Live music in Liverpool this week: 19-25 Apr

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...

Wed 19 Apr 

You can't keep a good punk down, and after five years away, Liverpool's own melodic hardcore heroes Chief return to the fray. Support comes from Albany, New York's gruffly ace After The Fall, plus a trio of local faves in the form of Old Radio, Fair Do's and Carl Moorcroft. And you've gotta admire a promoter who advertises a door policy of "no knobheads".
Maguire's Pizza Bar, 7pm, £5

Thu 20 Apr

London-based singer-songwriter Jack Cheshire defies all the usual implications of the prosaically dull term 'singer-songwriter' by being pretty interesting, actually; all softly psychedelic production and gently emotive lyricism. S'pose this paragraph might make us look somewhat anti-singer-songwriter on the whole, but too late: we've typed it now.
Zanzibar, 7.30pm, £7

With their previous album Weird Little Birthday, Happyness gained a reputation for effortlessly channelling the sounds of US 'slacker' indie rock, but there's a different type of grace attached to recent follow-up Write In. Expect a similar capacity for indie rock hooks, only with a greater sense of jangling elegance than before – a bright future awaits 'em, if they want it. 
Buyers Club, 8pm, £9

Fascinating story, that of Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band. Formed around the talents of the Indiana-born singer in London in 1965, they achieved limited chart success before breaking up three years later. A comeback was encouraged following Dexys Midnight Runners' homage, Geno, but Washington wanted to complete his degree in hypnotism first. Happily, they've been regularly touring their spectacular soul party since 2005. Our advice? Go.
Cavern Club, 8pm, £16.50

Fri 21 Apr

A night of good ol' rock'n'roll awaits you at Maguire's tonight: local indie trio The Blame top the bill, while French garage rockers Lafayette Regency also deliver caterwauling chords and bluesy rhythms and London's West of the Sun deliver some blistering psych. Boys with guitars; you know the drill.
Maguire's Pizza Bar, 8pm, £4 adv / £5 OTD

Sat 22 Apr

We've been banging on about Wrong Festival for months, and now it's finally here! We know, we know; you'll have been up since all hours, with it being Record Store Day, but this "festival for the freakscene" promises to be a classic. Don't believe us? Well, proof lies in appearances from The Wytches, Part Chimp, Bo Ningen, Cowtown, Blacklisters, Skinny Girl Diet, Heck, The Cosmic Dead and many, many more. Here's hoping it's the first of many Wrongs to come. 
North Docklands venues, from 1pm, £20

More men with acoustic guitars, this time playing rearranged virtuoso versions of 70s pop faves, operatic overtures and Ibiza club classics. Showhawk Duo? We'll refrain from coughing and mumbling 'show-off duo, more like' under our breath, but still. Looks like they're having a lovely time.
Arts Club, 7pm, £15.50

Sun 23 Apr

The word is that Chris de Burgh hates being called a "mawkish balladeer" – after all, he once wrote to The Irish Times to say as much – but come on mate, if the cap fits and all that. He's touring 21st studio album A Better World, which sees him exploring rockier territory (à la older material like Don't Pay The Ferryman) and addressing the plight of the modern world, but let's face it, dear reader: your mind's made up already, isn't it? Apparently his shows now reach three hours long. Yeesh.
Philharmonic Hall, 7.30pm, £45-60

Now booking

Bizarro-pop songwriter, philosopher and performer of no scant regard, Thomas Truax returns to Liverpool on 28 April with support from one-man horror soundtrack machine Jean Michel Noir, and it's your duty to head along. Buy tickets here.