The Music Room

With opportunities to experience live music expanding every week, our music loving journalist Emily Miller shares her top gig picks for the next couple of months in Leicester

Mystery Jets

April 20 02 Academy Leicester The seasoned indie rockers have announced their twice rescheduled tour dates, where they’ll be spreading the message of new album A Billion Heartbeats far and wide. Playing hits spanning their career, including Young Love and Two Doors Down, the Jets continue to bring catchy tunes and fun to live music.

James Bay

May 7 02 Academy Leicester The man in the hat and BRIT Award-winning singersongwriter, famed for his anthemic back catalogue, is back with new material and a UK tour. In 2014, he released his single Hold Back the River, which was certified platinum, before releasing his debut studio album Chaos and the Calm. The album went to number one in the UK and number 15 in the US – and his new material looks set to achieve similarly dizzy hit success.

Michael Kiwanuka

May 9 Demontforthall.co.uk This British singer-songwriter and record producer is a Polydor Records artist with hits dating back to his highly acclaimed debut album, Home Again from 2012. His second album, Love & Hate, debuted in 2016 and reached number one in the UK charts.

Yard Act

May 26 02 Academy Leicester The Leeds band are touring their debut album The Overload this year. One of my picks of 2022 so far, the record makes humorous, wry and dry observations on modern British life with a fresh and exciting take on what it means to be an indie band right now. You won’t want to miss this one, not if you want to remain in the know.

Elvis Costello

June 14 De Montfort Hall Otherwise known as Declan MacManus OBE, this evergreen singer-songwriter and record producer has won multiple awards, including Grammys, in a career spanning over 40 years. His impressive back-catalogue of hits include such classics as Oliver’s Army, Pump It Up and Watching the Detectives.

The Drifters

June 16 De Montfort Hall The Drifters are comprised of a cluster of American doowop and R&B/soul vocal groups. Originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. Later they became The Drifters part II with the second group forming in 1959 fronted by Ben E King. Memorable hits include Save the Last Dance For Me and Under the Boardwalk.