LIVE: MOGWAI – 27/01/2014

– THE BRIDGEWATER HALL, MANCHESTER – It seems to be another rainy night in Manchester, but with a small difference: Mogwai are in town, and for an instrumental music lover like me, it is a MUST to go and see them. The ‘plan’ is organised at the marvellous Bridgewater Hall, home of many classic instrumentalists […]
At the moment, the DIY ethic that is so essential for exciting new bands is as abundant in the underground music scene as it ever was. With the likes of Manchester band PINS and Leeds groups Menace Beach and Department M – amongst others – all creating their own merchandise, cultivating their own distinct image […]

Album Review: Breton – War Room Stories

LIVE: ALGIERS – 31/01/2014

– FALLOW CAFE, MANCHESTER – Fallow Cafe is the venue for this evening’s gig headlined by Sheffield duo Algiers. This is my first visit to the venue, opened after the people behind the The Ruby Lounge took over and rebranded what was the original Trof site in Fallowfield. I arrived to learn technical difficulties would […]
– MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, MANCHESTER – One of the first things that catches my attention and makes an impression is the name of a band or an artist. And James Vincent McMorrow’s name is among the loveliest ones I’ve heard. The singer-songwriter from Dublin, Ireland released his second album, Post Tropical just this month. He kicked […]

LIVE: JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW – 24/01/2014

LIVE: DAN LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP – 19/01/2014

– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER – On arrival at the Students’ Union, I’m greeted by the sight of tonight’s headliner’s Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip manning their own merch stand. I would guess that it’s partly born out of necessity, but I admire the personal touch; it is nice to see a hip-hop act who […]
Department M shoot a large portion of intriguing sounds straight to your ears as soon as ‘Miscellany’ graces your speakers. The industrial electro-synth tones partnered with a cleverly syncopated hard-hitting drum beat combine to create a sound that leaves you wanting more. The instruments initially jar, but as the track progresses it all makes sense. […]

Single Review: Department M – Miscellany

LIVE: CASS MCCOMBS – 10/01/2014

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – I rarely ever mention support acts in a review, but only one man has led me to break that mould – Frank Fairfield. With a barely comprehensible Southern American accent, baggy trousers and a belt buckle which would take Alex Turner’s belt buckle efforts to town, he sits on […]
– ACADEMY, MANCHESTER – When Pura Vida Conspiracy was released this summer, I didn’t agree with a lot of the blogosphere hype that surrounded it. Sure, the New York gypsy punk’s sixth album had maybe a handful of memorable hits, but it fell short of comparable in positive light to the likes of their previous […]

LIVE: GOGOL BORDELLO – 14/12/2013

LIVE: PEACE – 11/12/2013

– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – It’s about this time in the musical calendar that everyone starts looking to the New Year; from new bands to new records, everyone’s getting their tips in. This time last year, Brummy-based quartet Peace were one of those tipped for big things with their retro blend of indie and pop […]
There’s a lot of tension in the air:  It’s hard to define, but the sense of expectation this evening has been building for some time, and no-one really knows what to expect.   Before I arrived at the Deaf Institute, I confess I was unaware of MetzJumper, and I’m only at the venue that night to […]

MERCHANDISE REVIEW: MetzJumper