LIVE: THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM – 18/10/2012

– THE APOLLO, MANCHESTER – Diners, jukebox Romeos, diamond Sinatras, Elvis, Audrey Hepburn, Bette Davis, Miles Davis, Hollywood nights, Manhattan, New Jersey, New Orleans, high top sneakers, sailor tattoos, blue jeans, white T-shirts, party dresses, ribbons, classic cars, movie screens, parking lots, pay phones, ferris wheels, old haunts, forgotten ghosts, broken dreams, wild young hearts, […]
– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – It’s fair to say that the Little Comets aren’t so little anymore. Since the release of their sprightly debut album ‘In Search Of Elusive Little Comets’, the Newcastle based outfit have been flying up festival bills and packing out bigger rooms on every tour, so it comes as no surprise […]

LIVE: LITTLE COMETS – 16/10/2012

Single Review: Jessie Ware – Night Light

After the success of ‘Wildest Moments’ earlier this year, now comes Jessie Ware’s fourth single of the year, ‘Night Light’. This song is from her album, Devotion, which made it to number five in the UK charts upon its release in August and has now been nominated for a Mercury Prize. It starts as a promising, […]
– NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – “The best thing about this band, is we turn up”, growls frontman Robert Lloyd in the opening number. He has no reason to be so self-deprecating – cutting an intimidating sight on stage: A tall, suit-wearing, static figure looming over the audience with a leer veering between nonchalant and menacing. […]

LIVE: THE NIGHTINGALES – 15/10/2012

LIVE: BO NINGEN – 17/10/2012

Some gigs are difficult to write about. The band turn up, they fly through their set sounding exactly as they do on the album, and then they walk off and do it again somewhere else. Bo Ningen are not like that at all. ‘Psychedelic Japanese rock band’ is another genre that I can now happily […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – The nights are drawing in, the students have taken control of the city, and we are back in the full swing of the live music season. Each night of the week, there is an exciting variety of bands and artists offering their services, and tonight a healthy number have […]

LIVE: THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART – 15/10/2012

LIVE: TAMARYN – 14/10/2012

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – A Tamaryn press release featuring ‘I’m Gone’ from the forthcoming new album ‘Tender New Signs’ made an instant impression on me. Some bands just press all the right buttons, 5 seconds worth of listening could be all that’s needed to make you aware that a certain band is about to feature heavily on […]
– ?????, MANCHESTER – “Secret gig” How much do these two words excite me? Am I actually going to be taken to Narnia? Am I going to see Tumnus jam with Morrissey under the Printworks, for a stripped-down version of ‘The Queen Is Dead’? I have no idea where I’m going or what I’m seeing. […]

LIVE: RED DEER CLUB SECRET SESSION – 14/10/2012

LIVE: NADA SURF – 14/10/2012

– ACADEMY 3, MANCHESTER – It’s a mostly 30+ crowd in for the opening night of Nada Surf’s European tour, but old habits die hard, and half the early birds are still sat splayed across the Academy 3’s tacky floor by time Ezra Furman makes an appearance. He stands alone at 45º to the mic with just […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – I’m standing at the back (or the back of the standing area, in front of the steps/seating area) but am drawn to the front when Leeds based FOSSIL COLLECTIVE begin by a strong urge to check out a rather intriguing bass instrument.  It looks, is played and also sounds […]

LIVE: FOSSIL COLLECTIVE – 13/10/2012