Weekly News Round-Up: Arctic Monkeys, Jarvis Cocker and more

You’re in the right place if you’ve missed any of the week’s top news stories – here Live4ever’s Weekly News Round-Up presents a recap of eight of the biggest headlines in British music we featured during the last seven days.

Alex Turner on stage with the Arctic Monkeys (Photo: Todd Howe for Live4ever Media)

Count yourself unlucky if your going to a European festival this summer which Arctic Monkeys aren’t playing.

With some headline European gigs pencilled in too, and new material surely not far away, the Sheffield band have now revealed some North American dates which will ask them to make the trip in May, June, July and August.

The new Manic Street Preachers song Dylan And Caitlin is a ‘conversation between Dylan and Caitlin Thomas at the apex of their alcohol soaked relationship’ according to James Dean Bradfield.

The track is available now and will also be a part of the band’s new album Resistance Is Futile when it is released on April 13th. “The story itself rolls through their relationship – drinking, fighting and ended up broken by America,” Nicky Wire added.

The Rolling Stones have expanded their European stadium tour to include extra UK shows in Southampton and Coventry.

An appearance at St. Mary’s in Southampton has been added for May 29th, while a gig at Ricoh Arena in Coventry slots in before the Old Trafford, Manchester date.

The latest slice of new material to be shared by Mike Skinner after he restarted The Streets last year features Jaykae and is entitled Boys Will Be Boys.

Skinner revived the group last October for a greatest hits tour and has put out Burn Bridges, Sometimes I Hate My Friends More Than My Enemies and If You Ever Need To Talk I’m Here since then, whilst also announcing plans to re-release the first two studio albums Original Pirate Material and A Grand Don’t Come For Free.

After a performance in Iceland last year, Jarvis Cocker will take his band out to some small UK venues during the spring, when songs new and old are promised.

Serafina Steer (harp, keyboards), Emma Smith (violin), Andrew McKinney (bass) and Adam Betts (drums) will be with the Pulp frontman for gigs in Brighton, London, Ramsgate, Manchester, Liverpool and Castleton between March 26th-April 7th.

Blossoms have released their video for new single I Can’t Stand It.

The track was picked last week to lead off the announcement of the band’s second album Cool Like You, which will succeed 2016’s self-titled debut on April 27th. “The video was directed by ourselves and inspired by the film Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind,” Tom Ogden explains.

Noel Gallagher, The Courteeners and Wolf Alice are new for this year’s Rock Werchter festival in Belgium.

Noel Gallagher has signed up for the final day, July 8th, which is headlined by Arctic Monkeys, while The Courteeners and Wolf Alice are up for July 6th along side the likes of The Killers, London Grammar and Franz Ferdinand.

The Beatles covers band led by Muse’s Matt Bellamy and also featuring Graham Coxon have been announced as the main support for Roger Daltrey‘s gig at the Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust on March 22nd.

Dubbed Dr Pepper’s Jaded Hearts Club Band, they add to a bill which also includes The Courteeners (playing their St. Jude debut album in full) and Kasabian. “I’m very happy to welcome Muse’s Matt Bellamy who will be joining me on my night for Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall Thurs 22 March,” Daltrey says.