Live music in Liverpool this week: 25-31 Jan

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 25 Jan

Some old skool guitar-toting fun, to start off with: Rival Sons play what music hacks have dubbed 'classic rock', complete with bluesy licks and a certain leather jacketed swagger. Tonight's headline set represents a break from the norm in their current travel schedule, as tour support to metal titans Black Sabbath, but fans of The Black Crowes and Lenny Kravitz might feel more at home with this California lot. O2 Academy, 7pm, £17.50

Thu 26 Jan

Hertfordshire-born Declan McKenna won the Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition in 2015, and since then the precociously talented 18-year-old has released two EPs and a plethora of singles, impressively tackling subjects from FIFA corruption to transgender misrepresentation along the way. His tunes ain't bad either, fusing an immersive indie jangle to shimmering, upbeat pop production: pretty decent. Studio 2, 7pm, £8.50

Another bout of pop-punk descends on everyone's favourite pogo-friendly pizza gaff: Swindon's As The Sun Sleeps offer up a typically perky brand of nostalgic bounce-alongs, with nods to the 90s and 00s alike. They're on the tour with their more melancholically-inclined citymates Ghosts, while Merseyside's own Our Divinity open things up. Maguire's Pizza Bar, 7.30pm, £3

Fri 27 Jan

Ready for Fiesta Bombarda's Cathedral Carnival? Best get excited now, if you haven't already: Ninja Tune's own cut'n'paste genius Archie Fairhurst, aka Romare heads up an all-star line-up that also features dazzling West African funk merchants Ibibio Sound Machine and a steel pan set from Ghanaian force of nature Kog. Unmissable. Anglican Cathedral, 7pm, £20

Still, if a big ol' dance party doesn't take your fancy, what about some fabulously punishing French death metal? Darkall Slaves are over visting the UK, as are Malta's no-less brutal Repugnance. With Merseyside's own Exhumation and Maleceptor on hand to wreck heads beforehand, this looks set to be an evening of guaranteed skullcrushing good times. Lovely stuff. Maguire's Pizza Bar, 7pm, £5

Sat 28 Jan

Bedroom popster done good C Duncan has achieved a lot in a short space of time. Five years, two sterling albums and a Mercury nomination into his nascent career, he's already won the devotion of fans across the UK, with last year's The Midnight Sun opus continuing the determined ascension of this brightly-burning star. O2 Academy, 7pm, £10

There's also the second night of Cathedral Carnival to contend with, as beatbox legend Beardyman (featuring Rob Lewis on cello), horn-laden hip-hoppers Renegade Brass Band, Manchester ska heroes Jeramiah Ferrari and bass/beats practitioner Dr Hyde keep the party going in the finery of the Anglican Cathedral. Tonight's event is sold out, however, so good luck finding a ticket. Anglican Cathedral, 7pm, £20

Back in December, the city's most notable punk rock pizza hangout observed four years since its doors first opened. Never ones to let an occasion go unmarked, Maguire's belated birthday party features sets from masked party band Spanish Announce Team, post-hardcore faves Code Break, PMA advocates AVAS and chiptune stylist Joe Bleeps, with quizzes and giveaways on the cards. Wrestling fancy dress encouraged. Maguire's Pizza Bar.

Mon 30 Jan

Psych-fuzz for a Monday? Why not? Brighton's Penelope Isles have a knack for Cheatahs-esque pop, and they're on tour with their decidedly oblique dreampop pals Good Guy Clarence. There's also ethereal, trip-hop-infused electro-pop on offer from The Baltic States – an intriguing evening of excellent alternative sounds. Maguire's Pizza Bar, 8pm, £tbc

Tue 31 Jan

Belfast duo Exmagician dropped their Scan The Blue LP via Bella Union in March last year, and now they're here to blow hearts and minds with their pristine sounds. With influences ranging from Captain Beefheart to Add N To (X), their approach is nothing if not eclectic; happily it's married to their instinctive knack for melody, making them a hazy treat for the ears. Studio 2, 7pm, £7

Now booking

Local wonk-pop favourites Glossom have reached the end of the road! Ensure that they get an appropriate send-off at this farewell show, also featuring Lawoftheland, Tindrumm and The Blurred Sun Band. 11 Feb, Maguire's Pizza Bar, £5otd

Future Islands may have risen to prominence thanks to a remarkable appearance on Letterman, but their experimental, heart-on-sleeve sound deserves far greater appreciation than mere notoriety. Head along and pay tribute to a remarkable band. 29 Apr, O2 Academy, tickets £23

Sound City returns for its tenth anniversary with a pretty special array of headliners across four nights, including John Cale's only European performance of The Velvet Underground & Nico and post-punk/synthpop pioneers The Human League. Metronomy and The Kooks round out an impressive line-up. 25-28 May, Clarence Dock, tickets on sale from 27 Jan