– The White Hotel, Manchester – The White Hotel’s very foundations are shaking. The metal shutter behind me is practically part of the show, vibrating and reverberating as doomy Australian post rockers Divide and Dissolve (D&D) absolutely destroy all notions of noise that I’ve ever experienced, taking the concept of ‘you can actually feel the […]
– New Century Hall, Manchester – Turns out black midi are still one of the funnest live bands around then, which is great news. It’s almost a year to the day since I last saw them perform their thrilling show at the Ritz, prior to the release of their fantastic album Hellfire from earlier this […]
– Albert Hall, Manchester – Since her breakthrough debut album in 2015, Courtney Barnett has won the hearts of a diverse fan base. From parents with their 20-something kids to rowdy friend groups and the LGBTQI+ community, tonight’s crowd represents how strongly her music appeals to our experiences, rather than our backgrounds alone. With her […]
It has been a tumultuous time for Héloïse Letissier since the release of 2018’s ‘Chris’. April 2019 brought the sudden death of his mother while Christine and the Queens were performing at the Coachella festival. In addition to handling the grief of that momentous personal loss has come the subsequent liberation of announcing that he […]
– The Ritz, Manchester – ‘Near, far, wherever you are…’, emotional words belted out by a packed crowd as Julia Jacklin takes to the stage at the Ritz, Celine Dion’s immortal Titanic theme blaring unexpectedly from the PA. It’s a fitting opening to what becomes a quietly epic Sunday night out at the Ritz in […]
You never quite know what to expect from a Bob Dylan gig, guitar, piano, both, which of the old tunes will make a comeback into the set? As we take our seats awaiting the arrival on stage of a bona fide musical legend, the upright piano placed facing the audience centre stage is a bit […]
Any review of Personal Trainer ought to address the Stephen Malkmus-shaped elephant in the room. In his previous band, Canshaker Pi, Willem Smit, the group’s conductor and cheerleader, recorded with Malkmus and there is a distinct air of Pavement’s swallowed a thesaurus and must select the most phonetically pleasing words approach to Smit’s lyrics. ‘Big […]
– The White Hotel, Manchester – New Orleans industrial disco punks Special Interest specialise in the intense, pushing their sound, political lyrics, and performances to the extreme in the grand tradition of punk bands. Singer Alli Logout leads the ensemble, their frequently angry, incendiary callout lyrics dealing in really showing you how shit the world […]
The London jazz scene has been incredibly vibrant in recent years with thrilling albums by the likes of Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia and Sons of Kemet. Ezra Collective can now take a prime place in that list with their second album, ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’. A glance at the titles gives a coherent sense […]
– Yes, Manchester – Will Westerman’s only album of his short career so far Your Hero Is Not Dead, came out at that oddest of moments, June 2020. Cast your mind way back to that time two and a half years ago, and you’ll probably have memories of cautiously, but giddily, emerging from your home […]
GIG GUIDE
Our gig guide is handpicked and every act has been listened to before making it onto the list.
See this month's guide
ALBUM REVIEW - MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY: IN MY MIND, THERE'S A PHOTOGRAPH
LIVE REVIEW - FRIENDSHIP + WYATT: YES PINK ROOM - 09/05/2026
ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 22 MAY 2026
ALBUM REVIEW - CQ WRESTLING: RESISTANCE
ALBUM REVIEW - TRACY BRYANT: THE WELL
INTERVIEW - THE HOOSIERS
EP REVIEW : BLEECH 9:3 - BLEECH 9:3
ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 15 MAY 2026
ALBUM REVIEW - RADHIKA: CINE-POP
ALBUM REVIEW - MY PRECIOUS BUNNY: A MOMENT IN MY EYES
