Artsweek Special: Your Essential Easter Holiday Gig Guide

Well worry not, because Artsweek is here with a special pick of upcoming gigs in York, and with a combination of unsigned gems, bang-on-trend scenesters and fully fledged chart superstars (well... as close as we get this side of Leeds). There's got to be something here to tide you over until you can happily stuff your face with enough chocolate to provide a sugar rush that will carry you all the way to the summer.

In the eyes of many people at least one of these four things are cool:

• Living in Whitechapel
• Being friends with Pete Doherty
• Appearing in Nathan Barley
• Having a remix of your song released by Kitsune Maison.

The Cazals have had all of these things happen to them, and yet have managed not to disappear up their own arses. Instead they are knocking out tunes reminiscent of The Clash, and are leaving London to show the rest of the UK how to survive a self destructive scene. They come to The Junction this Wednesday, and if you're quick you might just win a pair of tickets in our podcast competition.

For something a little closer to home, The Long Blondes, hailing from Sheffield, are appearing at Fibbers on March 18th. After their fantastic 2006 debut Someone to Drive You Home - containing indie-disco smash Once and Never Again - the band have been working with the indie dance supermensch Erol Alkan on their followup. Century, their latest single, sounds like Debbie Harry teaming up with Gary Numan in the late 70s. Quite good then.

For something A LOT closer to home, York schoolboys and Yorker Arts favourites The Federals can be seen at Basement Bar on March 21st, and The Junction on the 26th. Exploding with all the impetuousness of youth and an effortless slamming out of garage-rock screamers, they really are one of the most exciting bands on the York scene, and are currently on quite a roll.

Another local act, but of quite a different ilk, Lights, musical persona of college boy Ben, plays Fibbers on March 28th. His carefully composed acoustic tunes, with beautifully wrought guitar work and rolling melodies, swish straight into the happiest reaches of your consciousness. Ignore the negative connotations of the Damien Rice label that seems to be applied to all emotive male singer-songwriters, this boy is something special.

Heads up, back on the neon road to scenesterville... get your pointy shoes on - we're going dancing. We Smoke Fags, tacky knowingly cool band name of the year, play Fibbers April 9th. Fighting the corner for an altogether heavier brand of indie dance (alongside Reading's Does It Offend You Yeah) they're bound to rip up the dancefloor, possibly the light fittings and anything else not completely secured to the floor.

Finally, there's a quality triple-whammy in the final week of the holiday. On Friday April 11th amazing Scottish underground trio Frightened Rabbit come to Basement Bar. Championed by, amongst others, influential music blogger Mike Smith on Nothing But Green Lights, the band mix pounding rhythms with plaintive, anthemic lyrics. Like early Idlewild with a noughties twist, they promise a great live show.

Then on the 15th proper chart stars The Ting Tings come to FIbbers. You'll have heard their debut single Great DJ on the radio, it's the one with the "The girls, / The boys ah ah ah-ah, ah ah ah ah / The Strings, ee ee ee-ee, ee ee ee ee / The drums, the drums, the drums, the drums..." chorus, and the catchiest guitar riff this side of Girls Aloud. That's right, I went there. Although they seem to divide opinion between those who like their indie with some proper pop and those who don't (a.k.a. amazing people and people who take themselves too seriously) they're almost definitely going to be huge, so if you're interested (and you ABSOLUTELY should be) snap up a ticket now.

Then, as a little "welcome back to summer term" present, only Dan le Sac and Scroobius Pip at The Junction on April 18th! After OWNING Fibbers on the NME tour last term, the poet and his beat creating comrade are back in York. Expect theatrical showmanship, Radiohead samples, epic beards, props and tunes to get you bouncing in a way you never thought you would whilst listening to politically-tinged poetry.

Hurrah! With a lineup like that why even bother going home?

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