LIVE: FRANK TURNER – 25/01/2019

-THE HAT WORKS, STOCKPORT- It’s Friday dinner time in Stockport and I’m stood in Hat Works, the UK’s only museum dedicated to the hatting industry. I have a can of diet coke in my hand and a massive grin on my face. I look around and there are about sixty other people here, mostly clutching […]
-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- For the first time ever when walking into Gorilla, I head straight upstairs to watch a gig with the risk of getting a elbow to the face in a mosh pit. Catching the majority of the opening band’s set, I wasn’t getting the feeling that I was ready to watch Uncle Acid and […]

LIVE: UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS / BLOOD CEREMONY – 22/01/2019

LIVE: YOUNG FATHERS – 23/01/2019

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- When the Mercury Prize rolled around in 2014, few had anticipated Young Fathers to walk away with the £25k. However, their artful coalition of hip-hop, art-pop and whatever else they fancy have garnered them a sizeable following, enough to suitably pack the beautiful Manchester Albert Hall. The group’s live keyboardist Callum Easter […]
-DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER- Slothrust, pronounced sloth-rust (a fact that, embarrassingly, I only find out tonight, even with the band being four albums deep) arrive on stage to an eager crowd at Deaf Institute. Their name is not the only aspect that has eluded being pinned down correctly, their sound can also be hard to articulate […]

LIVE: SLOTHRUST – 23/01/2019

LIVE: WARM DRAG / FRUIT TONES / SLOWHANDCLAP / WOMAN YOU STOLE – 22/01/2019

-NIGHT PEOPLE, MANCHESTER- Woman You Stole Curiously we start with the strongest (my opinion, don’t axe me) of the support acts, a local 3 piece that is dominated by overpowering (Ship of the Line about to commence firing vibe) drums and a robust lead vocal (a soaring, Siouxsie Sioux-esque quality) that binds tastefully with a […]
A friend of mine works at the BBC and from time to time, she has to review historic children’s TV shows before they are re-released, just to check for inappropriate storylines, jokes, politically incorrect content and sinister special guest appearances by those on the wrong side of Operation Yewtree. I couldn’t help but think of […]

ALBUM: THE RESIDENTS – ESKIMO / COMMERCIAL ALBUM

SINGLE REVIEW: WILD NOTHING – BLUE WINGS

Striking whilst the iron’s still hot, Wild Nothing return with an even more mature take on the 80s alt-pop sound which has inspired their past album releases such as ‘Nocturne’ (2012) and ‘Indigo’ (2018). The latter was an immense journey into hi-fi, a glittery sonic gloss rich with soaring guitars and killer snare hits to […]
In 2001 long before we were waking up checking our smart phones every morning to see who cares about what we did last night. Brandon Flowers, The Killers frontman, was grooving in the Hard Rock Café in down town Las Vegas to the band Oasis. Here he realised the calling for a new sound leading […]

ALBUM: KEUNING – PRISIMISM

LIVE: ADRIANNE LENKER – 17/01/2019

-YES, MANCHESTER- It’s officially the coldest night of winter so far, there are ice rinks on the pavements and the big coats are out. I’m in a borrowed coat and gloves due to a personal admin error (thanks Sam), yet in the Pink Room at Yes (are all gigs in Manchester at Yes these days?!), […]
-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- Saintts: The evening opens with what sounds like a badly-maintained theme park ride (a selection of cymbals precariously strapped on in addition) acting as the beat, while its more subdued rhythm partner watches on in despair as the guitar repeatedly bashes their circuitry into increasingly questionable territory. And of course, the […]

LIVE: THE GOA EXPRESS / GARDENBACK / SAINTTS – 12/01/2019