1 Coldplay
If your last remaining shred of affection for Chris Martin and co had been eviscerated by their painful flirtation with EDM and the godawful Chainsmokers collaboration that followed, prepare to be confused – new single All I Can Think About Is You sees them resurrect the gauzy Radiohead rip-off melodies that made the band’s early work so hypnotically beautiful. This and actual vintage Coldplay gems get various stadium airings this week.
Croke Park, Dublin, 8 July; Principality Stadium, Cardiff, 11-12 July
2 Lovebox
The London festival celebrates its 15th birthday with a Friday R&B dream team of Solange, Frank Ocean and Sampha. Saturday, meanwhile, brings Chase & Status and Kano, who – if his brass band-embellished Glastonbury set is anything to go by – will be knocking off socks with his hyped-up grime.
Victoria Park, E3, 14-15 July
3 Warpaint
This LA foursome may look like the last word in cool, but their sound isn’t quite so zeitgeisty: their superficially dreamy but actually ambitiously dissonant music is admirably focused on keeping the post-punk flame alive.
Bluedot festival, nr Macclesfield, 9 July; Somerset House, WC2, 10 July
4 Craig David
There are two things driving the unlikely renaissance of Craig David. The first is a heady strain of early 00s nostalgia, the second is that the Craig canon is packed with amazing tunes – and not even Leigh Francis in a rubber mask with a kestrel on his arm could make people forget that. See him – and UK R&B – get his belated dues on these dates.
Rochester Castle, 11 and 13 July; Meridian Park, Cleethorpes, 14 July
5 The Horrors
The garage-flavoured goth-rockers recently returned with new single Machine, a riot of pomp and industrial noise. This week sees them decimate the bucolic peace of both Latitude festival and Ben from Mumford and Sons’ new London venue.
Omeara, SE1, 11 July; Latitude festival, nr Southwold, 14 July
