HUGH LAURIE'S GOT THE UNION CHAPEL BLUES + ODD FUTURE AT THE CAMDEN CRAWL

LISTEN up NW1 residents.

Those generous Camden Crawl people have saved up some of their most treasured signings for the Red Bull Bedroom Jam, which takes over Hawley Crescent for the May Bank Holiday weekend (April 30 – May 1). Entry is free for residents aged 14 or over (under 16s accompanied by an adult) who show proof of residence and age on arrival space allowing.

The King Blues headline on Saturday and the much-hyped ODD FUTURE WOLF GANG KILL THEM ALL play their first UK festival show on the Sunday. Others lined up include Attack! Attack!, The Qemists, Turbowolf, P Money and S.C.U.M. Crawl wristband holders also welcome.

Not easy to find a clip of Odd Future in their collective element so here's Tyler the Creator doing his own thing - Warning some may find lyrics offensive.


Forget the menacing hip-hop, this second clip shows Odd Future as straight-up skater boys - brings back memories of my own reprobate skater friends of the past.



• He’s so convincing on House, I’d forgotten he’s English – now Hugh Laurie’s embracing the deep South soul. He plays New Orleans blues from album Let Them Talk, which features collaborations with Tom Jones and Dr John, at the Union Chapel on May 4 – shame it’s sold out.

• Want to break into the music biz? Head to King’s Place for MusicConnex (April 19-21) where more than 100 industry experts will share their expertise on securing a career in the digital age in a series of seminars sponsored by Facebook, Youtube and MPA. Plus showcases from ILUVLIVE, Canadian Blast, One Taste and Busker Tales.

• We’re in the middle of London Latin Music Festival and the best is yet to come – see Ojos de Brujo’s 10th Anniversary Show at the Barbican (April 15), supported by Depedro, and A Night of Twisted Cumbia ft Mexican Institute of Sound, Axel Krygier and Pollito Boogaloo at Koko (April 17).

TOM JONES' ALTAR STAGE INVASION FEATURING JO WHILEY'S MUM + PULP'S BEST. NEWS. EVER. + BRAINY AKALA + THE REVENGE OF D:REAM

TOM Jones set ageing pulses racing at Islington’s Union Chapel on Monday night as he headlined the first night of the magical Mencap Little Noise Sessions.

At Paolo Nutini’s gig the next night, my spies tell me Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley confessed her mum stormed the stage when the irresistible Mr Jones was playing – bear in mind the stage is an altar – these Jones fans are wild.


Here's Mr Jones with Green Green Grass of Home, his encore.
• My fave up-and-comers, quirky, Louis le Prince play cult venue The Lexington (Nov 24). If you’re looking for one new band to adopt, this is it.

• The Electric Ballroom’s got a mighty list of gigs on its way – Kele (Bloc Party) plays Friday, The Fall (Nov 23) and The Tallest Man on Earth (Nov 24).

• In case you’ve been living on another planet I’d like to point out that Pulp are reforming and headline Wireless next year – Best. News. Ever. My fave song’s Babies, what’s yours? PS 02 Academy Islington’s great club night Feeling Gloomy hosts Pulp’s Wireless launch party on Saturday – prizes, surprises and rare Pulp records played early.

• Akala’s sooo brainy and a good guy, not like those bad rappers you read about in the papers. He’s been teaching schoolkids hip-hop Shakespeare – check out his cerebral lyrical dexterity at the British Library (Nov 26).

• I’ve not been complimentary about D:Ream in the past and it seems they’re taking revenge. The checky-trousered dance act, which I hold personally responsible for the birth of Blair, (Tony, not the one-hit-wonder of Have Fun Go Mad obscurity), have managed to convince former keyboarder Brian Cox now a widely respected physicist to abandon sanity and reform – songs from new album “In Memory Of...” (I’d stop there) will be performed at 02 Academy Islington (Dec 1).

WHERE'S JOHNNY? DEPP'S STUNT DOUBLE KNOWS + LITTLE NOISE + BRAVO MOBO NOMINEES AKALA AND N-DUBS

EVER wondered what Johnny Depp’s stunt double does when not risking his life to save Hollywood’s most precious cheekbones?
Turns out Pirates of the Caribbean cast member Scott Sener is a musician. He supports Camden band Earth Prayer – fronted by Heidi Jo Hines, daughter of former Wings guitarist and Moody Blues founder member Denny Laine – at a free gig at Scars Studio, 20 Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, on Saturday.
Sener’s invited cast members so keep your eyes peeled for the genuine article – Mr Depp has been known to pop up at the odd underground gig – ask Babybird.

(Can't find a clip of Earth Prayer so here's Heidi Jo Hines on her lonesome).

• Fellow music lovers, it’s all happening. Once you’ve completed the three peaks challenge of Elton, Neil Diamond and Robert Plant at Electric Proms (Oct 28 – 30) – here’s what’s coming up.
• Regular readers will know this is my absolute fave series of gigs, Mencap Little Noise Sessions return to the Union Chapel (Nov 15 – 20) with Tom Jones, Paolo Nutini and Hurts latest headliners to be announced – my pick so far – Hurts. Be there.
• Can’t believe we’re talking about the Camden Crawl already but early bird tickets go on sale at the Bull and Gate launch gig (Oct 28) – The Chapman Family, DELS, Hook & the Twin, John & Jehn, Martyna Baker and the inevitable secret guest tba by Twitter of course!
• If you missed Tim Robbins at the Union Chapel, you can catch him supporting Paolo Nutini at the Q Awards gigs at HMV Forum (Oct 22).
Also playing are Jamiroquai (Oct 20), Chase and Status (Oct 22) and Mark Ronson & The Business INTL (+ Rose Elinor Dougal) (Oct 23).
• Bravo N-Dubz and Akala for Mobo nominations – find out if they won (Oct 20).