1 LCD Soundsystem
Forget those 2011 “farewell” shows ever happened: James Murphy’s superlative dance-rock outfit are back in a big way. The band’s fourth studio album, American Dream, takes in Bowie, erudite electronica and more of Murphy’s mordant observations about ageing. Anxiety about impending irrelevance may be his specialist subject, but LCD are far from obsolete.
Manchester, 16-17 September; Glasgow, 19-20 September; London, 22-23 September
2 The National
Parsing the passing of time in slightly less uproarious fashion are the National, whose latest album Sleep Well Beast plunges into the miseries of middle age. If you like your rock realistic and remorseless, you can catch the Cincinnati five-piece on these shores throughout September.
Cork, 16 September; Dublin, 17-18 September; Edinburgh, 20-21 September; Manchester, 22 September; touring to 28 September
3 Mr Jukes
As the frontman of Bombay Bicycle Club, Jack Steadman specialised in songs that cosseted their persistent grooves in polite indie. His new material, a maelstrom of funk and soul, has no such airs – and is irrepressibly joyful as a result.
Brighton, 18 September; Bristol, 19 September; London, 20 September; Glasgow, 22 September; touring to 25 September
4 LA Witch
The menacing garage-punk of the Cramps meets Mazzy Star’s smouldering shoegaze on this Los Angeleno trio’s four-years-in-the-making debut, released last week. The band will be snaking around the UK in order to showcase its slow-burning charms.
Bristol, 18 September; Brighton, 19 September; London, 20 September; Glasgow, 21 September; Liverpool, 22 September
5 Foo Fighters
It’s 10 years now since London’s most ignominious folly, the Millennium Dome, was finally put to some actual use and converted into The O2. To celebrate, the venue is staging a series of big-name artists throughout the year: this week sees Dave Grohl and co powering through the hits.
The O2, SE10, 19 September
