It may be time to put away your festival tent for another summer but it's also nearly time for the
biggest album releases of 2011 - and there's plenty to get excited about, says David Smyth... more
The Pierces, sweet-voiced sisters from Alabama, have a new sound that will propel them to stardom — and over the page are five other names to watch out for next year... more
Kylie Minogue was honoured as a music idol at the Q Awards. The star showed off a new Marilyn Monroe-esque hair do and a figure-hugging black frock at the ceremony.... more
Perhaps it is a little early to be talking about the new Lily Allen - but with the old Lily Allen showing the strain, maybe she'd be happy to have the attention focused on Kate Nash instead.... more
David Smyth ponders over Starbucks' move into the music business, the coffee company's imminent signing of Paul McCartney, and Steven Seagal's upcoming Shepherds Bush Empire gig.... more
David Smyth discusses the threat to the Astoria, albums with excessively long track lists and buying songs direct from radio stations in his regular column.... more
Willie Nelson generated barely any excitement from a small Wembley crowd. His band was too quiet to control the enormous space, but simply being in his presence helped raise spirits.... more
The other Mr Adams comes to town (Ryan that is), Beth Orton and Bert Jansch folk it up at the Spitz Festival and Jurassic 5 bring hip-hop to the Astoria. Read about the weekend's best live music here.... more
Afternoon:
8°c
