LIVE: FIELD MUSIC / STEALING SHEEP – 19/02/2012

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Sunday has a magical quality. A dignified presence, the end of the week, and a time to reflect and contemplate the mysteries of life.  What better environment to do all this, than The Deaf Institute? You can usually find me on the dance-floor, twirling underneath the sparkling mirrorball… But […]
– ACADEMY 1, MANCHESTER – Sorry, but this is going to be a biased review. I miss Azealia Banks due to the ridiculous idea of scheduling the first act 10 minutes after doors opening. I’m obviously disappointed to find out from the light technician that I have missed the filthy talking Azealia, who has been […]

LIVE: NME AWARDS TOUR 2012

THE XFM New Music Award – 08/02/2012

– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – There’s been a flurry of excitement around Ren Harvieu on the radio. Touted as the Salford lass with the big voice, she’s getting plenty of attention with her new single ‘Through the Night.’ We get into The Ritz at 8, and as I’m trying to get 2 pints poured our […]
– THE LOWRY, SALFORD –  This year is a year of firsts for the BBC Radio 2 Folk awards. For the first time, the ceremony is being held outside of London in the Lowry at Salford Quays – much to the delight of the northern musicians. 2012 also saw members of the public being allowed […]

Live: BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards – 08/02/2012

LIVE: MURKAGE – 04/02/2012

– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – Yes it’s cold, yes it’s snowing and yes, you could be easily convinced to stay in. Or so you’d say on other nights. Personally, I’ve been looking forward to witnessing the guys that are on tonight for quite some time now. Having grown out of their, now notorious, Monday Murkage […]
– THE LOWRY, SALFORD – It’s the first of February at The Lowry in Salford, and tonight gracing the stage is another of Portland’s exports, folk songstress Laura Veirs. Veirs has been a regular on the American circuit for some time now; having released seven albums, but this is the first time her presence in […]

LIVE: LAURA VEIRS – 01/02/2012

LIVE: REEL BIG FISH – 02/02/2012

– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER – You know they have a good thing going…………and I don’t want to see that end! I suppose ska punk died a commercial death a good few years ago. Fads come and go and music media can dictate what is hot and what is not. Reel Big Fish however are still […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – When a press release came through a few months ago saying that Casiokids were to play a handful of live dates in the UK, I was to say the least, rather giddy. But giddyness was short lived, as I glanced down the list of towns and cities to be visited […]

LIVE: CASIOKIDS – 20/01/2012

LIVE: INTRODUCING TAKE ON MR. SCRUFF – 14/01/2012

– BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER – Ok so the idea is simple: choose an artist who samples other people’s records to make their own music. Let’s use Mr Scruff as an example. Perfect. Then find a band who performs his back catalogue but subtract the samplers and play every note live. So it’s songs […]
– ISLINGTON MILL, SALFORD – Friday 23rd December: the night before the night before Christmas. The party season is well and truly under way, but it’s not really Christmas yet. There’s no sitting around, feeling bored and consuming more food in one day than you have done all week. This is the fun bit of Christmas, […]

Live: DJ Derek – 23/12/2011