ALBUM REVIEW: GOD DAMN – EVERYTHING EVER

God Damn – Everything Ever Last year I was lucky enough to see the Foo Fighters perform in Manchester’s Old Trafford cricket stadium. As the venue filled in the few hours before the main event, 2 young, long haired guys walked confidently onto stage and began playing; one on drums, one on guitar and vocals. The music was unapologetic, hard hitting, heavy rock music. The hair was thrown back and forth and guitars were broken. What a way to start the show. The band was called... Read More

NOW CLOSED – DEAF INSTITUTE HAS A 2 FLOOR FESTIVAL OF FRESH BANDS

Stay Fresh Stay Fresh is a two-floor all day party with the very best emerging indie bands from Manchester and across the country sharing the stage! To celebrate the inaugural night there’s a a hefty line-up of 8 bands, all for just £6, and there’ll be some free drinks in the mix too! Leeds’ Cowtown are a phenomenal three-piece with a dynamically brash over-stimulated indie rock sound. They’ll be topping the bill and celebrating the recent release of their new album... Read More

The Silent Radio Show 17/09/2016 with Lawrence Arabia

Another instalment of The Silent Radio Show brings yet more great music from the acts playing Manchester this week and lets you in on the big music news of the week. In the studio this week we were joined by Lawrence Arabia ahead of his show at Salford’s Eagle Inn. This is our weekly audible version of the North’s best independent music website, SilentRadio.co.uk. The Silent Radio Show – live every Saturday afternoon 3-5 on Fab Radio International. TRACK LISTING ... Read More

NOW CLOSED – THE BRITISH SOUND PROJECT: NEW NAME, SAME EVENT + WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS

The brand new event taking place in Manchester has had to change its name with less than two weeks to go. The original name ‘JD Presents: The Brit Project’ was objected to by The BRIT Awards. The BRIT Awards – which is run by the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) – got all het up and threatened to sue The Brit Project unless they immediately ceased all use of its name. This also included advertising, ticketing, social media, websites, email addresses, venue signage,... Read More

LIVE: FESTIVAL NO. 6

THE ULTIMATE MIDDLECLASS FUCKFEST Arriving on a gloomy Friday morning in the land of dragons, sheep and people who hiss, Festival No. 6 instantly comes across as the sort of festival I shouldn’t be at. The quirky signs welcome you in as the weight of 20 cans teases a crippling crush on my struggling wrists, they immediately put me in a bad mood. Why do this? Why taunt me with lines borrowed from The Prisoner? Its themes further impacting the idea of being trapped and stuck in... Read More

INTRODUCING: COLLAPSING SCENERY

Starting out as a think-tank music and art project by the meeting of two fertile and febrile minds, Collapsing Scenery began their mission in LA warehouses and basements spreading their dark and noisy electronic sound to those in the know. This week they stream Metaphysical Cops (below), the lead single from their debut UK EP, God’s Least Favorite scheduled for release on Metropolitan Indian Records on September 23rd. Made up of NYC guitarist Don De Vore (Ink & Dagger,... Read More

LIVE: DANNY AND THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD – 06/09/2016

Danny & The Champions Of The World – GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER – “I love camaraderie” asserts Danny George Wilson. Attending a live show with his fantastic band (The Champions of the World, no need to be humble at this point) is enough to prove his point. The always warm and cosy venue at Northern Quarter’s Gullivers is quite packed, mostly with a nice bunch of folkie-oldies. The “Sutton soul” men enter the stage bravely, defying all the Northern cheekiness.... Read More

LIVE: TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS – 10/09/2016

Toots and the Maytals – ACADEMY, MANCHESTER – Ska is sadly mourning when Toots & The Maytals arrive at Manchester’s Academy. Prince Buster has just died and a vivid legend is born. What a better way to pay tribute than with a superb performance by ‘Toots’ and Co.? This is a special show for another reason too: it’s the last one of the come back tour of singer/songwriter Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, after a “nasty incident” at a gig in Richmond, Virginia... Read More

BON IVER ANNOUNCE EUROPEAN TOUR

After sharing three incredibly well-received tracks from upcoming album 22, A Million – out 30th September on Jagjaguwar – Bon Iver have announced a European tour – their first since 2012 – taking place across January and February 2017. Bon Iver debuted 22, A Million with a “truly remarkable” (NPR) front-to-back live performance last month at the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, hosted in Vernon’s hometown Eau Claire, Wisconsin. That... Read More

LIVE: STRANGE WAVES PRESENTS KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD – 09/09/2016

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – It seems like barely a day goes by without us at Silent Radio extolling the virtues of the Psych revival. This is not by design; Manchester and seemingly everywhere else is aboard a kaleidoscopic juggernaut unable and unwilling to stop it. Both floors of The Ritz are in use for tonight’s celebration made possible by Strange Waves and the giddy flow of people bounding up and down the stairs gives the octogenarian... Read More