Festival season might be winding down, but September brings plenty of reasons to swap the fields for your favourite Hull venues. Touring bands are back on the road, autumn gig season is getting underway and there's a good mix heading our way. Here are a few I'd be making time for this month!
It's a good week for Hull's alternative music fans, starting with American hard-rock outfit Crobot at The Welly on Tuesday 8th September (£18). Thursday 10th sees Social switch things towards pop-punk with Brighton-via-Minneapolis band As It Is (£20), before things get considerably heavier on Saturday 12th as East Yorkshire metal outfit L.O.C take over O'Rileys (£10), joined by Darkened Void and Mulch Messiah.
South London's Dead Air arrive at Polar Bear Music Club on Thursday 17th September (£12), bringing big riffs and the kind of chaotic live energy that's been getting them noticed across the UK. If you like your alternative rock loud and a little unruly, get this one in the diary.
The following night, Liverpool singer-songwriter Jamie Webster heads to Asylum (£35). His songs about everyday life have earned him a huge following, and seeing him in a room like Asylum should make this one feel particularly special.
Saturday 19th September sees Holy Holy celebrate the music of David Bowie at Connexin Live (from £44). With longtime Bowie producer Tony Visconti and Ziggy Stardust-era drummer Woody Woodmansey leading the show, joined by Heaven 17's Glenn Gregory, there are some serious Bowie credentials behind this one.
Thursday 24th September brings French four-piece The Spitters to The Adelphi (£10), with a dose of garage-rock all the way from Toulon. The following night, things mellow out at Wrecking Ball Arts Centre with Leeds indie-folk band The Dunwells (£20), rounding off the month's picks on a slightly gentler note.
September has a bit of everything, from sweaty rock shows and hometown metal to indie-folk and a proper celebration of Bowie. If this is what the start of autumn looks like, I think we'll be alright.
I'll see you down the front!