LIVE: LOUIS BERRY – 22/01/2016

 – THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER – This naughty boy from another planet (although it is said he comes from Kirkby, Liverpool) causes a real mess here at The Castle Hotel. Judging by his appearance, it seems he has never hurt a fly, but his look inevitably betrays him. “Yes, it was me and I’d do […]
– MANCHESTER ARENA, MANCHESTER – There’s a sense of nostalgia is the air tonight as fans pour into the Manchester Arena. For many, The Libertines meant a sense of freedom in their most influential years – the teens. They gave us drug and alcohol fuelled rock anthems with lyrics that were catchy, and better sung slurred […]

LIVE: THE LIBERTINES – 23/01/2016

LIVE: DAUGHTER – 21/01/2016

– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – No matter what genres of music you like to think you are generally affiliated to, some bands are just so good at what they do, it’s impossible to ignore them. I admit that the world of Indie folk isn’t something that I’ve been delving into of late, so I […]
 – THE STAR & GARTER, MANCHESTER –  My new favourite band, sorry Fat White Family, you’re gonna have to share a room! Looking like Angus Young was an only child, frontman James Alex, not to be confused with Brit pop cheese maker of similar name, rallies the ranks with: “Hey we’re Beach Slang from Philadelphia […]

LIVE: BEACH SLANG – 21/01/2016

Album Review: Tindersticks – The Waiting Room

Tindersticks has been a reassuring presence on the British music scene for over two decades, exploring the landscape of human emotions in their own unique classically restrained chamber-pop style. The band led by the sophisticated rich baritone of Stuart Staples, now has a settled line-up after a number of personnel changes following the dissolution of the […]
 – THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – The Maccabees are an all too rare band in this world of chew-them-up-spit-them-out hype blogs; a band who have been allowed to breathe and develop over a number of years and four good to brilliant albums. I dare say such a band wouldn’t be able to exist if they […]

LIVE: THE MACCABEES – 18/01/2016

LIVE: SLAVES / SPRING KING / WONK UNIT – 15/01/2016

– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – After a huge year, Slaves return to The Ritz once again and play a stellar show to an enthusiastic Mancunian crowd. With help from cockney punk good guys Wonk Unit and the up and coming Spring King, tonight is set to be a memorable evening of great music in a […]
– THE EAGLE INN, SALFORD – Due to late arrival at the Eagle Inn tonight, Kiran Leonard and band have to set up and soundcheck in front of a sold out and expectant room, and it’s both telling and enlightening to see how this unfolds. The standard soundcheck process tonight is both familiar and yet […]

LIVE: KIRAN LEONARD – 13/01/2016

LIVE: HENRY ROLLINS: CHARMINGLY OBSTINATE TOUR – 12/01/2016

– THE BRIDGEWATER HALL, MANCHESTER – Judging by the merchandise for sale at the desk in the concourse outside The Bridgewater Hall’s auditorium tonight, Henry Rollins continues to live by the ‘Search and Destroy’ philosophy that adorns the T-shirts and hoodies. No doubt inspired in part by the song by The Stooges, for Rollins the […]
December is a time of year when long-standing traditions are celebrated. A less heralded one, but a ritual that should be, is the annual release from Beans on Toast. The seventh album, Rolling Up the Hill, has continued the pattern of the first day of the month seeing a new album emerge. The significance of […]

Album Review: Beans on Toast – Rolling up the Hill