LIVE: THE STRANGE DEATH OF LIBERAL ENGLAND – 28/10/2010

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – The Strange Death Of Liberal England brought out their debut album ‘Forward March’, almost 3 years ago and made their mark for being an experimental pop/folk band. Having taken themselves out of view for a good 18 months they have been busy recording their new album, ‘Drown your Hearts […]
– THE ACADEMY, MANCHESTER – Nepotism. Sounds like your little brothers’ favourite Goth-metal band, but the official line is ‘patronage bestowed on the basis of family relationship’. It’s a theory that’s been banded about a fair bit with tonight’s headliners, but when your dad is Sting, it’d be hard not to grab hold of a […]

LIVE: I BLAME COCO – 26/10/2010

LIVE: TWEAK BIRD – 26/10/2010

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – I’ll confess, having not heard of this band before I’d asked a few friends if they’d heard of them, to which I was surprised to find they’ve actually released 2 albums to date and have been the Guardian’s ‘Band of the Day’ back in April. ‘You’ll like them Steph, […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Three Blind Wolves are a trodden jingle jangle sound with warm brandy brushed harmonies. The band mix the sounds of traditional folk and shanty sounds and work them through a modern day filter. Singer, Ross Clark’s voice was rather impressive. It mirrored the sounds of Robin Pecknold’s from Fleet […]

LIVE: BEACH FOSSILS/THREE BLIND WOLVES – 25/10/2010

LIVE: CRYSTAL CASTLES – 22/10/2010

– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER – Waking up the next morning, all I can hear is a constant ringing in my left year, which reminds me of an article I read recently about a man committing suicide because of chronic tinnitus. Everything peripheral sounds like the dull roar of the sea, and I am pretty certain […]
– ROSI’S, BERLIN – Hiding behind a sofa from the robotic horrors of Berlin’s Dalek of a techno-electronica obsessed club scene, Germany’s indie loving musicians too rarely peak out to make themselves seen. Rosi’s on Revaler Strasse then, is an ample opportunity for them to make themselves known. All cracked brick walls and marker pen […]

LIVE: DIEGO – 22/10/2010

LIVE: BIZARRE BALL – 22/10/2010

– THE RITZ BALLROOM, MANCHESTER – Monday nights at the Ritz used to be a festival of freaks and weirdos, set to a soundtrack of rock and metal. It was great for a youngster, and there’s nothing in Manchester nowadays that really draws the same crowd on a regular basis. I miss it, but fortunately […]
– MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, MANCHESTER – I love the Mystery Jets. I’d currently put them in my top ten bands. However, this gig at Manchester Cathedral is let down by the venue. It’s not usual for groups to do gigs in churches but this one is too big, its huge, cavernous expanse sucking the life out […]

LIVE: MYSTERY JETS – 22/10/2010

LIVE: Warpaint – 24/10/2010

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – It’s not quite Halloween yet, but that’s not stopping the lighting crew at the Deaf Institute from making the stage look like London Fog, Jack the Ripper era. Warpaint casually take the stage engulfed by dry ice and sombre green ‘mood’ lighting, prompting singer Emily Kokal to rightfully ask […]
– ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, MANCHESTER – ‘Silent Sigh’ is one of the most beautiful songs written in the last 20 years and I am giddy with excitement as Damon Gough, AKA Badly Drawn Boy, sits down at the piano to play those first celestial notes. The mood is tempered, somewhat, by the fact […]

LIVE: BADLY DRAWN BOY – 21/10/2010