LIVE: THE HOTELIER – 10/05/2016

– SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER – Let’s begin with an undeniable truth that will set the tone for this review: The Hotelier are fucking awesome. Don’t let the ‘emo’ tag they get tarred with put you off, they are so much more than that. The label comes from their incredible second album Home Like Noplace There […]
– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER – “You Fat Bastard!” Bad Manners’ war-cry will be constantly chorused all the gig long, both by the crowd and the larger-than-life, charismatic frontman Buster Bloodvessel. After struggling a little bit so as to get in the venue, by the time I’m in, support band Max Splodge is filling the thick […]

LIVE: BAD MANNERS – 07/05/2016

LIVE: FALSE ADVERTISING / ILSER – 06/05/2016

– AATMA, MANCHESTER – In the hidden attic of a side alley in the Northern Quarter, roughly a hundred people are assembled on this Friday night for something fairly special. There may be no marquee outside with a band’s name in neon letters – hell, there isn’t even a sign outside saying the name of […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – It seems disingenuous to mention the former band of someone who has re-emerged anew but WU LYF were an act of such influence they simply cannot be ignored. Ellery Roberts, now part of the duo LUH (Lost Under Heaven) formed with his partner Ebony Hoorn, was once the frontman […]

LIVE: LUH – 06/05/2016

LIVE: SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER CITY – 01/05/2016

– VARIOUS VENUES, SALFORD – Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC) is in it’s twelfth glorious year now. Every May bank holiday, Chapel Street and the surrounding area is turned into a wonder of new music and arts performances, with everyone from the pubs and local community centres to the Cathedral (for the first time […]
– SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER – This Will Destroy You are a post rock band (although they don’t like to be referred to as a ‘post rock’ band, instead favouring ‘doom metal and shoegaze’, which suits them pretty well to be fair) from Texas who pretty much do one thing and one thing only: play quietly […]

LIVE: THIS WILL DESTROY YOU – 30/04/2016

LIVE: CHRIS CORNELL / FANTASTIC NEGRITO – 27/04/2016

– THE BRIDGEWATER HALL, MANCHESTER – As introductions go, telling the crowd to “Take the bullshit, turn it in to good shit (then roll it up and smoke it)” is a pretty good start. Coincidentally, tonight’s opening act, Fantastic Negrito is also a pretty good start. Musically, Fantastic Negrito seems to blend gospel and blues […]
 – NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – I have always been drawn to Get Cape. Wear Cape, Fly and thought it was a great name for a musician, but I have never seen Sam Duckworth live before tonight. After putting an end to the Get Cape. Wear Cape, Fly project in 2014, Sam Duckworth has […]

LIVE: RECREATIONS – 25/04/2016

LIVE: LAURA GIBSON – 25/04/2016

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – “Now I’m lost in the belly of a cold museum /staring on the beaks on the bird-face men / Now you’re sitting in the kitchen with someone else /stacking up peels of a clementine.” The closing line of set opener ‘Damn Sure’ sets a tone for the evening. An expedition […]
– MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, MANCHESTER – The stained glass breaks sundown into a deep palette of colour on the stone floor of Manchester’s Cathedral. Soon enough the evening light disappears, and all that’s left to illuminate the space is a collection of neon indigos and deep mauves – dancing with the grandeur. Two figures step onto […]

LIVE: MARK LANEGAN – 19/04/2016