Breland plays The Garage on Oct 21. Photo: Jimmy Fontaine

DINOSAUR Jr fans in London no doubt knew of their sold-out Forum appearance last weekend. Fewer may have been aware of the band’s tiny 60-capacity nostalgia-fest at Jack White’s Third Man Records store off Carnaby Street on Monday. For those of a certain age, it is an emotional experience to watch this trio who have somehow solved the mystery of how to tap into that feeling of the best days of your teens when nothing in the world mattered. A lazy vocal, some fuzzy bass and drums and heart-stopping guitar solos act as an immediate conduit to good times gone by, reflected in the faces of the fans. Playing the store’s small blue basement venue, the band squeezed millimetres past us through the crowd to the cosy stage nestled right next to the loos – those who needed to visit mid-set left with the claim that they had peed one metre from bassist Lou Barlow in action. There was minimal chat during the short set, which was livestreamed on Third Man’s Insta but frontman J Mascis did stop to observe what a nice part of London they were in – next to a Damien Hirst gallery and sushi shop – musing that the gig felt like the space where they practice, and ruminating on the idea of touring England’s pubs. Opening with Lung, they ran through tracks from their extensive back catalogue including fan fave Freak Scene, 1994 hit Feel The Pain, the first refrains from which immediately transported us into a hazy 90s stoner fuzz with the most recent choices coming from 2007 album Beyond.

• Congratulations to Islington’s Little Simz for scooping this year’s 2022 Mercury Prize for her fourth album Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert.

• Britpop history descends on Cecil Sharp House as Blur co-founder, solo musician and visual artist Graham Coxon takes his book tour to Primrose Hill where he will be in conversation with ex Menswear member and DJ Matt Everitt on Nov 1. The book Verse, Chorus, Monster!, is described as an intimate reflection on music, fame, addiction and art. Let’s hope Coxon is in a chatty mood.

• See what our reviewer Harry Taylor made of Maximo Park’s greatest hits Roundhouse gig here.

• Hot Aussie outfit Confidence Man match their party starting hits with deadpan choreography and killer hooks. Bring your sense of humour to one of their three upcoming gigs at Koko (Nov 1 and 4) or The Roundhouse (Nov 3) or their Full Tilt DJ Set at Lafayette.

• Doc ‘n Roll Film Festival is back with 18 days of fascinating music documentaries, shorts, world premieres and more to watch in cinemas or stream online from Oct 27-Nov 13. The ever-eclectic selection covers a multitude of genres and musicians worldwide. Visit www.docnrollfestival.com for the full line-up.

• At Breland and friends’ first show in Nashville the hip-hop / country / gospel / pop singer was joined by the likes of Nelly, Thomas Rhett, Charles Kelley, Mickey Guyton and more. Expect an exciting line-up when he plays The Garage on Oct 21.

• Club de Fromage and Not Another Indie Disco have an Arctic Monkeys special (Oct 22) and then a Halloween Murder on the Dancefloor extravaganza (Oct 29) – both at Islington Academy. While on the same day there’s a spooky Fromage on Ice at Ally Pally Ice Rink – take your pick!

• Be transported into dance euphoria as producer / DJ Diplo descends on Koko on Oct 21 where he will be joined by producers Juls, Skinny Macho and Taylah Elaine.

• Sweden’s The Wannadies, best known for their 1994 hit You & Me Song, appear at Islington Assembly Hall on Nov 3.

• Winner of Germany’s The Voice competition Alice Merton plays Islington Assembly Hall on Oct 21.

• More upcoming gigs: Oct 21 – Wookie + Main Phase + A For Alpha, Jazz Café; Sports Team + Fat Dog + Heartworms, Roundhouse; The Orchids + Jetstream Pony, 229; Ocean Grove, The Camden Assembly; Oct 22 – Rondodasosa, Islington Assembly Hall; Tom Odell, Union Chapel; Adi Oasis, Lafayette; Miles Hunt, PowerHaus; Lykke Li: EYEYE, Barbican; Confessions of a Traitor, Boston Music Rooms; Oct 22-25 – Pavement, Roundhouse; Oct 23 – Brian Eno at The Barbican; Oct 24 – The Snuts, Koko; Yellowjackets, Jazz Café; Oct 25 – Black Sherif, Koko; The People Versus + Ellie Clayton + Pecq, The Lexington; DanDlion, The Lower Third (former 12 Bar Club); Oct 25-26 – Marcos Valle, Jazz Café; Oct 26 – Joshua Burnell + Band, Cecil Sharp House; Marlon Williams, Koko; Caterina Barbieri, Barbican; The Proclaimers, Palladium; Oct 27 – Wargasm + Scene Queen + Knife Bride + Fearless Vampire Killers, The Forum; Gregory Alan Isakov + Blanco White, Roundhouse; Scritti Politti + The Mekons 77, 229; The Rills, Camden Assembly; DARE + Troy Redfern, Islington Academy; Jorge Campos + Rasto Rašić (Paprika) + Quimantu, Green Note; One Step Beyond with Suggs and Friends ft Chrissie Hynde, Alexandra Palace Theatre; William Doyle: An Ambient Performance, Kings Place; Oct 28 – The Blow Monkeys, Islington Assembly Hall; Pulled Apart By Horses, The Garage; Homebody, Jazz Café; Ultimate Power: Bat Out of Helloween London, 229; Westerman, Union Chapel; Villagers, Union Chapel; Aston Merrygold 3am tour, Islington Academy; The Damn Truth, Black Heart; Oct 29 – Murkage Dave, Islington Assembly Hall; The Wytches, Jazz Café; DMA’s + Pacific Avenue, The Roundhouse; Tom Vek, Lafayette; Souad Massi + Ruba Shamshoum, Barbican; Oct 30 – Band of Horses + Gently Tender, Roundhouse; Oct 30-Nov 2 – Bodega, Islington Assembly Hall; Oct 31 – Hermeto Pascoal, Jazz Café; Nov 1 – Charley Crockett, Jazz Café; The 502s Scala; Nov 2 – Omar Souleyman, Jazz Café; An Evening with Bill Callahan, Roundhouse; Aoife O’Donovan, Barbican; Nov 2-3 – GoGo Penguin, Koko; Nov 3 – The Rasmus + Icon For Hire; Jackson Mathod, Jazz Café; Gaz Coombes, Lafayette; Youssou N’Dour, Barbican.