Live music in Liverpool this week: 16-22 Nov

We dive into the listings to bring you the essential guide to gigs in Liverpool this week – plus the latest news on festivals, tour announcements and more. Think we've missed something? Hit up will@theskinny.co.uk with the details... 

16 Nov

Emily Barker, Amber Rubarth and Amy Speace comprise the central trio at the heart of Applewood Road, a country/Americana group straight outta Nashville, Tennessee, with rootsy tunes and three-part harmonies galore. Yee, and indeed haw. 
Arts Club, 7.30pm, £13.50

Irish singer-songwriter Wallis Bird makes a trip to Leaf in support of her recently-released fifth studio album Home, toeing the line between her country's traditional folk balladry and a more straightforward rock sound. Bit Radio 2 for you? Nah, c'mon; everybody loves Popmaster.
Leaf, £8pm, £12

17 Nov

Gently pastoral psych sounds come courtesy of Gengahr tonight, as they bring their second headline tour to Merseyside. Fresh from the studio, where they've been recording the full-length follow-up to last year's debut album A Dream Outside, you can expect a smattering of new material to go with old favourites.
Buyers Club, 7.30pm, £11

Depending on your outlook, the return of Shaun Ryder's less-celebrated outfit will either be reason for joyous celebration or proof that the 90s revival has gone too far. Still, Black Grape are most certainly back with an expanded reissue of It's Great When You're Straight... Yeah in tow – find out whether you can remember all the lyrics to In The Name of the Father and that one about Jesus being Batman.
O2 Academy, 7pm, £25

"Sissies to the front," say the Northeast's queer punks Kinky, and they bring their righteous spiel to the city's spiritual home of DIY for an evening of essential pop and essential-er politics. Meet The Robots, Snakes Everywhere and Pardon Us/Town Bike dude Morgan Brown make up the local support. Support yr local scene, huh?
Maguire's Pizza Bar, 7.30pm, £3

18 Nov

London outfit Crystal Fighters – the ones behind this summer's infernally catchy All Night – bring their tropical pop and folktronic sounds to the O2 Academy, where they'll doubtless insist that you party 'all night' along with them. Or til curfew, at the very least.
O2 Academy, 7pm, £14

Having claimed the kingdom of alt.country for their very own with 2009's Oh My God, Charlie Darwin LP, The Low Anthem re-emerged this year with fifth album Eyeland. Expect hushed, immaculate harmonies and a softly warm melodicism that's thoroughly complementary to their expert songwriting.
Leaf, £8pm, £12

Everyone's favourite monster-costume-wearing metal act return! What's that? No, not GWAR... Ok, everyone's second favourite monster-costume-wearing metal act... No? Look, Lordi are in town and it's ten years since their unlikely Eurovision victory. They'll probably play Hard Rock Hallelujah, they'll probaby be dressed all gnarly and it'll be a laff. Probably.
Krazyhouse, 7pm, £18.50

Dead Good Gathering returns for a two-day riot of punk sounds, including Manchester's own Revenge of the Psychotronic Man, Rising Strike, One Eyed God, Riggots and Q Folk. There's a limited number of tickets on the door, or you can get a weekend ticket online, which you may well need to attend day two (more on which shortly...)
Maguire's Pizza Bar, 7pm, £5 OTD / £10 weekend ticket

19 Nov

Where to start with Kristin Hersh? Her groundbreaking, ongoing work with Throwing Muses? Her almost-as-lengthy solo career? The criminally-overlooked 50 Foot Wave? Ach, just grab yourself a copy of her thrillingly sparse yet complex Wyatt at the Coyote House LP and head on down. She makes magic, we tells ya.
Philharmonic Music Room, 8pm, £17.50

Lyam Kirkham of Liverpool riff monsters Stereo Virgins tragically passed away in 2014, but his friends and family have kept his memory alive with their work for The Brain Tumour Charity since then. Their annual Keep It Heavy events remain a part of that, and a combination of good cause and appropriately excellent line-up (Elephant Tree, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Sheer Attack and Pist) means that the third such outing is more than worth your while.
Maguire's Pizza Bar, 7pm, £5 

...And we also mentioned the second day of Dead Good Gathering, right? Catch Wonk Unit, The Roughneck Riot, The Dead Class, Pizza Tramp and Stuck in a Rut here, although since it's being held in a "secret location", we can't tell you exactly what 'here' entails. Keep an eye on the Facebook event page for more details, we suppose.
"Secret location", 7pm, £7 OTD / £10 weekend ticket

20 Nov

Brighton-based pop quintet Fickle Friends 'swim' to the Arts Club... hang on, that doesn't make any sense, does it? Not like the venue's out at sea or anything, and we'd imagine they'd be driving, what with all that gear in tow. Well anyway, they've got this song called Swim, and they're playing at the Arts Club. We're working with what we can here.
Arts Club, 7pm, £8

Moonlighting from his day job in The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Fallon comes to Liverpool with his backing band The Crowes. You know what to expect: heartfelt heartland rock with smatterings of folk and punk, courtesy of a man who (we'd wager) has heard a Springsteen record or two in his lifetime.
O2 Academy, 7pm, £22.50

Now booking

Wild Beasts, The Parrots and Ulrika Spacek were recently announced as the first wave of acts to play FestEvol Gardens next year, with the April festival now relocated to the Invisible Wind Factory. Pick up tickets here.

Also coming to the city in April is the inaugural WRONG Festival, a noise rock affair starring The Wytches, Heck, Part Chimp, The Cosmic Dead, Blacklisters and local noiseniks Elevant at North Shore Troubador. Head here for ticket details.