LIVE: THE LOVELY EGGS / HOTPANTS ROMANCE – 01/06/2009

– FUEL CAFE, MANCHESTER – Upstairs in this tiny venue, sees the opening night of a six day UK tour. In these six days there shall be no fewer than nine shows, which will include appearances in bars, charity shops and even one on a beach. As the three girls that make up Manchester’s very […]
– CLUB ACADEMY, MANCHESTER – At the tail end of last year, 130 of the UK’s leading music critics and broadcasters came together to compile the BBC’s Sound of 2009. The final list included many acts that you will have heard day after day over the airwaves, such as La Roux, White Lies and Lady […]

LIVE: LITTLE BOOTS – 13/05/2009

LIVE: THE NIGHTINGALES / TED CHIPPINGTON – 27/04/2009

– THE NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – I am betting there are not many occasions when the P.A. system at the Night and Day Café has had church organ music piped through it. But tonight this is the case, as Reverend Ted Chippington graces the stage with his presence. It is almost three decades […]
– THE NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – Slightly later than originally advertised (seven weeks and one day to be precise), the boys from Devon finally make it to Manchester on their 13-date UK headlining tour. Fresh from completing 25 shows with Scouting For Girls and releasing a single on Atlantic Records back in January of this year, […]

LIVE: THE DAYS – 21/04/2009

ALBUM: Eamon McGrath – 13 Songs of Whiskey and Light

As Eamon slurs through smoke-shredded throat, “Well I got myself a drinking problem now, but I blame it on the town,” during the jagged and shadowy ‘Desperation, Alberta’, you’ll get butterflies and register that this album is superb. This Canadian fella has only just hit his twenties, that’s the scary thing. He sounds like he has […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – Tonight is one of those nights when there are two gigs on at two different venues that you don’t want to miss. Fortunately for me, the first band I wanted to see is due to play at eight fifteen and the second at nine thirty. So I am glad […]

LIVE: THE LEISURE SOCIETY – 10/04/2009

LIVE: KID CARPET – 02/04/2009

– JABEZ CLEGG, MANCHESTER – Looking around the upstairs room at tonight’s venue, I am sad to say, the numbers are very low. I find this all the more shocking, as I have had the joy of seeing Kid Carpet on two other previous occasions, both of which were packed out. The first two bands […]
– ISLINGTON MILL, SALFORD – After a windswept mass bike ride around the city centre, it is a short detour at the end of the route to converge at Islington Mill in Salford for the “I Bike MCR 2009 Festival” grand opening party. As well as live music in the downstairs room of this former […]

LIVE: I BIKE MCR OPENING PARTY – 27/03/2009

LIVE: CLASH MAGAZINE PRESENTS – 10/03/2009

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – Clash Magazine prove their worth tonight with a line-up of three acts they are backing to go on to bigger things in the near future. First up on tonight’s rolling headline tour at the Lost & Found clubnight, are the Norwegian analogue masters Casiokids with their deep electronic dance […]
– THE ROADHOUSE, MANCHESTER – With only 10 minutes to go before Underground Railroad take to the stage, there are possibly no more than 20 people populating The Roadhouse. Which is unfortunate, not necessarily for the Parisian trio that are providing the support tonight, but mainly for anyone that missed out on this chance to see […]

LIVE: FIGHT LIKE APES/UNDERGROUND RAILROAD – 01/03/2009