LIVE: MATTHEW AND THE ATLAS – 30/7/2013
– THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER – Almost 45 years ago, to the day, outraged folk fans booed throughout Bob Dylan’s performance at the Newport Folk Festival. Allegedly, the crowd were a little miffed that Bob had dared go all electric and spoil their folky fun. Tonight, about 3,000 miles east, just 70 people were privy to the debut of Brit-folkers, Matthew and The Atlas having a go at plugging it in. The first signing to Communion (co-founded by Mumford & Sons’,... Read More
NEWS: FESTIVAL NO.6 – LINE UP + 2012 HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO
The award-winning Festival No. 6 is proud to announce My Bloody Valentine. They join an already stunning bill that includes Manic Street Preachers, Chic, James Blake and many more. The performance will be their only England and Wales festival date this year. Festival No.6 is a pioneering festival concept bringing together music, arts and culture in the most incredible festival location you will ever see. Festival No.6 takes place over the weekend of 13-15 September 2013 in the... Read More
LIVE: GRIMES – 30/08/2012
– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – On arrival at the Ritz, I‘m quite puzzled by the apparent appeal of the ‘Vagina Rings’ on sale at the merch desk – replicas of Grimes’ very own lady parts [“one size fits all” but it’s a bit tight for me, natch!]. I feel a little bit uncomfortable just browsing, to be quite honest – which is probably the idea. Grimes has a background in art, and getting a reaction is what art seems to be all about nowadays. First up are Magical... Read More
Calexico – Algiers
“We were talking about wanting to go to Europe and record,” Burns says, “but we never get our shit together in time to make plans that far in advance. So where do you go…? New Orleans.” Collaborator, Producer – Craig Schumacher Algiers is the sixth studio album from Calexico, recorded in and titled after the district of New Orleans, a city that might be gaining international infamy for its storm pummelling, but that will never outweigh its eminent... Read More
NEWS: TAFFY – HEAR THE NEW SINGLE ‘FLOWER CHAIN’ + UK LIVE DATES
On September 3rd Tokyo sensation taffy continue to take the UK by storm, with the release of ‘Flower Chain’, on Club AC30. Plus, due to huge demand the band have announced a national headline tour. Following widespread print and online praise for the debut album ‘Caramel Sunset’, the amphetamine-esque, angular indie-disco-pogo of ‘Flower Chain’ looks set to propel taffy evermore skywards. B-side ‘Theron’ captures vintage English indie melancholy, channelling the... Read More
INTERVIEW: JIMMY BELL
Simon Morrison: How did you career begin in Manchester? Jimmy Bell: I used to go around the city dropping tapes off at various clubs which was the thing to do those days. I eventually got a reply from Citrus Bar in Manchester which was a cool underground spot, I played mostly every Friday and Saturday night for 10hrs. Was a great learning curve then I got more opportunities across the city and began playing more places. SM: How important was Manchester and its music on your... Read More
VIDEO: PALMA VIOLETS – ‘BEST OF FRIENDS’
Up until now Rough Trade’s Palma Violets have had minimum online presence and no songs recorded, instead preferring for people to come and experience their raucous live shows at their Lambeth art studio / squat Studio 180, and then later on a UK co-headline tour with Savages. As of today, the London four-piece’s debut single ‘Best Of Friends’ is available to buy from iTunes. The track, which premiered last night on Radio 1 as Zane Lowe’s ‘Next... Read More
NEWS: GRASS HOUSE – LISTEN TO NEW TRACK ‘THE BOREDOM ROSE’
With their darkly poetic lyrics and Americana leanings, Grass House will release a new single, ‘The Boredom Rose’ b/w ‘Caught Green’, the first for brand new independent label Dancing Coins on the 10th September. Grass House will be the first band to be released on the up-and-coming London label. Dancing Coins was founded this year by a collective including producer Jim Anderson (Cold Specks, The Twilight Sad, 2:54). A joint single and label launch party on 11th September... Read More
NEWS: EVERYTHING EVERYTHING – HEAR THE NEW SINGLE ‘COUGH COUGH’ + NEW ALBUM DETAILS & LIVE DATES
The idiosyncratic and innovative sonic force that is Everything Everything are back with their follow up album to 2010’s critically acclaimed debut, ‘Man Alive’. ‘Arc’ will be released on January 14, 2013 on RCA Victor. Recorded at Angelic Studios and RAK, the band returned to ‘Man Alive’ producer David Kosten to work on the new record. The lead single ‘Cough Cough’ is the perfect intro to the four piece’s musical leap forward since their debut was... Read More
NEWS: LEMONADE – LISTEN TO THE HYETAL REMIX OF ‘SOFTKISS’ + TOUR DATES
The release of their new LP “Diver”, found New York electronic pop trio Lemonade drawing critical acclaim on both sides of the pond, with everyone from LA Times and Village Voice to the Guardian and NME falling for its bold, sensual style, a glorious melange of early 90’s R&B, UK 2-step Garage, Balearic house and NY freestyle which Callan Clendenin, Ben Steidel and Alex Pasternak have honed to euphoric perfection. To tie in with their upcoming UK dates, Lemonade are... Read More
