LIVE: KARIMA FRANCIS – 24/03/2010

– BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER – It is clear that I am not a regular to the newly refurbished Band On the Wall, when I turn up at the Frog and Bucket, to claim my place on the guest list, which, I insist exists, despite clearly being at the wrong venue. It is only […]
Many country bumpkins who have now moved to the city will be familiar with the feeling of one’s first loan stroll about the city.  In a town everyone tends to know each others business but in a city you will rarely find people in the street who have the time for you or your story.  […]

SINGLE: The Miserable Rich – Somerhill

SINGLE: fun. – Walking The Dog/Be Calm

If people throw food at each other for fun, Fun throw genres, styles and influences at each other just for kicks, and because they can. These guys are massively playful and extremely talented. Walking The Dog is a joyful combination of Vampire Weekend, The Beach Boys and Wheezer. However (and it’s a big one), Fun […]
– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER – Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip bring together two things I fell out of love with a long time ago, hip hop and poetry. Actually half of that is a lie; I never did in fact fall in love with poetry. It would be fair to say that growing up […]

LIVE: DAN LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP – 22/03/2010

LIVE: THE ALBUM LEAF – 22/03/2010

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – After seeing the wonderful Dennis Jones on Saturday, I’m geared up for some more eclecticism from The Album Leaf. To my ire, I have to wait outside, as (according to the bouncer) doors have been delayed half an hour because the band are ‘just dicking about with their gear […]
– MOHO LIVE, MANCHESTER – When I saw that tonight’s gig is to be a 16+ affair and that the doors were to open at 6.30pm, I had the usual momentary thought of “am I gonna be the oldest person in the room?” Fortunately this never lingers long enough for me to actually care. On […]

LIVE: NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB – 20/03/2010

LIVE: WHY? – 19/03/2010

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – A sudden downpour has kicked up the potassium in the soil and put a late dampener on a real hibernation-buster of a spring day. Meanwhile, the unexpectedly drenched indie-rock denizens of Manchester are standing agape at Josiah Wolf, drummer of tonight’s headliners and solo artist in his own right, […]
– THE NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – Nine Black Alps have lined up two support acts to accompany them for their gig at Night and Day, Former Bullies and The Witches, both of whom have a similar grungey/rocky style to their own. Former Bullies are first up, and they don’t do a lot wrong. […]

LIVE: NINE BLACK ALPS – 19/03/2010

ALBUM: North Atlantic Oscillation – Grappling Hooks

North Atlantic Oscillation, sounds like the technical name for a cyclonic Inuit dance doesn’t it, when in fact it’s a climactic phenomenon that controls the strength and direction of westerly winds and storm tracks across the North Atlantic. In this case it’s also the name of a fascinating, experimental rock band from Scotland – not known […]
Where Goldfrapp’s fourth album, “Seventh Tree”, marked a refreshing departure into ambient, acoustic territory, their fifth, Head First, finds the band travelling back in time to the 1980’s. This is no better exemplified than by “I Wanna Life”, forgettable synth pop cheese whose influences one could attribute to any of a number of low-rent 80s […]

ALBUM: Goldfrapp – Head First