LIVE: THEME PARK – 10/05/2017

– SOUP KITCHEN. MANCHESTER – I’ve seen Theme Park twice before, when we were all a bit younger; the first time they were supporting Bombay Bicycle club on tour in 2011, and then as part of the wondrous Camden Crawl festival in 2012. I thought they were great, not only live, but on record. And […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Back in 2015, Ducktails topped a fantastic triple bill made up of Jaako Eino Kalevi and Beaty Heart at the Deaf Institute. Their carefree spindly guitars coupled with Matt Mondanile’s soft vocals resulted in a blissful end to the evening. Tonight is much the same with Ducktails at the top […]

LIVE: DUCKTAILS – 08/05/2017

LIVE: THE PARROTS / YOWL – 06/05/2017

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Manchester’s Soup Kitchen basement has undergone a revamp recently, with a newly elevated stage and improved sound system – tonight’s sold out gig is shaping up nicely. Opening we have Yowl, a five piece from Peckham who take the mundane and make it sound like a never-ending thrill. Garnering a […]
– DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Sweet baby Jesus, this is intense. As soon as Benjamin Power, one half of the sublime Fuck Buttons, presses the first pad on his desk of electronic toys, I feel like I’m being assaulted. I’ve been to some loud gigs (I managed 10mins of My Bloody Valentine’s infamous ‘holocaust section’ […]

LIVE: BLANCK MASS – 04/05/2017

LIVE: MICHAEL KIWANUKA – 29/04/2017

– ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – This is not a shameless plug but a relevant anecdote: on the day of the Michael Kiwanuka gig, I had a show on Reform Radio and a live pianist was playing live. He planned to play a Kiwanuka song but not, as he informed me, ‘I’m a Black Man In […]
– DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Are you reading this because you are already on board with The Big Moon? If so, read on. If you are not already on board, especially read on. This London four-piece have released one of the great debut albums of 2017. It is one click away from your ears right […]

LIVE: THE BIG MOON – 28/04/2017

LIVE: CIGARETTES AFTER SEX – 18/04/2017

– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – White snow dresses Manchester’s Gorilla. What was at first a light flurry has quickly settled into a bed around Greg Gonzalez’s hushed weather. The Texan-native asks for someone he’s been waiting for to return to him, and with the words “stay with me,” Gonzalez expressionlessly falls for the big ‘she’ for […]
– DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – “Why does the UK hate warm water?” seems like such a perfectly phrased question about one of the more bonkers aspects of British society. And PWR BTTM’s first record, Ugly Cherries, is such a delectable listen, and my anticipation of a good time at Deaf tonight so high anyway, that […]

LIVE: PWR BTTM – 11/04/2017

LIVE: INDIAN QUEENS/LAVENDER/DIVING STATION/RUNAH – 28/04/2017

– GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER – Friday’s gig-going saw one hapless Mancunian scruff transition from flummoxed faulty-oven sort-of-repair man to cheerful possessor of a clutch of great new bands to recommend to people in the space of a few hours. Promoters Fat Plastic can always be relied upon to provide a lineup which combines a crop of […]
– BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER – It is quite the feat when, as a self-described DIY musician, your performance repertoire includes sidling up to the worthy likes of Fly Lo, Robert Glasper and Roy Ayers. There have only been a few harpists on my radar over the years, yet all of whom I view […]

LIVE: LOW LEAF – 25/04/2017