Ever since the hyper-kinetic quartet known as The Datsuns first landed among us, circa 2002, direct from semi-rural New Zealand, they have been one of rock's great live attractions. At any given summer festival, thrill-seekers of every colour will flock together from new band tent, or metal stage, or their skate arena, or indeed their own private drunken chaos, to witness Dolf, Christian, Phil and Ben putting their collective boot to the jams, generating their own riff-mangling, speaker-stack-toppling electricity.

The band took their name, rather self-deprecatingly, from the car which is emblematic of the "Jap crap" which floods the Antipodean market. As four kids from Cambridge, New Zealand (population: 12,000), they didn't feel like their prospects warranted a name like The Cadillacs or The Rolls Royces. Jack White, inspired by a chaotic live show he saw them perform during a White Stripes tour of NZ, duly hired them as a support act in the US in early 2002.

Too metal for garage purists, but also not straight-down-the-line enough for the headbanging crowd, the band have been fighting for their own turf on the world's stages ever since. Their fans equally defy categorization. The first song Arctic Monkeys ever played together, for instance, apparently, was 'Harmonic Generator' off 'The Datsuns'.

Over the course of the last turbulent eight years the Datsuns have churned out four albums, no mean feat in this lethargic modern age. During that time they managed to circumnavigate the world countless times, playing shows in every country, city and town that had a venue that could contain their raw power. This relentless touring has been key in ensuring that the Datsuns have never strayed far from the public eye or ear. 

Finally, feeling ready to commit to tape, or hard drive, the band commenced writing new material for album five during a national tour of New Zealand in the spring of 2010. The tracking is to place in Sweden again at the newly built Gutterview Recorders in Stockholm. Put together by none other than Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters) & Dolf de Borst himself.

Following the release of album five the Datsuns will embark on another of their lengthy, globe spanning tours, but before that we in the UK can enjoy 4 low key club shows in early August.

Tickets for these headline shows are selling fast but if you are really quick you might just be able to pick up yours by clicking on the link for the shows below.

THE DATSUNS plus special guests

05/08 Manchester Roadhouse

06/08 London Borderline

http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user?query=search&region=xxx&category=misc&search=datsuns

The guys also play shows in Birmingham on the 3^rd and Glasgow on the 4^th

If you prefer to put your fate in the hands of lady luck, we have a pair of tickets for the London and Manchester dates on this tour to give away to two lucky Uber Rockers (that's a pair of tickets each) thanks to our good friends at Mean Fiddler. 

All you have to do is send your name and address to mail@uberrock.co.uk in an email headed 'DATSUNS LONDON Comp' or 'DATSUNS MANCHESTER Comp' telling us the answer to the following question, and please don't forget to confirm that you are over 18 in your submission.

Which ex member of Led Zeppelin produced The Datsuns second album 'Outta Sight, Outta Mind'?

Entries must reach us before midnight on Tuesday 2^nd August 2011 (UK Time), and you will pick your tickets up from the venue on the night in question.  Usual terms and conditions apply. Two winners get a pair of tickets each for the gigs in London and Manchester (one winner per venue) and the winners will be notified directly by Email.

Good luck!!

Photo Kudos ; Rickard Eriksson