, Sun 1 Oct, 7pm (020 7434 9592).
The Storys
Shepherd's Bush Empire, W12
One look at various members of this Welsh sextet, with their weathered faces and grey-flecked hair, would suggest that if you haven't heard of them by now, you never will. But the band, despite being aged between 31 and 50, make mature, pretty, country-tinged songs that are perfect for Radio 2, where listeners are unconcerned about droolability. (0870 771 2000). Tonight, 7pm.
Sparks
Forum, NW5
The sibling synthpop pranksters may be slightly less good humoured than usual at this show, still smarting from a BBC ban for theirnew single Dicking Around. It's "an innocent reference to the idle life", says embittered Ron Mael, so expect them to be saying much ruder things about the Beeb here. (0870 534 4444). Sat 30 Sep, 7pm.
