LIVE: TWIN FORKS – 02/7/2013

– NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – If anyone went to or watched the Glastonbury Festival coverage of Mumford and Sons last week it is quiet clear that another genre ‘pop-folk’ is pretty big at the moment. The difference between a band that headlines a massive festival and tonight’s Twin Forks is that Twin Forks, […]
– ISLINGTON MILL, SALFORD – The Bummer camp crew should be proud of themselves for putting on two great events over the last week. The only problem being that they were nowhere near as well attended as they should be. First off they put on Christeene, the dirge shock tranny act whose antics have been […]

LIVE: SSION – 26/06/2013

LIVE: DAVID THOMAS BROUGHTON – 24/6/2013

– THE KINGS ARMS, SALFORD – “Performance” is le mot juste tonight. To introduce the evening is the charming Rachael Dadd, with her softly-softly folk tunes delightfully embellished by foot bells, a clarinet, and an infant child strapped to her back who peeks at the crowd cute as you like. Rachael is followed onstage by […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER –  Strange openings: a postponed gig date, no support band and a low-key DJ opus by Jono Ma from far back in the darkness. But these chaps are Aussies mate so they like to do things a little differently. Which is interesting when you consider their inescapable Madchester influences, with […]

LIVE: JAGWAR MA – 20/6/2013

LIVE: BIPOLAR SUNSHINE – 21/6/2013

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – It’s Friday and it’s the longest day of the year. The sun is shining and I’m descending into the depths of the Soup Kitchen, airless and dark, filled to the rafters by an animated hubbub of hot revellers. “Why would you want to do that?” I hear you ask. Well, we’re here for Bipolar Sunshine, a solo project fronted by a Mancunian, hailing from […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER –  Maybe it’s the three day recovery from Parklife Weekender, but inside I hardly feel top for tonight’s Fresh & Onlys gig, a band who have been on my list of who to see live for quite a while now…so I have to power through. And is it me or has […]

LIVE: THE FRESH & ONLYS – 12/6/2013

LIVE: PARKLIFE WEEKENDER – 08/6/13 – 09/6/13

– HEATON PARK, MANCHESTER – With over 40,000 tickets sold, Parklife’s fourth year is off to a big headed start. Headlining acts such as Plan B, Example, Disclosure, TNGHT and Johnny Marr have certainly helped ticket sales sore to new heights, bringing an official start to the British summer in style..but can the festival live […]
– NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER –  “This is the first time I’ve played the Night & Day while it’s still been day,” jokes Glass Ankle frontman, Greg Jackson, in what turns out to be the highlight of the duo’s set. Greg’s clipped vocals aren’t a million miles away from Paul Heaton’s, but as each […]

LIVE: AMONG BROTHERS – 13/6/2013

LIVE: TROPHY WIFE – 10/6/2013

 – NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER –  In the last couple of the years, the music scene in Oxford has become a hub of activity and creativity. This is mainly thanks to The Blessing Force collective; a talented group of friends working together to create exciting projects, releases and club nights. Three piece Trophy Wife […]
– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER – “I’ve been waiting 20 years for this,” says a guy at the bar as he pulls his 25th anniversary Mudhoney t-shirt over his head. Now don’t get me wrong its great that he is seeing them at last but where have you been???? Mudhoney are the godfathers of garage / grunge […]

LIVE: MUDHONEY / MEAT PUPPETS – 07/06/2013