Busy time ahead for music fans

It's time to book ahead for gigs at some of the region's biggest venues. Spring traditionally brings with it a glut of gigs for the coming years, as booking managers go into overdrive.

The Civic Halls, in Wolverhampton, have plenty to look forward to over coming months.

Pop chanteuse Alesha Dixon will bring her all-singing, all-dancing show to the Wulfrun on May 2 before acoustic troubadour Paolo Nutini makes an appearance with his melliflous, slow-strummed tunes on May 14.

Sometime-Blur guitarist Graham Coxon will play songs from his new album during a must-see gig at the Civic Hall Bar on May 15. Expect rootsy, folk-rock tunes - some eight minutes or more in length - as well as angular, punk-inspired tunes from earlier points in his career.

Thinking man's alternative rock combo Nine Black Alps, who got their name from a line in a Sylvia Plath poem and are fronted by Sam Forrest, will bring dissonant tunes to the Civic Hall Bar on May 20 while veteran Midlands indie types Ned's Atomic Dustbin will headline the Wulfrun Hall on May 23 with a show called Re:United.

Rock darlings Manic Street Preachers will play the Civic Hall on June 1, Kasabian star a two-night residence a night later and a resurgant Billy Bragg stars at the Civic Hall on June 18.

The band of 2008, Fleet Foxes, headline the Civic Hall on June 25 while American axe man Lenny Kravitz headlines the Civic Hall on June 27.

Looking ahead to autumn, acoustic singer/songwriter Ray Lamontagne will headline the Civic Hall on September 10 while evergreen rockers Motorhead will star at the same venue on November 29.