LIVE: EINDHOVEN PSYCH LAB DAY 2 – 11/06/2016

– EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS – Day two is welcomed in by Statue, a Dutch six piece who offer up four guitars alongside bass and drums. They present numerous references to symphonic rock and hints of influences such as Sonic Youth shine through. It’s clear that they are really pleased to be here as they rock along […]
– BRIDGEWATER HALL, MANCHESTER – ‘Wait, this one’s got a fuck tonne of chords in it.’ Ben Folds flexes fingers, readies himself and then launches into another track and blow me he’s not kidding.  These aren’t 1, 4, 5 progressions, power chords or riffs.  These songs are complex, thought out, elegant.  And they hang beautifully […]

LIVE: BEN FOLDS & YMUSIC – 17/06/2016

LIVE: ELVIS DEPRESSEDLY – 15/06/2016

– AATMA, MANCHESTER – “You know we pass from death to life, because we love each other. ” sings South Carolina native Mat Cothran on Elvis Depressedly’s lethargic ballad ‘Thou Shall Not Murder’. Such a cutting introduction to the ethanolic track not only serves to highlight the honest and bare atmosphere that colours the evening, […]
– GORILLA, MANCHESTER –  When I first heard Light Up Gold, Parquet Courts’ second album, it’s half spoken half sung vocals and repetitive melodies immediately led me to draw comparisons to The Fall. New track ‘Outside’ has been likened to Pavement by many and a review described their album Human Performance as sounding not dissimilar […]

LIVE: PARQUET COURTS – 18/06/2016

LIVE: WHITNEY – 15/06/2016

– GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER – Whitney is a band formed out of the smouldering ashes of Max Kakacek’s former band, indie rock outfit Smith Westerns. Their lead singer Cullen Omori went on to release a widely praised debut solo album earlier this year, whilst Kakacek pulled together a group of six musicians to carry on his […]
– EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS – It is time for the third instalment of Eindhoven Psych Lab; the experimental science tinted psychedelic experience based in the industrial Dutch city. With the promise that frontiers must be explored, crossed and questioned, I head once more to De Effenaar. Due to issues with every kind of transport known to […]

LIVE: EINDHOVEN PSYCH LAB DAY 1 – 10/06/2016

LIVE: THE STONE ROSES – 15/06/2016

– ETIHAD STADIUM, MANCHESTER – When deciding the right time to reform a band, there are always worries of how to maintain the same altitude of interest. The question lurking is – what’s next? For The Stone Roses, this was a question needing no thought. The Manchester natives long anticipated and is-this-really-happening return gigs back […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Weaves are  good, full of enthusiasm and an interesting set of songs get our taste buds going. Georgia, my companion for the evening, is particularly impressed and at the same time bemused by the quirky demeanor of frontwoman Jasmyn Burke. Hailing from Toronto, Canada, their self-titled EP is a […]

LIVE: BEACH SLANG / WEAVES – 12/06/2016

PARKLIFE WEEKENDER AFTERLIFE: KALUKI PRESENTS – JAMIE JONES, EATS EVERYTHING & RICHY AHMED – 12/06/2016

– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – The closing night of the Parklife Weekender Afterlife series sees the iconic Albert Hall host what I think is the best line-up the Sunday evening has to offer.  Kaluki are notorious for throwing the most extravagant and appealing parties and the trend wasn’t about to be bucked. It was […]
– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – One of the best Parklife Weekender Afterlife parties has to offer is being held at Gorilla, Manchester. A chic bar-come-gig venue, Gorilla has seen the best in most genres play, from Skream to Circa Waves. As I make my way up the stairs at Gorilla, absolutely shattered from a soaking day […]

PARKLIFE WEEKENDER AFTERLIFE: PREDITAH, P MONEY & BARELY LEGAL – 11/06/2016