LIVE: THE RAINCOATS – 15/11/2019

-THE WHITE HOTEL, SALFORD- With the White Hotel largely full to capacity, it appears appropriate the Raincoats would perform their debut LP in its entirety 10 years after its 30th anniversary. If I abided by convention, I would proceed to ramble on about their supposed importance and point out the vague connections they have to […]
-RITZ, MANCHESTER- Dear Reader, this is going to be one of those reviews where I say how great someone has been before declaring ‘I don’t understand why they’re not a massive pop star’, because that is exactly, one hundred percent what I have witnessed tonight. Shura (real name Alexandra Lilah Denton), has electro-pop bangerz and […]

LIVE: SHURA – 18/11/2019

LIVE: DEERHUNTER – 06/11/2019

-RITZ, MANCHESTER- Walking into the Ritz on this bitterly cold Wednesday night, I could not help but feel a rather morbid atmosphere, no one looked like they had paid twenty-five pounds a ticket to be stood there. The weird yet at points interesting collaboration between front man Bradford Cox and support act Cate le Bon, […]
-VARIOUS VENUES, MANCHESTER- ‘New Music Festival and Conference’ Off The Record is returning to Manchester for its fourth edition this Friday. It’s a one day event (apart from the networking drinks on Thursday), taking place over different venues across the Northern Quarter, such as Jimmy’s, Night and Day Café and Soup Kitchen. During the day, […]

LIVE: OFF THE RECORD FESTIVAL 2019

LIVE: EZRA FURMAN – 12/11/2019

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- Ezra Furman played the Albert Hall on 12th November and I can confirm myself that it was an excellent show that was well worth watching. The American frontman helped to play a bunch of recognisable songs from his numerous albums over the last few years. The disabled facilities must be praised at […]
-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- Having witnessed Dylan Carlson as a solo act earlier in the year, observing the limitations he had in many respects (one man – one guitar), I had great anticipation for the Drone-Master-General’s return, this time with both a band at his disposal and material that would hopefully be the best in his present […]

LIVE: EARTH – 11/11/2019

LIVE: METRONOMY – 09/11/2019

-ACADEMY, MANCHESTER- Devonshire’s Metronomy have released a whopping six albums. One steady string running throughout is their eccentric, envelope-pushing electric pop. What has changed however is their relationship with music. Their latest release, Metronomy Forever, has hints of the previous decades, the colossal 17 tracker adding whole song instrumentals for good measure. Metronomy’s recent blurring of identity […]
Originally released in the late 1980s, ‘The Early EPs’ include ‘Freaky Dancin’ and ‘The Egg’- both released from the Factory/London Records vault. In 2019, the songs may no longer be relevant in popular culture but the tracks are re-introduced to a new generation of people. Also with their ‘Greatest Hits’ tour happening as we speak, […]

ALBUM REVIEW: HAPPY MONDAYS -THE EARLY EPS

LIVE: OMD – 01/11/2019

– The Apollo, Manchester – There’s a giddy atmosphere from the moment you step into the Apollo tonight, a sense that there’s a party about to unfold, but OMD celebrating forty years of being a band is much more than just a nostalgia trip. Make no mistake, this is a band that are still capable […]
– The Dancehouse Theatre, Manchester – Meeting my friend for pre gig pizzas and drinks, thinking we had plenty of time for a natter, our pizzas have to be hastily chomped down upon reading an intriguing message about the gig – ‘the band were on early, no support due to the massive light show’. A […]

LIVE REVIEW: MOON DUO – 29/10/2019