New series of Later… with Jools Holland

Former Squeeze pianist and bandleader Jools Holland returns, with his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, to Alexandra Palace Theatre in North London for a brand new series.

Later… has been going strong since 1992, with almost 400 episodes recorded across a whopping 62 series. It’s a stalwart of the BBC Two schedules, and audiences from around the world (it’s broadcast everywhere from the US and Latin America to Australia, Croatia, Spain and Ireland) all trust Jools to bring them the best in emerging talent and established artists.

For many people, Holland is synonymous with the New Year thanks to his annual Hootenanny, so it seems fitting that Manchester indie-rap upstart Antony Szmierek chooses Jools’ show to perform his latest single called The Words to Auld Lang Syne – but don’t worry, Christmas didn’t come early and you haven’t missed it.

The song is a spoken-word ode to the pressures surrounding certain dates, and the arbitrary nature of feeling you must confirm to them in a specific way. It’s also set to some absolutely kicking house beats, proving the concept inherent in the title of Szmierek’s EP, Poems to Dance To.

Meanwhile, US folk-rock workhorses The National (frequent collaborators with Taylor Swift, no less) are likely to be one of the biggest draws to this opening show. The Cincinnati indie quintet built up a huge following of their own before collaborating with Folklore/Evermore-era Swift ensured a whole new audience for their brand of sombre, literate college rock.

The National, making their first appearance on Later… since 2017, will be playing brand new songs from their recently announced tenth LP, Laugh Track. The album is a companion to its predecessor First Two Pages of Frankenstein, making it their second album to be released this year (such a Taylor move…).

Before all that, though, West Midlands singer Jorja Smith showcases the powerhouse vocals that have seen her shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, while Brooklyn based ‘discodelica’ three-piece Say She She, who met in the downtown dancefloors of New York City’s Lower East Side, perform tracks from their second album, Silver.

Say She She and Szmierek are both making their Later… debuts here – as is cult singer and punk legend Wreckless Eric.

While the former two acts are relatively new to the music scene, Eric (real name Eric Goulden) has been around for some 50 years. He’s perhaps still best known for his 1977 single Whole Wide World. He’ll be chatting to Jools, perhaps reminiscing about the time the pair shared a bill back in 1980, and performing a track from his latest album Leisureland – his 19th such studio release.

It’s a tempting opener to Jools’ 63rd series, then, proving the Later… format is still going strong. Also featuring in subsequent episodes this run are BC Camplight, Cat Power, Corinne Bailey Rae, OMD and The Streets, AKA Mike Skinner – who might be watching Szmierek’s performances this evening with interest, as the Mancunian’s style clearly owes much to Skinner’s groundbreaking blend of spoken word and English nightlife-inspired rap.