LIVE: WINE & SONG IN THE GARDEN (NOT PART OF) 14/07/2011

– FERRIOUS, MANCHESTER – Three words attracted me, and probably many others, to this event tonight – wine, song and garden. Another draw is the unlikely setting, as the Not Part of Festival-organised event is held in uber-cool furniture store Ferrious, underneath a railway arch on the edge of the River Medlock. After arriving at […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – My mum said, “You can’t call a venue that”, I tried to explain to her that ‘The Hard of Hearing Institute’ might not have the same ring to it. Grade II listed, I will have you know as well. Nice to get a bit of history into these reviews, so it’s a […]

LIVE: KARIMA FRANCIS – 09/07/2011

LIVE: TAME IMPALA / WOLF PEOPLE – 06/07/2011

– SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER – As if going to see Tame Impala live wasn’t enough, news that Wolf People were to support had made my week. Sounding as though they’d been locked in a barn, in Devon, with nothing but their instruments and a copy of ‘The Rolling Stones: Rock and Roll Circus’, the hairy […]
– ACADEMY 1, MANCHESTER – Opportunities to impress people with your knowledge of Burkina Faso are few and far between – as are summer gigs, especially ones of such quality as John Butler Trio, so I’m surprised to score on both counts tonight. I missed JBT last year, as I was at the Soundwave festival […]

LIVE: JOHN BUTLER TRIO – 07/07/2011

LIVE: MEMORY TAPES – 07/07/2011

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Tonight’s early attendees watch support act Star Slinger while sat on the stepped area at the back of the Deaf Institute hall. The Mancunian beatsmith makes an impression, however, and the dancefloor steadily fills during his half-hour on stage as the crowd gets into his skittering, tuneful mixcraft. He […]
– Chester Racecourse – Thousands of revellers are enjoying the sunny weather for the inaugural Chester Rocks festival. The two-day event at Chester Racecourse, treats music fans to big name bands such as McFly, The Wanted, The Saturdays, Iggy And The Stooges, Lightning Seeds, Shaun Ryder, Australian Pink Floyd as well as promising local acts. […]

FESTIVAL REVIEW: Chester Rocks – 03/07/2011

LIVE: DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE – 04/07/2011

– ACADEMY 1, MANCHESTER – Okay, I’ll be honest. When I got the message I’d been called up to review Death Cab For Cutie’s Manchester gig at Academy 1 at four hours’ notice, I could only have told you the name of one of their songs and probably hummed you the chorus if I tried. […]
– ACADEMY2, MANCHESTER – From their debut album, Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, to their recent release, Nine Types Of Light, there is something deeply unsatisfying about much of TV On The Radio’s mercurial, recorded output. They are, at times, ludicrously experimental. There are few genres that they do not try to incorporate into their template, […]

LIVE: TV ON THE RADIO – 27/06/2011

LIVE: BJORK – BIOPHILIA 27/06/2011

MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL – CAMPFIELD MARKET HALL (MOSI), MANCHESTER – The festival that promises nothing but original work continues to draw an impressive list of international a-list artists, inspired by the concept. Maybe it’s the creative freedom that they are entrusted with that beckons these already world famous names to step out of their comfort zones […]
– SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER – There’s something very ’Ian Brown’ about the way Brad Hargettt, lead singer of Crystal Stilts, approaches the microphone. Though he sings like Jim Morrison on downers. The huge impact made when they start their set can partly be accredited to a support band. Dirtblonde are playing early when I arrive. […]

LIVE: CRYSTAL STILTS – 24/06/2011