LIVE: EASY STAR ALL-STARS – 07/08/2014

– BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER – Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is one of the best-selling albums of all time, and it is said that at any given moment, someone, somewhere is listening to the album. The purveyors of this fact haven’t mentioned whether any of these people are under the age […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Believe it or not, tonight is my first time watching a gig at Soup Kitchen. Almost deceived by the two separate entrances, I manage to make it downstairs in time to grab a beer before the live music begins. First to the stage are James Graham and Andy MacFarlane, two […]

LIVE: OWL JOHN – 05/08/2014

LIVE: PERFECT PUSSY / JOANNA GRUESOME – 01/08/2014

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – The rumour that Joanna Gruesome were forged in the midst of anger management classes may or may not be true, but it seems a fitting beginning based on their performance tonight.  Careering from gleeful pop to controlled aggression across an 8 song set, they appear simultaneously self-deprecating yet certain, with a […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – It’s a funny notion that as I grow older, I much prefer watching something loud and noisy than something more hushed and acoustic – you’d think it’d be the other way around. But tonight is an exception, mainly because I’ve spent my day seeing how long I can stay in bed […]

LIVE: KEVIN DEVINE – 02/08/2014

LIVE: HALFLING’S LEAF / TRIBAL FIGHTERS – 31/07/2014

– THE BAYHORSE, MANCHESTER – Hollowed out beneath Thomas Street, from the basement of The Bay Horse comes a tremendous noise. It’s populated by long hair, leather jackets and tattoos, kick drums, wails and distorted guitar. Halfling’s Leaf, after three years are playing their final, farewell gig and it is in fact the first time […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – In the parallel universe in which Guitar Wolf reside, time has not stood still, but in fact, permanently loops round between 1958 and 1978.  The mothership jettisoned Guitarwolf Seiji, Basswolf UG and Drumwolf Toru in sealed crystal caskets to preserve the purity of rocknroll from the Planet of the […]

LIVE: GUITAR WOLF – 31/07/2014

LIVE: POLEDO/BETA BLOCKER & THE BODY CLOCK/HOOTEN TENNIS CLUB/DREAM HOUSE – 25/07/2014

– FUEL CAFÉ, MANCHESTER – It’s a baking night in South Manchester, even as the band sound check, and set-up for a night curated by Cheesus Crust Records, DIY “label and gig putter on thing that will never be as memorable as Neck Deep”.  They’re running 45 minutes late and a crowd of thirteen people […]
A hypnotic bass line introduces you to the slightly surreal adventure that is ‘To Be Kind’; Swans’ newest addition to their large collection of music. In what will feel like a two hour long hallucinogenic trip to the unseasoned Swans listener, this album may pass many people by as nothing more than a noisy din. […]

ALBUM REVIEW: SWANS – TO BE KIND

LIVE: THE AFGHAN WHIGS – 17/07/2014

– MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, MANCHESTER – I arrive at Manchester Cathedral tonight very much in the dark about Afghan Whigs.  I’m aware of their music only from older friends’ enthusiastic recommendations, who champion them as soul and blues infected hangers-on of the sub-pop generation, related to – but not of – the grunge movement,  and as […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – This evening seems somewhat of an exciting evening to be an Owen Pallett fan as he’s playing the first date of a long over due UK tour and today he just been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, which is Canada’s equivalent of the Mercury. The Ontario based songwriter/ […]

LIVE: OWEN PALLETT – 15/07/2014