LIVE: COSMO JARVIS/RUBY-ANN PATTERSON – 14/02/2013

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – As you are all aware, today is the trashy commercial day often called Valentines, so I thought there would be no better time to lose my Soup Kitchen virginity and head to the venue for the first time. Good beer on tap, fun toilets and an eclectic mix of a […]
– SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER – A few years back I was reading an article about this up and coming artist called Darwin Deez; a 20 something hipster living in New York, working in a well respected vegetarian restaurant making lo-fi pop hits with jazzy guitar tones, quirky vocal hooks and jittery electro beats. Intriguing, right? […]

LIVE: DARWIN DEEZ – 15/02/2013

LIVE: VILLAGERS – 13/02/2013

– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – The first time I encountered Connor O’Brien’s Villagers was almost too perfect. They were first on the Park Stage on the Sunday of Glastonbury 2011, a festival that was bathed in unusually hot June weather, a glorious weekend that had lead to an almighty cumulative 3 day hangover on the Sunday […]
– THE BUNKER, SALFORD – So, I’m currently sat in a taxi on my way to an unknown venue somewhere in Salford. I give the taxi driver an address I found online and he takes me down an almost pitch black alleyway which leads into a derelict industrial site, I’m a little worried. Two men […]

LIVE: ESBEN AND THE WITCH / EMBERS – 09/02/2013

LIVE: NME AWARDS TOUR – 08/02/2013

– ACADEMY 1, MANCHESTER – The NME Awards Tour is one of the most prestigious events in the music calendar. Renowned for launching the careers of some of the most influential bands in the past century; fromFlorence+ The Machine to Coldplay, many highly anticipate what is yet to come from the headliners Django Django and […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – So one of the many things I love about The Deaf Institute and why I think it’s one of Manchester’s best live venues is their conveniently placed seated area. Situated towards the back of the room in tiered blocks, it is perfect for those wanting to sit and enjoy […]

LIVE: PURE LOVE – 06/02/2013

LIVE: THE HISTORY OF APPLE PIE – 04/02/2013

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – It’s fair to say that it’s a pretty miserable night in Manchester tonight. But the few that are brave enough to battle through the wind, rain and snow are to be rewarded by catching two ace up and coming indie bands that we’re hoping will warm up our cockles with […]
– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – There’s something metaphorical about the thirty-something Gen X-er, bearded but with his long hair cut off in favour of something more employment-friendly who shows up at a concert wearing his faded Dukes Devils, baggy t-shirt just about hiding a muffin-top and a hairy belly. Despite all that, I don’t care […]

LIVE: DINOSAUR JR – 01/02/2013

LIVE: MATTHEW WHITAKER – 31/01/2013

– THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER – The Weekend is here at last (who actually does any work on a Friday anyway?) and local promotion company Hey! Manchester has agreed to help kick start my festivities by putting on a stellar night of music at the Castle Hotel. First up on stage is John Ainsworth, a […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – There is a moment roughly 10 minutes into Metz’ set, not long after the call-to-arms opening salvo of ‘Knife in the Water’ has jolted the Soup Kitchen into a frenzy, and just as the first circle pit of the night materialises, that you could just take a moment’s pause and […]

LIVE: METZ – 28/01/2013