The British are coming! The British are coming!

 

Aside from the Coldplay/Richard Ashcroft shows Wednesday and Thursday at the Air Canada Centre, there's enough high-profile English acts coming to Toronto in the next two weeks to fill a soccer pitch.

 

Tomorrow night, Brit-pop bad boys Oasis and buzzed-about newcomers Arctic Monkeys take over the ACC. On Tuesday night, Arctic Monkeys return to play their own headlining gig at the Phoenix.

 

"What a shame, I'm just going to miss them," Ashcroft says of his Oasis pals. "I've never seen the Arctic Monkeys live but I've seen them doing a session on TV and the record sounds very live anyway.Yeah, I think that'll be amazing.

 

"I think Oasis, you should never underestimate, as well. How on fire they are and individually as songwriters. How powerful Liam's next set of songs are going to be and how powerful Noel's are. He's got competition now, within his band, which is only going to drive him on to write some of the best stuff. I was saying to Liam the other night, 'You're only at, in reality, in pop history terms, around Sticky Fingers. The Stones are still on tour man. There's a long way to go yet.' "

 

As for Arctic Monkeys, who recently broke the record for debut album sales in England with Whatever People Say That I Am, That's What I'm Not, Ashcroft remembers the pressure he faced with his old band The Verve, who were once considered music's Next Big Thing.

 

"I think they're making some very refreshing decisions about what not to do and what is right to do to be a successful band," Ashcroft says. "The greatest thing about them, I think, for my country, is that it sends out a message to every 15- to 20-year old that you don't have to queue in the rain for a reality TV show to get some mug to write the song for you and get some muppet to help show you how to dance. You can actually form your own band."

 

Also in Toronto on Tuesday night, '90s electronica kingpins The Prodigy swoop down on Kool Haus, chart-topping singer-songwriter James Blunt headlines at Massey Hall, and jazz-pop singer-pianist Jamie Cullum plays Harbourfront Centre. British one and all.

 

On Wednesday night, '80s Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler is at Lee's Palace for a solo gig and they're all followed by one of the leaders of the original '60s British invasion, former Kinks frontman Ray Davies at Massey Hall on March 30.

 

Tea and scones anyone?

 

JOLLY GOOD SHOWS

 

TOMORROW

Oasis w/ Arctic Monkeys, ACC

 

TUESDAY

Arctic Monkeys Phoenix The Prodigy, Kool Haus James Blunt, Massey Hall Jamie Cullum, Harbourfront

 

WEDNESDAY

Richard Butler, Lee's Palace

 

WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY

Coldplay w/ Richard Ashcroft, ACC

 

http://torontosun.com

Wow.. The brits are trying to take back Canada haha...

Ian,i found an article which related to that show,maybe you're interested

 

http://torontosun.com/Entertainment/Music/2006/03/19/1495464-sun.html

My good friend is going to see Coldplay, I could have gone but I don't have $500 arggggggggg

Wow.. The brits are trying to take back Canada haha...

:laugh4: