LIVE: THE NORTH SEA SCROLLS – 26/11/2012

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – We are here at the Deaf Institute to experience the performance of a peculiar conceptual album and academic lecture with Luke Haines (The Auteurs), Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney and The Fatima Mansions) and narrated by Andrew Mueller. They describe themselves as a “dauntless trio”. The North Sea Scrolls, written by […]
– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – So Adam Ant is back – still or, again- this time with his band The Good, The Mad and the Lovely Posse. In his heyday, Ant – real name Stuart Goddard- was a very subversive kind of pop star, a British “pop glam-tinged” star. He began by riding that (new) […]

LIVE: ADAM ANT AND THE GOOD, THE MAD AND THE LOVELY POSSE – 25/11/2012

LIVE: THE NEIGHBOURHOOD – 15/11/2012

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – As The Neighbourhood take to the stage they ooze an effortless cool.  The LA five-piece rocketed in popularity after being selected as Zane Lowe’s Hottest Record in the World on Radio 1, with their infectious single ‘Sweater Weather’. As a band bathed in anonymity in their beginnings, and with […]
– ACADEMY 3, MANCHESTER – Turbonegro must (never) be destroyed! The Turbojunged are out in force this evening in Manchester. The classic Denim jacket emblazoned with the leather cap and the area of fan base below. On the stairs up to Academy three there are Jungeds from Aberdeen, Stoke, Lisbon, Oslo, Lemmington, Madrid and of […]

LIVE: TURBONEGRO – 22/11/2012

LIVE: FATHER JOHN MISTY / NO – 23/11/2012

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Tonight, Father John Misty, supported by No, is a sold-out show at The Deaf Institute, probably my favourite gig venue, and one whose glitter ball seems to have grown each time I visit. Either it’s a trick of the mind or just maybe that mysterious sparkly sphere that ominously […]
– THE APOLLO, MANCHESTER – The foyer of the Manchester Apollo is bristling with young teenagers, middle-aged indie throwbacks and entire families, all there to watch The Vaccines. I make my way onto the upper balcony. just as the 1st of 3 support bands are shuffling onto the stage. Their name? I don’t remember. Their […]

LIVE: THE VACCINES – 21/11/2012

LIVE: THE SPINTO BAND – 21/11/2012

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – You might not want to read on much further when I say that I have NEVER seen the Ruby Lounge this empty. But don’t despair! I blame this anomaly on the fact that the support band Casablanca were…oh let’s not be mean: not stupendous. So put that into the […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Canadian punk rock outfit Fucked Up are more than a force to be reckoned with. Since their formation at the start of the noughties, the Toronto based six piece have released an impressive back catalogue of forward thinking punk rock records, including the award winning ‘The Chemistry Of Common […]

LIVE: FUCKED UP – 14/11/2012

Album Review: Sekou Kouyate and Joe Driscoll – FAYA

Sekou Kouyate and Joe Driscoll present us with their first collaborative album, Faya, a collection of songs, which span genres from around the world. Communicating through music they have produced an album, which incorporates Kouyate’s sounds of Africa and Driscoll’s eclectic mix of New York bedroom-music styles. It’s an easy-listening reggae-funky-hiphop-afrobeat-rap-rock cocktail that’s refreshing and […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Having been a huge fan of Halls’ ever since their debut single, Solace, I came to Soup Kitchen in Manchester tonight with high hopes and a particular hankering for a spot of blissed out, ambient 2-step. Upon entering the venue however, said hopes were subsequently dashed as I noticed the […]

LIVE: HALLS – 12/11/2012