LIVE: MARGO PRICE – 30/08/2016

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Margo Price was born into a life on a corn-and-soybean farm in Buffalo Prairie, a place name so Northern American that it almost must be fictional, as if Price is a character in a movie about an up-and-coming rockabilly star. Her life-so-far story truly has taken on cinema-worthy credentials from her […]
Undoubtedly, Alice Glass was integral to Crystal Castles’ foundation and rise. Her visceral, secretly-recorded vocals on glitchy debut single ‘Alice Practice’ saw record deals come pouring in, and she made a mesmerising front woman, as unrestrained live as she was difficult and impenetrable in interview. But when she announced her departure in October 2014 and […]

Album Review: Crystal Castles – Amnesty (I)

LIVE: THEE MIGHTEES / THE BELLYBUTTONS – 27/08/2016

– BIG HANDS, MANCHESTER – When you finally get to see two bands you’ve been listening to for months, it’s hard not to be somewhat starstruck when the frontmen are running the door and queuing next to you at the bar respectively. Big Hands takes the small venue dynamic to another level, with no noticeable […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Kiran Leonard is Greater Manchester born and bred, but he is far removed from the brit-pop indie stereotype that many Mancunian musicians have followed. Perhaps it’s because he was too young to have grown up engulfed by the likes of The Stone Roses and Oasis, his style is nothing […]

LIVE: KIRAN LEONARD – 25/08/2016

LIVE: JULIANNA BARWICK – 23/08/2016

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – The Deaf Institute is a more sophisticated place than normal tonight. Decked with four rows of chairs and soundtracked by some choice ambient music between acts, the chatter rarely raises beyond a murmur. There’s certainly no crowd noise during opening act Tiny Leaves. The project of composer Joel Nathaniel […]
– MANCHESTER ARENA, MANCHESTER – Before I venture to the Manchester Arena I stop off at my favourite pub on Oldham Street, Gulliver’s. I cannot be arsed paying a tenner for a couple of Fosters when I get to the venue, the worst fucking lager going. With a lovely San Miguel sat off in my belly, […]

LIVE: MORRISSEY – 20/08/2016

LIVE: MIRACLE LEGION – 18/08/2016

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Connecticut’s Miracle Legion became a fixture on the campus radio stations run by college and university students in North America during the 1980s. Since my teens in Manchester I’ve been retrospectively in love with their contemporaries from the ‘college rock’ days, bands like R.E.M., Hüsker Dü, The Replacements and […]
Rhode Island’s Arc Iris released their self-titled debut album way back in 2014 and have been on the rise ever since. Building a fan base through supporting artists such as St. Vincent on tour and working with producer David Wrench (who has worked with big names such as FKA Twigs and Jamie xx) isn’t doing […]

ALBUM REVIEW: ARC IRIS – MOON SALOON

ALBUM REVIEW: EXPLODED VIEW – EXPLODED VIEW

Halfway through listening to debut single ‘No More Parties In The Attic’ a few months back, it was apparent Exploded View were about to become my new favourite band. UK-born Anika’s deep and languid vocal style is mesmerising, over infectious, groovy baselines and trance-inducing beats. Their sound conjures images of the ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ late 60’s New York art/music […]
– MONO, MANCHESTER – Having had what seems like daily band practices in a friends cellar over the last 3 weeks, I arrive at Mono wondering how I’ll react hearing some music played in a space where you don’t feel like you’re constantly obscuring someone’s view no matter where you stand. However I soon realise […]

LIVE: EXPERT ALTERATIONS  – 27/07/2016