LIVE: STRANGE CAGES / WORKING MEN’S CLUB – 29/03/2019

-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- A nice little two band line up has been comprised by Interior for a sold out show at The Castle tonight of two acts that have been attracting ever more attention. Opening we have Working Men’s Club, a quintet from Todmorden whose name is an ode to the only form of […]
-THE STOLLER HALL, MANCHESTER- Tonight is my first trip to the Stoller Hall, which only opened in 2017 and is situated sort of in the inside corner of the L-shape formed by Victoria Station and the Manchester Arena. The building is part of Chetham’s School of Music, and what a delightful place it is for […]

LIVE: OLIVIA CHANEY – 26/03/2019

LIVE: DYLAN CARLSON / THOMAS RAGSDALE – 23/03/2019

-SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER- Thomas Ragsdale Acting as a sort of appetiser, ambient/electronic/man’o’synth Thomas Ragsdale performs a set that initially seems of interest… yet rather shortly hereafter my interest sinks deep into the metaphorical puddle of ennui. Akin to countless ambient exhibitions that I personally like (Tangerine Dream’s Rubycon etc), it is a continuously flowing piece; […]
-YES (THE BASEMENT), MANCHESTER- I was slightly disparaging about aspects of YES on account of my visit to it on its opening weekend but it’s clear that the rest of Manchester stand in firm disagreement. Walking in to the sound of Joy Division this Saturday night it’s clear that it has managed to sustain the […]

LIVE: HOLIDAY GHOSTS / FRUIT TONES – 23/03/2019

ALBUM REVIEW: SLEEPER – MODERN AGE

Listening to the new album it is clear Pixes are one of their main influences. The opening track Paradise Waiting has a very much late 80’s/early 90’s sound to it, with a youthful almost cliché’ chorus. It opens the album like a band starting in late teens would trying to break onto the scene. Yet […]
Here at Silent Radio, we don’t set store by stars or marks out of ten, but I would be surprised if Oozing Wound’s High Anxiety doesn’t turn out to be my “album of 2019”. I even love the front cover artwork and that hasn’t happened since 10,000 Days. I am going through some difficult times […]

ALBUM REVIEW: OOZING WOUND – HIGH ANXIETY

LIVE: SHARON VAN ETTEN – 22/03/2019

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- There’s a chance I’ve seen Sharon Van Etten play live once before. It’s 2014 and I’m in idyllic Wales. It’s the second day of Green Man and I’m riding high on that festival wave of ‘I haven’t showered in longer than is socially acceptable but my hair still looks quite good so […]
-DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER- The Empty Page A late start (I hear an act pulled out?) affords me enough time to eat a quantity of waffles (potato) before venturing into the vaguely kitsch dwelling we all know as the Deaf Institute. Up first comes a 3-piece heavily rooted in 1990s ‘alternative’ rock, though sadly it doesn’t […]

LIVE: DESPERATE JOURNALIST – 15/03/2019

LIVE: RUTH THEODORE – 16/03/2019

-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- Supporting act Cupids Arrow deliver quite an eclectic mix for a cello duo. From the upbeat heights of the Tetris theme tune to haunting ravines of Hungarian folk. They are strong and interesting to watch. The set finishes with a great cover of Elbow’s ‘Grounds For Divorce’, one they say they […]
-NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER- I first met Matt Burr, the lead singer of The Black Delta Movement, nine years ago, just before he started the band. His original group, The 303’s, I had played with back in Hull, and from that day I always got a good vibe from Matt; he was always happy […]

LIVE: THE BLACK DELTA MOVEMENT – 15/03/2019