LIVE: PRIMAVERA SOUND FESTIVAL 2019

-PARC DEL FORUM, BARCELONA- A sun drenched Barcelona sea front played host to a very exciting lineup of aging cult heroes, rising talents and globally known superstars. Primavera Sound 2019 was a shining example of how a major city festival can be delivered at an extremely high standard. From the latest in all things working […]
-BRIDGEWATER HALL, MANCHESTER- What Nick Cave has done on this tour has truly broken the mould for how an event can be staged – letting the audience ask absolutely anything, in between performing solo at the piano, no moderator, no other host involved, just us and Nick – a very brave move indeed. So after […]

LIVE: NICK CAVE – 20/06/2019

LIVE: MADONNATRON / LEATHER PARTY – 17/06/2019

-GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER- Leather Party The curiously titled Leather Party open the evening, with the approach of their excessive pedal-induced fuzz sound reminding me a little of the Cramps or even Kyuss; albeit not quite as interesting as the aforementioned monoliths. The vocals have a vague growl to them at times, but typically come off as […]
-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- Manchester’s own Deco Records have become synonymous with putting on good live nights and the five band bill they have compiled for this evening’s entertainment is no exception. I get to an already packed out Castle in time for Plato, a Manchester based four piece who offer alternative based rock that […]

LIVE: MOLD / TINFOILS / AUGHRA / PLATO – 15/06/2019

LIVE: MEAT PUPPETS – 11/06/2019

-REBELLION, MANCHESTER- I arrive early to catch the tour support for the evening, Munky, a youthful fusion of funk and indie, not quite the type of band you would expect to be supporting an eighties psychedelic country rock band but they are certainly a bunch of lively Irish lads, with a great stage presence and […]
-YES BASEMENT, MANCHESTER- With her debut album on the horizon, Hatchie delivers a dreamy, blissful performance at YES Basement, Manchester. After being recommended to get on Hatchie by a friend , I quickly listened to the gorgeous, Cocteau Twin-like EP Sugar & Spice and was left wanting more. It was a similar experience on Thursday night. […]

LIVE: HATCHIE – 13/06/2019

LIVE: FOALS – 11/06/2019

-VICTORIA WAREHOUSE, MANCHESTER- This year is proving to be an extremely ambitious one for Foals; with a two-parter album release and an on-going World tour, the Oxford four-piece are ruthlessly solidifying their status as headliners. After the March release of Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part. 1 received critical acclaim, it’s clear that this […]
-CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- Just a quick missive from the front line, as I find myself rolling out of the award-winning Cocktail Beer Ramen Bun into the Castle Hotel and happen upon a gig from an Icelandic singer songwriter called Axel Flóvent and his troupe (well, his two accompanists). It is lovely, gentle, chilled music and […]

LIVE: AXEL FLOVENT – 11/06/2019

LIVE: FEMI KUTI & POSITIVE FORCE – 09/06/2019

-BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER- It’s Sunday night and the Positive Force are warming us all up for the incredible, inimitable Femi Kuti and as the groove swells and the brass punches in and Femi starts dancing, we all start dancing too, and all the cares in the world melt away and a huge grin […]
-THE RITZ, MANCHESTER- Support Acts Taking the opportunity to cover an all-dayer is a measure designed to challenge both myself as a journalist and the battery life of my ageing iPhone; to my horror I am to discover that the real challenge is not showing solidarity with my departing friends and staying behind to cover […]

LIVE: MEMBRANES ALL-DAYER – 08/06/2019