LIVE: MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS – 21/02/2010

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Right from the start, from hearing the opening bars of ‘Obsessions’, I have been hooked on Marina And The Diamonds. It’s always been clear to me that her appeal is multifaceted. Crucially she combines exemplary song writing skills, with the vastly under-appreciated but essential quirk of being an eccentric. […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – So it’s a Saturday night, I’m heading towards the Deaf Institute, the bars are filling up and leading up to a yet another busy weekend evening. Having only recently discovered this band I am quite excited to see them and if the music is anything to go by, their […]

LIVE: SO SO MODERN – 20/02/2010

LIVE: JONATHA BROOKE – 20/02/2010

– BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER – It’s started early tonight and the small yet loyal clan of followers are seated at tables. The audience consists mainly of men, the majority of which are bespectacled and lacking in hair. Jonatha knows two members of the crowd, the second not well enough to remember his name: […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – It’s a golden rule that the best gems are always those stumbled upon. Bands are the same. I arrive at The Ruby Lounge a little early, in search of liquid refreshment, only to be reeled in by London-based duo Banjo or Freakout. Frontman Alessio Natalizia and his sidekick drummer […]

LIVE: BANJO OR FREAKOUT – 19/02/2010

LIVE: THE SOFT PACK – 19/02/2010

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – There is a buzz about The Ruby Lounge as The Soft Pack take to the stage. The bar empties and the dance floor fills with an odd assortment of young indie types and older-looking mods. This sudden surge pricks my anticipation, expecting bigger and bigger things from this four-piece […]
– Academy 2, Manchester – The Academy 2 has sold out and there’s a smell of josticks in the air. Actual josticks. The lights go down on the crowd and there’s a buzz of anticipation, everyone halts their conversations and look towards the still empty stage. The seven band members arrive, beards outnumbering 6 to […]

LIVE: MIDLAKE – 17/02/2010

LIVE: GABRIEL MINNIKIN/BLIND ATLAS/JO ROSE – 16/02/2010

– SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER – Cold, empty, unfriendly, not at all accomodating…but enough about me – on to my first experience of Sound Control. Unfortunately it’s not a good one, for much the same reasons. First up, Jo Rose fails to impress. Having seen his gentle, Niel Young-esque performances before, though, I can vouch for […]
– Academy 3, Manchester – It’s a satisfactory feeling, walking into a gig when the band has just started. A large crowd has gathered early to catch the support, White Rabbits, whose media profile suggests that they could be on a successful tour of their own. The stage is busy, 3 guitarists, keys, drummer, and […]

LIVE: SPOON/WHITE RABBITS – 15/02/2010

LIVE: LIAM FROST – 11/02/2010

– Moho, Manchester – I descend the stairs at Moho, another blacked out Manchester basement venue. The crowd appears to typically represent the city’s indie population of trendy students and fun loving locals as it immediately becomes apparent that this will be a very Mancunian affair. The Reveres, a swaggering and intimidating version of The […]
– ISLINGTON MILL, SALFORD – There is something wonderfully mysterious about attending a gig at the Islington Mill. Everyone has heard of it before but no one is sure if it still exists or if it does where exactly it is. Every taxi I clamber in to I am faced with a driver who dithers […]

LIVE: BEACH HOUSE / LAWRENCE ARABIA – 11/02/2010