LIVE: MAIKA MAKOVSKI – 30/05/2015

– INSTITUTO CERVANTES, MANCHESTER – Spanish singer, songwriter, musician and actress (yes, all that!) Maika Makovski connects with the audience as soon as she enters the cosy stage at Manchester’s Instituto Cervantes, accompanied by the so young and talented band from the prestigious Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). They are Kristine Humerfelt (backing vocals), […]
– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – It is said that the good wines age well, and one could say just the same about Mudhoney. They practically look like the same guys of 20 years ago. Like Dorian Gray, but without the burden of selling out their souls. They’re not Chardonnay. Not at all. Their insanely invigorating gig […]

LIVE: MUDHONEY – 29/05/2015

LIVE: NEW CANDYS – 29/05/2015

– FALLOW CAFE, MANCHESTER – After scouring the internet, I would like to congratulate New Candys for being the first Italian band in my record collection. If you know of any I may have overlooked, please, let me know. Lacuna Coil is a name I recognise, but that’s as far as it goes… Paulo Nutini […]
– ST. MARGARET’S CHURCH, MANCHESTER – This venue, St. Margaret’s Church, is truly unique. A solid gold statue of an eagle peers over the crowd, a huge painting by Greta’s (Edith’s) Dad stands at the back of the stage and a huge sculpture of a tortoise hangs perilously from the roof. Adding to the venue’s […]

LIVE: BERNARD + EDITH – 29/05/2015

LIVE: HOZIER – 25/05/2015

– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – The Albert Hall is fast becoming an icon in Manchester. The surroundings are just stunning, I can’t believe this beautiful building was hidden and unused for nearly 40 years. The master minds of Trof (the people behind Gorilla & The Deaf Institute) have created the perfect venue. Every band […]
– DOCKLANDS, LIVERPOOL – It has been said that Peter Cook was a comedians’ comedian and something of a hidden gem during his time. To hijack this vein of thought, Liverpool Sound City is most certainly a creatives’ festival. From the first day, with action centred around Q&As with industry veterans including Slits guitarist and […]

LIVE: LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY – 22/05/2015 – 24/05/2015

LIVE: DOT TO DOT 2015 – 22/05/2015

– VARIOUS VENUES, MANCHESTER – It’s just turned half 6 and already the evening is off to a bad start. I’m at The Roadhouse, the first stop on a long night of festivities for Dot To Dot Festival, and I’m reluctantly paying £4.50 for a pint. To make matters worse, before I can even take […]
– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – Ride exploded on to the music as one of the early vanguards of the then nascent shoegazing scene as a readymade package with their boyish good looks, floppy fringes and penchant for effects laden melody driven (no pun intended) songs. An early appearance on the cult BBC music programme […]

LIVE: RIDE – 23/05/2015

LIVE: DJANGO DJANGO – 23/05/2015

– MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, MANCHESTER – Tonight’s show does nothing but confirm that Django Django entirely deserve the unexpected (by them) hype currently surrounding them. They arrive on stage soon after 21.30, facing a seriously raving crowd. I had a feeling they were popular, but not that they could cause a Beatles effect, with ultrasound screams […]
– THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER – “I love music, like I never ever get sick of it and even when I feel like I am going to, something out there just surprises me. It’s like life in a way.” These are the words Ezra says tonight, as he draws his set to a close. It […]

LIVE: EZRA FURMAN – 20/05/2015