COLIN WILSON The Killers, the Futureheads, Bloc Party and the Kaiser Chiefs team up for the Shockwaves NME Awards Tour 2005, which comes to the UEA, Norwich on Monday night.

COLIN WILSON

The Killers, the Futureheads, Bloc Party and the Kaiser Chiefs team up for the Shockwaves NME Awards Tour 2005, which comes to the UEA, Norwich on Monday night.

Leeds band the Kaiser Chiefs occupy the coveted opening slot. The band released their first self-financed single, Oh My God, on indie label Drowned in Sound in 2004. The single made number 66 in the charts despite the fact it was a limited release. The follow-up, I Predict a Riot, (their first proper release after signing to B-Unique) shot straight to the fringes of the top 20. Elsewhere, they inked US and Japanese deals with Universal and even their beloved Leeds United started blasting them out of the stadium speakers.

Right now, everybody wants a piece of the Kaiser Chiefs. Blur producer Stephen Street was so bowled over he offered his services for their debut album Employment. A barrage of bouncing art-pop, it's scheduled to soundtrack 2005 from the minute it hits stereos this March. Meanwhile, the all-new, improved version of Oh My God is re-released on February 21.

Bloc Party, the intellectual wing of the London music scene, are everyone's hot tip for 2005. The band will be playing songs from their hotly anticipated debut album (made with Futureheads producer Paul Epworth) to coincide with the tour. The album features the band's new single, So Here We Are.

Sunderland band the Futureheads (named after the early Flaming Lips' song Hit to Death in the Future Head) were purveyors of one of 2004's must-hear records, the self-titled album The Futureheads. The album drew early Wire/XTC comparisons and featured the singles Robot and Decent Days and Nights. The band release their new single, a rendition of Kate Bush's classic Hounds of Love on February 28.

The past twelve months have seen Las Vegas boys the Killers establish themselves as one of the most exciting new bands on the planet, with their superb debut album Hot Fuss which is well past the million sales mark. The album features the Killers' blistering new single Somebody told Me.

Doors 7.30pm. Tickets (returns only), 01603 508050.

t Bloc Party will be signing copies of their new single So Here We Are at HMV, 21 Gentleman's Walk, Norwich on Monday at 4.30pm.