Gordon in the morning: JLS for nothing

Back in the pre-internet age, before instant gratification was made a right under European Law, we would collect tokens from Smash Hits week after week, sending them off and waiting for some badges through the post. Innocent times.

Times to which Gordon is returning us, with his very own coupon-clipping offer. Of course, the present isn't anywhere near as good as a set of badges:

Collect four tokens which will be printed in The Sun starting tomorrow and send them with a stamped addressed envelope back to us for your chance to be in the 3,000-strong crowd for the exclusive Bizarre gig.

If you're under thirteen, the concept of "stamped addressed envelope" must surely be a foreign one. Perhaps next week Gordon's going to come up with a competition that uses the phrase "...or the back of a sealed-down envelope".

Still, it's quite a smart move to try and sell extra copies of the paper to that all-important tone-deaf pre-teen demographic that advertisers are always trying to chase.

Clearly, though, there are more than 3,000 JLS fans at the moment, and they can't all fit in the gig. What do you get then?

All entries will get an exclusive JLS lanyard along with signed pictures of the band, worth around £5 and not available from any other outlet.

If Gordon says a photo and a laminate on a string is worth "around £5", who are we to disbelieve him?

And that's not all.

Order now and Gordon will add in a mini nasal-hair clipper and free shipping...

Oh, hang on: it's not that:

You will be able to watch an exclusive JLS performance on your computer, thanks to amazing new technology which I'll be revealing in Bizarre tomorrow.

"It's called a webcamera and scientist believe that within twenty years, this technology could be used to broadcast music gigs direct to people's computers in their homes."

Twittergem: The Leisure Society

You have approximately an hour an ten minutes:

We're playing at Rough Trade East tonight at 7! Free entry, get there at 6 to avoid disappointment!

@LeisureSociety]

Whale away

Noah and the Whale are off to the United States, for what they point out, politely but firmly, isn't their first tour of the America:

September 16- Union Pool- Brooklyn, NY
September 18- Sidewalk Cafe- New York, NY
September 19- Virgin Union Square (12:30 PM)- New York, NY**
September 19- Mercury Lounge- New York, NY
September 20- TOAD- Boston, MA**
September 22- The Saints- Montreal**
September 23- Horseshoe Tavern- Toronto, ONT**
September 25- Av-Aerie (ALL AGES)- Chicago, IL
September 26- Reckless Records (6 PM)- Chicago, IL**
September 26- Empty Bottle- Chicago, IL
September 29- Chop Suey- Seattle, WA**
September 30- Doug Fir Lounge- Portland, OR**
October 02- Amoeba Music (6PM)- San Francisco, CA**
October 02- Pop Scene @ 330 Ritch- San Francisco, CA
October 04- Detour Festival- Los Angeles, CA
October 06- Spaceland- Los Angeles, CA**

Those double asterisks? They're free shows, they are.

London's lucky Breeders

They're playing a proper gig tomorrow, but tonight, for free, The Breeders are doing a warm-up in London, in the Rough Trade East store. Stage time is 7.30, but we reckon to be sure of getting a space in the crowd, you'll want to be out flagging down a taxi about now.

Canadians* for Obama

The Arcade Fire have announced two shows in support of Barack Obama's Presidential Campaign: Tomorrow and Monday night:

Arcade Fire will be playing a free concert on Sunday, March 2nd at Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio in support of Barack Obama's bid for the Democratic nomination. The show is at 7 p.m., first come first serve.They will also be playing a free show at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland on Monday, March 3rd. Doors are at 7 p.m., and the show is 18 and over, first come first serve.

* - We know; they're only sort-of-Canadian.

Free the Ponys

Tonight, there's a free Ponys gig. In London, of course, where most people don't live. It's part of Vice Records People Are Germs night; The Damn Shames are also on the bill. 8pm at Old Blue Last, Great Eastern Street. If you turn up in a leotard, you'll get in for nothing. Because it's a free gig anyway. But go on, go in a leotard. You know you want to.

The cheap price of Bravery

One of interest to you only if you're (a) in New York and (b) fond of the Bravery: they're following yesterday's Apple Store gigs with a live performance, for free, at Arlene's Grocery, 95 Stanton Street.