FILM: ELLIOTT SMITH DOCUMENTARY ‘HEAVEN ADORES YOU’

– HOME, MANCHESTER – The inconclusive evidence surrounding Elliott Smith’s death makes for a compelling story. He died in 2003, at the age of 34, from two stab wounds to the chest. Whether the fatal injuries were self-inflicted is still up for debate, but you’ll be disappointed if you thought this documentary was about getting to the bottom of […]
Wolverhampton-based alt-pop veterans The Nightingales return with their brand new album Mind Over Matter, and it’s a bit of a weird one. I usually don’t like using the word ‘weird’ to describe music. For me it’s just another way of saying: “nah that’s shit that get the kettle on!” However, I’m gonna be honest with you, […]

Album Review: The Nightingales – Mind Over Matter

LIVE: TOBIAS JESSO JR. – 08/05/2015

– NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – For the second time in a week I’m in a packed Night and Day Café and it’s a real joy to see it thriving again. Even prior to the turbulent spell which saw residential noise complaints almost close it for good, the Oldham Street venue had been something […]
– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – The past year has been a real white knuckle ride for Tunbridge Wells duo Slaves. Since signing to Virgin EMI last year, they’ve gone from strength to strength, with more media coverage than you could shake a stick at. The tail end of 2014 had them performing ‘Hey!’ on Later With […]

LIVE: SLAVES – 09/05/2015

LIVE: BLOSSOMS – 07/05/2015

– THE BUNGALOW CLUB, STOCKPORT – The Bungalow Club in Stockport is the stuff music video dreams are made of. You know the sort, sticky floors, tiny stage flooded with huge illuminated Christmas decoration style moons and a Stockport local drinking too many pints and dancing Bez style at the back. It seems a custom […]
Shoegaze is back! Grow that fringe (I only wish I could)! Not everyone will be doing cartwheels at the return of the ‘scene that celebrates itself’, but I have to admit to becoming quite giddy at the prospect of seeing Ride later this month at the beautiful Albert Hall. Club AC30 are no strangers to the […]

EP Review: Flyying Colours – ROYGBIV

LIVE: PRETTY VICIOUS – 08/05/2015

– FALLOW CAFE, MANCHESTER – These 4 indie rock lads from Merthyr Tydfil are blazing a trail into the bright lights, having received Radio 1 and XFM airtime, with just 5 months of gigging under their belts. They’ll be appearing at some of the major UK festivals this summer, plus, they’ve signed a record deal with mighty Virgin […]
– ACADEMY 3, MANCHESTER – Wire is a one-way journey, as singer and guitarist Colin Newman says. A deep, disturbing, not necessarily pleasant but always unique and meaningful one. As soon as the band enters the stage at Manchester Academy 3, the atmosphere gets thicker and they take the audience deep into a frenetic hypnosis. […]

LIVE: WIRE – 29/04/2015

LIVE: CALEXICO – 30/04/2015

– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – When I reach the Albert Hall, the Barr Brothers, who are supporting Calexico tonight, have just ended their set. The venue is not full yet, and the atmosphere is quite relaxed. No VIP areas and a mature crowd that slowly spreads around the beautiful balconies of the former chapel. […]
It is hard to be objective about a band’s long (three years is far too much) awaited upcoming release, when you personally feel they were robbed with their début. It was the boffin rock intro-spectacles that eclipsed their début’s success. Alt-J’s Mercury win with An Awesome Wave led to headline slots at Leeds and platinum […]

Album Review: Django Django – Born Under Saturn