Preview: Eurosonic '09

The traditional first meet up of the year for the European music industry, Eurosonic, kicks off this Thursday promising three days of the continents best new acts alongside a host of talks and panels about the future of the industry itself. For the fourth year running Gigwise will be travelling to Groningen to bring you our top tips from the 180 bands that play – in previous years the event has given us our first tastes of acts such as Lykke Li, Those Dancing Days, Slagsmålsklubben, Soko and Shout Out Louds – and reviews of all their sets.

For the first time in 2009 Gigwise will also be putting our name to one of the stages at Eurosonic, to be specific the Friday night (January 16) at the legendary Vera venue. Kicking off proceedings will be France's Neimo, followed by Belgian duo The Black Box Revelation. Rolo Tomassi will then take over before the night is closed by hotly tipped Finns Les Corps Mince des Francoise.

Elsewhere, as usual a host of British talent will be crossing the channel to play in the hope of attracting the attention of the numerous promoters and agents from across the European festival circuit who will be attendance. The likes of Dinosuar Pile Up, Baddies, The Jesse Rose Trip, Errors, Esser, Kid British, White Lies, The Big Pink, Mongrel and Micachu have already had varying degrees of success in the UK, now is their chance to shine on the mainland.

We've picked out five acts that you might not necessarily have heard of to go and see if you are attending, an if not then why not listen to them online.

We Swim You Jump
Friday 16 January - Bar Pacific
23:00 - 23:45
[LISTEN]

Pacific!
Friday 16 January – Simplon
01:20 - 02:00
[LISTEN]

First Aid Kit
Friday 16 January - Grand Theatre
22:15 – 23:00
[LISTEN]

Aeroplane
Friday 16 January - Puddingfabriek
23:30 – 00:30
[LISTEN]

Boneparte
Friday 16 January - Grand Theatre
20:00 – 20:45
[LISTEN]

For more details on the full Eurosonic line up go to the official site HERE, remember to keep Gigwise from Thursday for news and reviews from the festival.