LIVE: FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS – 26/02/2016

 – MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL – “You must be crazy coming to see the Fun Lovin’ Criminals in a church on a Friday night, but that’s what I like about you,” the charismatic Huey Morgan says to the massed ranks of his congregation. Crazy or not, there is no hotter ticket in town tonight – the touts […]
– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – ‘Hello Manchester, we’re Blossoms from Stockport.’ A swelling of lights, then smoke fills the bosom of The Albert Hall. From the balcony, straps that hold the bulge of the room, I scream back ‘SK2’.  This is postcode code.  We can locate Blossoms more precisely than Stockport.  These blossoms sprouted […]

LIVE: BLOSSOMS – 27/02/2016

LIVE: RICHARD HAWLEY – 24/02/2016

– THE APOLLO, MANCHESTER – It’s only a short trip from from Sheffield to Manchester, but a gig anywhere here always feels like a home-from-home for Hawley. It was a quick return to the city for Hawley who played his “beloved Manchester” back in November. It was a set that borrowed heavily from his last […]
– ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – The chances of being bored at a Savages gig are small, but when we arrive at the Albert Hall and situate ourselves in the upper echelons we’d be forgiven for thinking we’re at a Daniel O’Donnell concert. Shining out through the gloom are lots of little lights with people staring […]

LIVE: SAVAGES – 22/02/2016

LIVE: CAGE THE ELEPHANT – 20/02/2016

 – THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – Bone rattling bass lines and spine tingling guitar riffs echo throughout the heart of The Ritz and threaten to burst the eardrums of anyone within a five-mile radius. In an explosion of rock and roll chaos, the whole night proves to be one giant tailspin towards a mind blowing finale. […]
 – THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Warming up the crowd tonight are two four pieces called Beach Baby and FEWS. For me, both sets are very similar but nevertheless great openers for those kings of spring. A driving rhythm section paired with swirling yet aggressive guitar playing from Beach Baby is enthralling to say the […]

LIVE: SPRING KING – 19/02/2016

LIVE: MYSTERY JETS – 19/02/2016

 – GORILLA, MANCHESTER – An array of blinding technicolour lights fill the shadows of the grimy tunnel that is Gorilla. A Friday night in Manchester consisting of sweat, beer and live music – there’s not much more you could ask for. The back drop of the stage donning Mystery Jets’ latest album cover, Curve Of […]
 – THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – White Denim’s vocalist/guitarist James Petralli and bassist Steve Terebecki have recently posited “loud, fast-playing, rock and  roll” as their motivation to get back on the road and into the studio, having recently shed their original rhythm section.  I’ve wanted to see them live since catching their appearance on “Later” […]

LIVE: WHITE DENIM – 15/02/2016

LIVE: SUNFLOWER BEAN – 16/02/2016

 – SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – “Keep the music going for a second?” asks Julia Cumming of the sound man, as the rest of the Brooklyn hailing trio, seemingly consisting of a young Frank Zappa and Bob Dylan circa 1967, race to the stage of Manchester’s Soup Kitchen to perform an impromptu half-cover of Parquet Courts’ […]
– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – The Melbourne-based band share this moment with us at Gorilla, starting off the night with a rapturous applause from the crowd. From the get-go, it’s a complete sensory overload and as all seven members of the band pick up their instruments, within seconds we are treated to ‘Robot Stop’, a new track that weaves […]

LIVE: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD – 15/02/2016