I’ve been singing the praises of Northern newcomers White Belt Yellow Tag here at Toonwaves for months, but with the impending release of their debut album it finally looks like the rest of the world might start to take notice. Due to land via Distiller Records on April 5, the Chris Potter (Blur, The Verve) mixed Methods promises to be an absolute cracker.

Fusing the epic indie-drone of Doves with the contemporary prog of Radiohead, on-stage White Belt Yellow Tag are fucking brilliant. Don’t believe me? Catch them live at the O2 Academy in Newcastle on March 17 and find out for yourself. Here are their full tour dates:

March 16 Glasgow King Tuts
17 Newcastle Academy
18 Sheffield Academy
19 Manchester Academy 3
20 Leeds Brundenell Social Club
22 Norwich Arts Centre
23 Nottingham Rescue Rooms
24 York Fibbers
25 Birmingham Academy
27 Brighton Audio
28 Bristol Thekla
29 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
30 London Garage

Formed when ex-Yourcodenameis: Milo man Justin Lockey met Craig Pilbin in a Newcastle studio, White Belt Yellow Tag also feature the powerhouse drumming of Tom Bellamy, formerly of explosive indie-dance outfitThe Cooper Temple Clause.

Read my feature on White Belt Yellow Tag here:

http://toonwaves.co.uk/2009/06/10/introducing-white-belt-yellow-tag/

Methods will be preceded by new single “Always & Ecoes,” released on March 29. Watch the video for it here:

Sunday March 7

Nat Johnson & The Figureheads @ The Cluny 2

Monday March 8

Grizzly Bear, Beach House @ The Sage; The Kissaway Trail @ The Cluny

Tuesday March 9

Fun Lovin’ Criminals @ O2 Academy

Wednesday March 10

Manila Chapter, Love Bites & Bruises @ Offshore 44

Thursday March 11

Blood Red Shoes @ O2 Academy 2

Friday March 12

Delphic @ Digital; Saint & The Cynics, Runny Noses On A Monday, Starridium, Polarsets @ The Cluny 2

Saturday March 13

The Bluetones (pictured), Brilliant Mind @ Durham Live

Sunday March 15

Editors @ O2 Academy; The School, Allo Darlin’, Brilliant Mind, Mansfield Holiday @ The Head Of Steam

The band play Newcastle University on April 30.

Ever-impressive North East indie startlets Brilliant Mind have posted an hilarious blog about their recent trip to London to launch Fierce Panda’s Zip It Up EP:

http://leaveyourfriendsbehind.blogspot.com/2010/03/london.html

The sophomore album from Florida-based powerpop four-piece We The Kings is streaming in full online here:

http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.singleplaylist&friendid=6940840&plid=1172221

Smile Kid is set to land on Monday (March 8 ) and the band are supporting You Me At Six at the O2 Academy in Newcastle on March 13. Here are their full tour dates:

10th – Kingsway Newport Centre
11th – Sheffield O2 Academy
12th – Manchester Apollo
13th – Newcastle O2 Academy 2
14th – Glasgow O2 Academy
16th – Leeds O2 Academy
17th – Nottingham Rock City
18th – Southampton Guildhall
19th – Norwich UEA
20th – London Brixton Academy

Offshore 44 is a strange place for a gig. Amid the nautical paraphernalia that covers every available inch of this usually townie-dominated pub is a stage so small that the drum kit has to be set up at the side rather than the back. With a cramped live room that has all the feel of Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club, it’s a brilliantly off-kilter choice for brand new indie night Roxy.

First up are Newcastle’s ownNight Of Sevens. Ideally suited to the claustrophobic surroundings of Offshore, the band’s explosive drone-rock is simply breathtaking. From the minute front man Bobby takes the stage amid a howl of feedback to the final overdriven squeals of their incendiary set closer the band are mesmerising. Walking the same indie-psych walk that turned Kasabian into arena fillers, bigger stages surely beckon for the talented five-piece.

Fresh from a string of summer support slots with now-defunct Manchester rock gods Oasis, headliners Twisted Wheel slip effortlessly back into performing in front of an audience of hundreds rather than tens of thousands. Like the maximum r ‘n’ b of High Numbers-era The Who, the band’s explosive mod-punk cuts straight through the crowd. Loud, brash and loaded with swig-along melodies, it’s the perfect soundtrack for the clusters of drunken Fred Perry, Ben Sherman and Pretty Green-outfitted indie boys packed into Offshore’s back room.

Through the closing chants of “Whee-uuullll, Wheee-uuullll, Whee-uuullll,” it’s pretty clear it’s been a triumphant opening night for Roxy. A great venue with an even greater line-up, local outifits Love Bites & Bruises and Manila Chapter will have a lot to live up to next week.

For all of Roxy’s forthcoming listings check out their Facebook page here:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000616591916

It feels a bit hypocritical for Zane Lowe and co. to be throwing a huge In New Music We Trust bash in the same week that their BBC overlords decided to bring the axe down squarely on the neck of Six Music but that’s the way it goes. Ignoring the turmoil of their sister stations, Radio One bring a stellar line-up to the O2 Academy in Newcastle tonight (March 4) with Sunderland’s finest indie-rockers The Futureheads topping a bill that also includes fellow Mackems Frankie & The Heartstrings, Londoner Plan B and Manchester indie kings The Courteeners.

Gearing up for the release of their fourth album, The Chaos, it’ll be a welcome live return to the North East for The Futureheads. Always on top form when they play the Academy, it’ll be a great opportunity to get an early listen to some of their new material. I posted the video for forthcoming single “Heartbreak Song” on the site yesterday and it’s an absolute cracker. Here’s hoping for more of the same.

The Chaos is released on April 26 through the band’s own Nul Records label.

The lads play the O2 Academy tomorrow night (March 4) as part of Radio One’s In New Music We Trust extravaganza alongside Frankie & The Heartstrings, The Coutreeners and Plan B.

I’ve seen Oldham-based indie outfit Twisted Wheel a few times (most notably at last year’s Evolution Festival and supporting Oasis at one of their epic Heaton Park gigs) and have always been hugely entertained by their punky mod-rock. Weller wannabes they may be, but their unpretentious, wide-eyed rock ‘n’ roll is a breath of fresh air in a scene dominated by synth-fuelled self-importance. Yeah, they might sound like Britpop never-rans Northern Uproar and 60ft Dolls, but what’s wrong with that? At least they wear their influences firmly on their sleeves. The moniker is a bit of a giveaway after all. If you’re going to name yourselves after Manchester’s seminal Northern Soul venue then you’ve got to be a little bit retro, haven’t you? I thoroughly enjoyed the trio’s explosive Dave Sardy-produced debut. It’ll be interesting to hear where they go next.

Support act Night Of Sevens, on the other hand, really are a little bit special. And I don’t mean in a needs way. An incandescent drone-rock collective, the band have been making sizeable waves around the North East since blowing everyone (myself included) away with their ear-shredding pyschedelia at The Tyne during last May’s Evolution Unsigned. Self-contained and self-reliant, the boys’ defiantly DIY stance is commendable and has already made for some fiercely impressive Geordie neo-acid. Their eagerly awaited new EP is currently being mastered by Field Music’s David Brewis and looks set to land in the next couple of months.

Both bands are in action at brand new indie night Roxy at Offshore 44 in Newcastle tonight (March 3).