2009 reasons to look forward to tomorrow

AS 2008 draws to a close, it’s time to take a closer look at what we’ve got in store next year.

Forget all this doom and gloom and look forward to a sensational line-up of gigs guaranteed to make you smile.

::First up is Bloc Party who will hit the Manchester Apollo on January 28 and 29.

The tour backs up the release of the lads’ latest album “Intimacy” and is their first round of shows in two years.

It’s been a busy year for the band who have toured America, performed at the Q Awards and rocked the South American MTV Awards before stopping off in Japan, Australia and Hawaii.

::On January 31, Keane will rock the Manchester Arena in support of their third album “Perfect Symmetry”.

This has been described as “a sparky pop album, a million watts brighter and bolder than their previous two records” and “a genuine reinvention . . . a liberal sprinkling of the best of 80s’ pop.”

::Rock pop princes the Kaiser Chiefs have enjoyed multi-platinum fame with albums “Yours Truly Angry Mob” and “Employment” and are hoping to achieve the same level of success with third offering “Off With Their Heads” which was partly produced by Mark Ronson. The lairy lads — best known for tracks such as “Ruby”, “I Predict a Riot” and “Oh My God” — fulfilled a lifelong ambition to play at Leeds United’s Elland Road earlier this year.

You can catch them live when they hit the Manchester Arena on March 2.

::Snow Patrol released a new album “A Hundred Million Suns” in October, following the seven-times platinum album “Eyes Open” which sold 2.1 million copies in the UK and one million in the US.

The band, who were brought back into the spotlight this week when 2006 “X-Factor” winner Leona Lewis reached number one with their track “Run”, will play Manchester Arena on March 7.

::Finally, Manchester’s very own Morrissey will be celebrating his half century with a two-night stint at the Manchester Apollo on May 22 and 23.

The former Smiths star will release new album “Years of Refusal” in February, which follows single “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris”.

“Years of Refusal” was recorded earlier this year at the Conway Studios in LA with the late Jerry Finn, producer of Morrissey’s acclaimed 2004 release “You Are The Quarry”.

Morrissey describes the album — the follow-up to 2006’s “Ringleader of The Tormentors” — as his strongest work to date.

The 12-track album includes a clutch of new songs played live in recent months including “Something Is Squeezing My Skull”, “Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbed” and “One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell”.