Ed’s… Highlights, Nov ‘12

Ahhh November, the dwindling year’s last chance salon for self centred retail. From Hindu to Methodist, no one here gets out alive – fiscally speaking; from now until the end of the year, your God wants you to spend, spend, spend.

But the sugar coating comes in musical form this winter, with a bevy of buck worthy gigs to treat yourself with first.

Kicking off, day one. Bat for Lashes (HMV Institute, Nov 1st). Natasha Khan returns with a new haircut, album and s#*t hot PR team.

Then the days of rave yesterday get celebrated, again, at ’93 (HMV Institute, Nov 3rd), before Ingrid Michaelson gets a welcomed stage to herself (Glee Club, Nov 5th).

Clean cut (at least on the outside) Indie rockers Spector play one side of town (HMV Institute, Nov 7th), whilst ‘tell me she wasn’t’ near miss Vicar, Jack White, plays the other (O2Academy, Nov 7th).

Warp’s entire successful rock act rosta, or Maximo Park, stamp and shout (HMV Institute, Nov 9th), before the oh so talented, young and personification of my jealous rages – Jake Bugg, takes to the same stage a few days later (HMV Institute, Nov 12th).

Ignoring promotional rhetoric that makes me want to smack someone in the chops, Bugg is one of the best things to come out of the Midlands in years. Google ‘Lightning Bolt’ and tell me I’m wrong.

Jump to the other side of the month and there’s Ben Howard – supported by Willy Mason (O2 Academy, Nov 24th), followed by the awesome Akala (O2 Academy, Nov 26th).

Beth Orton raises a new album above the water (Glee Club, Nov 26th); whilst The Staves (H&H, Nov 28th) and Elbow (NIA, Nov 28th) share the city two days later.

Outside of all that you’ve got: The Cribs (HMV Institute, Nov 6th), Conor Maynard (HMV Institute, Nov 8th), Mad Dog Mcrea & Cosmo Jarvis (HMV Institute, Nov 15th), Band of Horses (HMV Institute, Nov 15th),The Wedding Present (O2 Academy, Nov 15th), Ezio (Glee Club, Nov 16th), Speech Debelle (HMV Institute, Nov 17th), Rizzle Kicks (O2 Academy, Nov 17th), Mystery Jets (HMV Institute, Nov 19th), Levellers (O2 Academy, Nov 23rd), Rodrigo y Gabriela (HMV Institute, Nov 25th), The Vaccines (O2 Academy, Nov 29th) and The North Sea Scrolls (Glee Club, Nov 30th).

And if you really, REALLY want to avoid anything religious – Rob Zombie & Marilyn Manson come to Birmingham (NIA, Nov 29th), on the UK leg of their worldwide ‘Twins of Evil’ tour.

Guaranteed to be both carol and dreidel free, but I’d think twice about the mulled wine. Enjoy.

You can follow Ed King at www.twitter.com/edking2210