Our pick of O2 Academy gigs for March

Still raining? Well, while you’re waiting for spring to arrive, our O2 Academy venues have some great gigs lined up to keep you high, dry and entertained in March.

Bombay Bicycle Club kick off their first major UK tour, playing Leeds (2), Glasgow (3), Newcastle (5), Birmingham (8), Bristol (12), Brixton (13) and Liverpool (15). The north London group are on everyone’s radars having just topped the UK album charts with So Long, and See You Tomorrow, and with a few tickets left, you can see what all the fuss is about (spoiler alert: it’s about really great guitar tunes).

Maximo Park hit the road following their fifth studio album, Too Much Information. Expect more brooding North Eastern vibes, found in new single Leave This Island, as well as old favourites including Apply Some Pressure. Get ready to pogo in Bristol (7), Glasgow (8), Liverpool (10), Leeds (13), Oxford (18) and Newcastle (21 and 22).

More green on the scene are Temples, who’ve just released debut album Sun Structures. If you dig Tame Impala’s grooves, you’ll love Temples. Think echoey vocals, ringing guitar sounds and big hair. They’re playing in Oxford (3), Bournemouth (7) and Shepherd’s Bush (8) before joining Interpol on the NME Awards Tour later in March.

After causing a stir on the festival circuit last year (not least for her outfits), hip-hop’s bad girl Azealia Banks will grace our shores once more, bringing her hard dance rap fusion and seriously fierce attitude. She’s pumping up crowds in Glasgow (25), Birmingham (27) and Brixton (29). Watch out for the neon foam spikes when you’re dancing to ‘212’.

But if all of this new music isn’t really your pint of cider and black, don’t despair as The Stranglers are on the road for their 40^th anniversary tour. For the uninitiated (and under-50s) their debut album Rattus Norvegicus pretty much redefined progressive punk in 1977, and included indie disco classics such as Golden Brown and Peaches. They’ll be showing the kids how it’s done in Liverpool (3), Newcastle (14), Sheffield (15), Oxford (17), Leeds (21), Birmingham (22), Bristol (27) and Glasgow (28).

Remember, with Priority Tickets O2 customers can get tickets to all of these gigs and events plus thousands more across the UK up to 48 hours before general release. Register for Priority Tickets here.