Eels, Barbican Centre

Eels stop by the Barbican on the last stage of their tour promoting their latest album, The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett

Fronted by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter extraordinaire Mark Oliver Everett (aka E), Eels are a pretty interesting band. Inspired by Everett’s tragic life experience (the death of his father, his sister and mother, divorce and heartbreak), you can check out their melancholic ballads live at the Barbican on July 24.

Their 11th album The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett was released in April. An evaluation of the human psyche after the loss of a lover, the LP has been described as "an extraordinarily vivid and intimate document of a personal struggle". Aerial organs surround acoustic guitar, sighing strings and muted percussion.

Spanning a wealth of genres, Everett has produced a dense songbook spanning 15 years and earned the accolade of one of America’s best-loved independent creatives. You might recognise Eels’ back catalogue from films such as Shrek and American Beauty.

Soul/folk female duo Daughters of Davis will open the night. Tipped as “utterly unique” with “perfect harmonies, quirky, vibrant and punchy vocals,” the pre-show will be worth arriving early for.