Festival Frolics: His Master's Voice hunting for that illusive 'Next Big Thing'.

The inner city sprawl fest that is HMV Next Big Thing returns to the streets, certain rather salubrious surrounds and a handful of slightly more cesspit-like venues of the capital next month, with a show or two added in Edinburgh and Birmingham for the first time. From the blacked-out attics of the Barfly to the sticky floors of the Relentless Garage, the open-brick caverns of the subterraneous Heaven and back to Camden's Jazz Café, the teething inner city festival appears to have grown fangs and gotten rather feisty in its second year, with the likes of brattish Brit-winner Jessie J, the limitlessly loved post-dubstep producer-turned-crooner James Blake and the orchestrally innovative Anna Calvi all present and accounted for, already sold out. Elsewhere the festival boasts Dots & Dashes faves Monarchy, Little Dragon, Trophy Wife and Visions of Trees.

An abridged line up, venue-by-venue, looking at our festival highlights runs a little like:

The Borderline
Friday, 4th February: James Blake
Saturday, 5th February: Transgressive Records presents. Gaggle
Monday, 7th February: Alice Gold
Tuesday, 8th February: Lauren Pritchard
Wednesday, 9th February: Xfm New Music Award Night with Wolf Gang & R O M A N C E
Thursday, 10th February: Communion Night feat. Marcus Foster, Andrew Davie, Pete Roe & Daughter
Friday, 11th February: Clare Maguire
Sunday, 13th February: Funeral For A Friend & The Blackout

Upstairs At The Garage
Wednesday, 9th February: Spark

Thursday, 10th February: Moshi Moshi Night feat. James Yuill, CocknBullKid, Trophy Wife & Visions of Trees

Saturday, 12th February: Communion Night feat. Matthew and the Atlas

The Relentless Garage

Friday, 4th February: Ted Baker Night feat. Pete & The Pirates & The Heartbreaks

Monday, 7th February: Chipmunk

Tuesday, 8th February: Little Dragon & Yoav

Jazz Café

Friday, 4th February: Skepta

Monday, 7th February: Monarchy

Tuesday, 8th February: The Pierces

Barfly

Friday, 4th February: Anna Calvi & Sparrow And The Workshop

Sunday, 6th February: Jessie J (Acoustic Set)

Thursday, 10th February: Futures

Sunday, 13th February: Funeral Party

For the full line up, the HMV Next Big Thing official site tends to your every need here, whilst tickets for available shows can be acquired here.