LIVE: SPRING KING – 19/02/2016

 – THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Warming up the crowd tonight are two four pieces called Beach Baby and FEWS. For me, both sets are very similar but nevertheless great openers for those kings of spring. A driving rhythm section paired with swirling yet aggressive guitar playing from Beach Baby is enthralling to say the […]
 – GORILLA, MANCHESTER – An array of blinding technicolour lights fill the shadows of the grimy tunnel that is Gorilla. A Friday night in Manchester consisting of sweat, beer and live music – there’s not much more you could ask for. The back drop of the stage donning Mystery Jets’ latest album cover, Curve Of […]

LIVE: MYSTERY JETS – 19/02/2016

LIVE: WHITE DENIM – 15/02/2016

 – THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – White Denim’s vocalist/guitarist James Petralli and bassist Steve Terebecki have recently posited “loud, fast-playing, rock and  roll” as their motivation to get back on the road and into the studio, having recently shed their original rhythm section.  I’ve wanted to see them live since catching their appearance on “Later” […]
 – SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – “Keep the music going for a second?” asks Julia Cumming of the sound man, as the rest of the Brooklyn hailing trio, seemingly consisting of a young Frank Zappa and Bob Dylan circa 1967, race to the stage of Manchester’s Soup Kitchen to perform an impromptu half-cover of Parquet Courts’ […]

LIVE: SUNFLOWER BEAN – 16/02/2016

LIVE: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD – 15/02/2016

– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – The Melbourne-based band share this moment with us at Gorilla, starting off the night with a rapturous applause from the crowd. From the get-go, it’s a complete sensory overload and as all seven members of the band pick up their instruments, within seconds we are treated to ‘Robot Stop’, a new track that weaves […]
– MANCHESTER ARENA, MANCHESTER – Walking casually out onto stage to a packed crowed at Manchester Arena to screams that are enough to make you lose your voice, must have been a pre-Valentine’s treat for Foals. The Oxford band have made their mark as one of Britain’s most artful and expressive musicians. With four albums […]

LIVE: FOALS – 13/02/2016

LIVE: THE TUTS / BABY BRAVE / GURGLES – 11/02/2016

– THE EAGLE INN, SALFORD – A Carefully Planned Festival is best known for taking over the Northern Quarter every October to shine a light on some of the country’s unknown acts, commonly known only to those in-the-know *hush hush* *sniff *sniff*. Tonight I cannot stroke my beard or nod along knowingly though, as tonight […]
 – THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – It’s been a long time coming, but Mancunian Sam Shepherd’s debut album Elaenia was certainly worth the wait. After releasing a string of outstanding DJ friendly EP’s and singles, since 2009, we’re finally able to immerse ourselves in a long player that ebbs and flows from danceable bloops and bleeps, to […]

LIVE: FLOATING POINTS – 12/02/2016

LIVE: TAME IMPALA / JAGWAR MA – 11/02/2016

– MANCHESTER ARENA, MANCHESTER – It has been four years since I had a chance to see Tame Impala play a gig in Manchester. Holidays, plus, I had missed them by about 3 months when moving here, and have been waiting ever since. Tame Impala, whether you know them, like them or not, have been at […]
– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – In a year where the great and the good are checking out at an alarming rate, it is important that we appreciate those still walking amongst us.  John Grant is such an individual. Thankfully that appears to be the case, if the praise for his latest album and string […]

LIVE: JOHN GRANT – 08/02/2016