LIVE WIRE – Sydney Live Music Guide May 12th

The Big British Sound extravaganza is back on Thursday 12^th, this time at the Gaelic Club in Surry Hills. Ball Park Music and Strange Talk head the line up for the Ben Sherman event. Thursday also finds romantic shreddess Romy heading this week’s installment of drop at the Beach Rd Hotel in Bondi Beach, where she is supported by the funky all-girl Alphamama and Loulou & Bentley. Friday 13^th finds Blue King Brown at Waves Nightclub in Towradgi, near Woolongong as part of their Worldwize national tour, as well as Perth band (Perth, Scotland) Alestorm bring their curiously described folk/power metal to the Manning Bar at Sydney University. Pseudo-cabaret singer and one of the New York Post’s 10 Artists To Know In 2011, Emma Dean is launching her new single and video clip at The Basement on Saturday 14^th. Still at The Basement, The Cat Empire, after 10 years together, are celebrating by playing all their old regular spots around the country, with Sunday 15^th finding them back at the classic Circular Quay venue. Fresh from her tour with Washington and Deep Sea Arcade, Illinois native Lissie is embarking on her own Aussie tour, with Tuesday 17^th finding her at the reliable Oxford Art Factory in Paddington with special guests in tow. Also on Tuesday, Australian jazz singer Ali McGregor brings her cheekily named Jazz Cigarette show to The Basement for a night of female jazz vocalist classics – think Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. Thursday 19^th’s installment of drop at the Beach Rd Hotel finds percussionist, singer and all-round musical superman Nicky Bomba, now best know for his place in the latest incarnation of the John Butler Trio, bringing his eponymous solo project to the Bondi night spot. With Ebb N Flo, DJ Ability and Fester capping off the bill for the night, this is sure to be a good (and free!) one. Deep funk revivalists and Aussie groove ambassadors The Bamboos are also celebrating their 10 year anniversary, with their celebrations taking place in the form of a gig at Manning Bar in the University of Sydney grounds on Friday 20^th. Not too far away, Pigeon John is performing at Tone in Surry Hills, as the Other Tongues label promote the debut album from the Californian rapper. Still on Friday, the Lansdowne Hotel on City Rd, which, with an upgraded sound system and toned-down leaning towards outright heavy metal, seems to have cleaned up its image somewhat. The historic and infamous pub hosts dark garage blues trio The Blackwater Fever, with The Preachers, the Dirty Love and Frank Sultana all in support. Kiwi collective Cornerstone Roots are at Beach Rd on Saturday 21^st, a visit sure to have our trans-Tasman expat cousins flocking in for the good vibes and quality tunes. Also on Saturday, Brisbane indie pop powerhouse Hungry Kids of Hungary are headling the Metro in Sydney’s CBD with The Chemist, Andy Bull and Daniel Lee Kendall filling out the very fine, very Triple J line up. The Gaelic Club in Surry Hills is hosting Rainbow Relief on Sunday 22^nd, a benefit gig for victims of the environmental catastrophes in Queensland and New Zealand – features King Tide, Declan Kelly, PK Crew and Swomp D and Insect Buzz.