Schwervon! @ Henry's Cellar Bar, 5 Dec

Nan Turner and Matt Roth began recording together as Schwervon! soon after they "met and fell in love amidst the fertile gutters of NYC". Their Low Blow album, released earlier this year, booted backsides all over the place with a barrage of heavy Pixies-esque riffery, pop melodies and perfectly attuned male/female harmonies. Both members are also excellent musicians/songwriters in their own right, with Turner playing under her own name and Roth going under the guise of Major Matt Mason USA. The duo also run their own label, Olive Juice Music - a treasure trove of the best of NYC's alternative alt-rock and anti-folk scene - from their tiny apartment in the Lower East Side. Their last gigs in Scotland were made of life-affirming stuff, so expect more of the same when their European 'Hungry Eyes' Tour hits the capital. Appropriate support comes from local mavericks Withered Hand, Pineapple Chunks and Les Enfant Bastard. [Milo McLaughlin]