LIVE: BEN KHAN – 14/04/2015

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Not a lot is known about Ben Khan. He hasn’t done a lot of interviews, he’s not big on the ol’ social media, he’s only released one EP (the stunning 1992) with another one on the way, and rarely plays live. I can’t even (shock!) find a Wikipedia page for him. What we […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Due to the typically dismal weather, beer gardens are in short supply in Manchester. On the rare occasion like tonight where the sun still shines gloriously at gone half seven, every flimsy metal table outside a bar is keenly occupied. The smartest amongst those are supping up quickly to […]

LIVE: NADINE SHAH – 14/04/2015

LIVE: THOMAS TRUAX – 09/04/2015

– GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER – There is sometimes a chasm between lives led, and lives we would want to lead. Most of us spread ourselves an inch thin and a mile wide, diluting ourselves to satisfy the multifarious demands of life, and lose something of ourselves in that process. Credit then to those who find another […]
– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – It’s the first time seeing I Am Kloot live and I’m very excited it’s happening at my favourite venue, the Albert Hall. Expectations are high, and they are definitely exceeded. These gentlemen are called John Bramwell (vocals, guitar), Peter Jobson (bass) and Andy Hargreaves (drums) and they provide a […]

LIVE: I AM KLOOT – 10/04/2015

LIVE: MOON DUO – 08/04/2015

– ISLINGTON MILL, SALFORD – Moon Duo would most likely fill a larger venue, which makes tonight’s album launch even more special – those lucky enough to gain entry to this sold-out show get to experience the band in this intimate space, with it’s low ceiling and incredibly loud and clear sound system. Whatever comes at us through those speakers is […]
– THE NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – For me, it is easy to remember the first time I heard Jessica Pratt’s ‘Back Baby.’ It was when I was sat on my scruffy computer chair, expecting just another normal acoustic song, when suddenly I was absolutely blown away by a song that sounded like an […]

LIVE: JESSICA PRATT – 07/04/2015

LIVE: ERRORS – 04/04/2015

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – I’m so pleased to be watching Errors. I’ve missed the Scottish ‘post-electro’ band every time they’ve toured for one reason or another, and the only glimpse I’ve had of them live was a couple of songs at the end of a Bestival set in about 2012 that I stumbled […]
– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – There must be a time portal at the door of Gorilla:  We’ve arrived early to check out the support bands, but somehow between the doorman and the cloakroom we’ve been transported to Greenwich village in 1961.  Fraser A Gorman is a man who wears his Dylan influences on his sleeves, in […]

LIVE: COURTNEY BARNETT – 03/04/2015

LIVE: BAD GRAMMAR – 27/03/2015

– THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER – When I arrive at The Castle Hotel, unfortunately it’s too late for the first band Elephantine, but I am on time for support act Violet Violet. The Norwich duo, Felicity/Fliss Kitson on drums and Cheri Percy on guitar, have been playing together since they met at sixth form but decided […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – The gig space in the Soup Kitchen looks like a catacomb and it fits the night perfectly, given that the devotion shown by fans of The Lovely Eggs shares some traits with a religious cult, and this is now the cult of the Magic Onion, as explained later. The amplification […]

LIVE: THE LOVELY EGGS / THE HIPSHAKES – 28/03/2015