Manic Street Preachers @ The Roundhouse, Mon 15 Dec – Wed 17 Dec

It’s a nostalgia fueled list this week, and rightly so as Christmas is a bloody nostalgic time. For me, I head home to Cork and it’s like some kind of time warp: living at home with my parents and all my friends in place again. It seems the concert bookers recognise this as the amount of ‘nostalgia’ acts on around Christmas is ridiculous. Having said that, the Manics have never succumbed to being just a ‘nostalgia’ act. Obviously, their days of dominating the charts are well behind them, but their latest record Futurology is a humdinger, showing a band still hungry and with tunes to boot. At the Roundhouse, they’ll be playing The Holy Bible, their 1994 opus, in it’s entirety. So expect a good mixture of old and new. Pity it’s sold out. Maybe some tickets at the door.

Gaz Coombes @ KOKO, Mon 15 Dec

Gaz Coombes returned a couple of years ago with his first solo album since Supergrass split in 2010. Rave reviews all round. Such is Gaz’s charisma that watching queue for th bogs would probably be a laugh. Plus, this gig is a charity gig for autism. Have a laugh, contribute to a good cause. It’s a win/win surely. Tickets here.

The Who @ The O2 Wed 17 – Thur 18 Dec

The Who are one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and while they are getting a touch long in the tooth, their music is such that if you stay back from the stage and close your eyes you could pretend it’s 1972. Failing that, just have some beers beforehand, go with your mates, and sing at the top of your lungs. Sweet as a nut. Tickets here.

Slowdive @ The Forum, Fri Dec 19, Sat Dec 20

Who doesn’t love a bit of shoegaze? Reading’s Slowdive music have figured it was time to return to show the young pretenders how it is done. Originally reforming to perform to play Primivera 2014, it turns out they quite enjoyed themselves and so expect more live dates and perhaps some new material next year. Sold out. Oh well. Hang around outside drinking beers.

Madness @ The O2, Sat 20 Dec

I loved ‘Our House’ growing up. I think it was that line: “Our mother’s so house proud, nothing ever slows her down, and a mess is not allowed.” Don’t really know why, I think it was just the way that Suggs sang it. At any rate, Madness are always absolutely great craic live. Still some tickets available here.

Meshuggah @ The Roundhouse, Sat 20 Dec

Meshuggah, bloody hell. This Swedish extreme metal band have been on the go since 1987, but are amazingly still somewhere in their prime. Mental. Difficult to find a more brutal and yet technically astounding band anywhere, at any time, in history. Ferocious. Tickets here.

Simian Mobile Disco @ XOYO, Sat Dec 20

Easily the youngest group on our list, London’s Simian Mobile Disco have made a name for themselves through their use of analogue equipment. Developing out of Simian, an indie/electro pop group in the early 00s, these chaps have a penchant for good times, and loud tunes. Unfortuntely, it’s a wee bit sold out. But, queue outside. There may be tickets on the door. Don’t hold me to that though.

The Cure @ Apollo Hammersmith, Sun Dec 21 – Wed 20

The Cure have had a rough time releasing their last album 2008’s 4:13 Dream. Robert Smith had originally wanted to release the record as a double album, and figured he’d have no trouble doing that as he is ‘Robert Smith’, which is a fair point really. However, the label baulked at the idea of a double album, and so he’s spent the last six years fighting to get his original vision released. Looks like that will be happening in the new year, and so The Cure will finally move onto new material. There’s still tickets available for the Monday night show at the Hammersmith Apollo. HERE.