Music

Unlike the Serpentine Sessions in a sticky Hyde Park tent, the Somerset House Summer Series takes its chances with the elements with a stage in the magnificent neoclassical courtyard. It always makes a rather grandiose backdrop, which will suit some acts better than others. There’s little doubt series opener, singer, actress, icon and former nudist Grace Jones will make this eighteenth-century setting her own, stalking the stage like a panther in outfits Lady Gaga would give her latex pants for. It will be quite a different show on July 10 when Coventry trio The Enemy swagger on to entertain with their trad, lad-rock choruses, sung no doubt, with boisterous joy by all assembled.

Lily Allen returns to Somerset House on the 11th to perform what’s likely to be a slick and highly entertaining set of perky, pop-culture dissecting tunes, peppered with sharp banter, while The Mars Volta will be a more challenging blow-out on the 13th. Their loose-limbed, jazz-prog-salsa-funk fabulousness will certainly sound spectacular reverberating around the listed building’s stone walls.

Tuesday 14 sees the Ting Tings stop off in the midst of their jam-packed four-month tour, still touting their tinny sass-pop, ahead of Stateside dates supporting Pink in the autumn. Aussie alt.rock breakbeat troupe Pendulum will set the cobbles quaking underfoot on Wednesday 15.

The line-up for Summer Series also includes Bat For Lashes on July 16, Athlete on the 17th, Super Furry Animals on the 18th, The Wombats and Chipmunk on the 19th and Calvin Harris finishing things up on Monday July 20