LIVE: KESTON COBBLERS’ CLUB – 10/02/2014

– DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER –  Coming out onto stage to open with ‘For, Words’ tonights headliners Keston Cobblers’ Club have attracted a crowd with a good mix of ages, though since this is the Deaf Institute the lower limit is of course 18. The opening song gets the performance off to a good start and […]
– DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – I’ve been listening to Fanfarlo since their debut album in 2009, so this gig has definitely been a long time coming. The indie/alternative electro-pop band are based in London and was formed by Swedish musician, Simon Balthazar. Throughout the years, Fanfarlo has racked up an impressive discography of three studio […]

LIVE: FANFARLO – 09/02/2014

LIVE: MODERAT – 07/02/2014

– ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – Moderat made one of my favourite albums of last year, the delightful II which also contained what could be my favourite song of last year too, the beautiful ‘Gita’. So to say I’m pretty, pretty excited about this late night gig presented by the Warehouse Project guys at the recently re-opened stunning […]
– DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – It is typically busy upstairs at The Deaf Institute and with good reason; Forest Swords, aka Matthew Barnes, is in town for a rare headline show. Fresh from supporting Mogwai in Europe, there is a sense of anticipation in the room long before a note is played.  Fortunately, punters don’t […]

LIVE: FOREST SWORDS – 08/02/2014

LIVE: MODERAT – 07/02/2014

– ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – Another great electronic night organised by the lads of The Warehouse Project hosting Moderat, one of the biggest names from the last few years in the European dance movement. WHP may not need much presentation, but they have now been programming shows like this one since 2006 when they started […]
– NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – My arrival at Night and Day cafe on a rainy Thursday night coincides with that of a group of lads, all clearly in good spirits, bearing guitars & snare drums wrapped in plastic bags to keep out of the rain.  Their good mood and familiar greetings to friends […]

LIVE: SEX HANDS / THOSE ROTTEN THIEVES / MISTOA POLTSA / FRUIT TONES – 06/02/2014

LIVE: LITTLE COMETS – 05/02/2014

– CLUB ACADEMY, MANCHESTER – Club Academy is the underground venue in the Manchester University Student Union. It is a venue with a huge amount of seating space at the back and it is sold out this evening for Little Comets. Unfortunately for tonight’s support act Catfish & The Bottlemen, the space at the back […]
– THE BRIDGEWATER HALL, MANCHESTER – It seems to be another rainy night in Manchester, but with a small difference: Mogwai are in town, and for an instrumental music lover like me, it is a MUST to go and see them. The ‘plan’ is organised at the marvellous Bridgewater Hall, home of many classic instrumentalists […]

LIVE: MOGWAI – 27/01/2014

Album Review: Breton – War Room Stories

At the moment, the DIY ethic that is so essential for exciting new bands is as abundant in the underground music scene as it ever was. With the likes of Manchester band PINS and Leeds groups Menace Beach and Department M – amongst others – all creating their own merchandise, cultivating their own distinct image […]
– FALLOW CAFE, MANCHESTER – Fallow Cafe is the venue for this evening’s gig headlined by Sheffield duo Algiers. This is my first visit to the venue, opened after the people behind the The Ruby Lounge took over and rebranded what was the original Trof site in Fallowfield. I arrived to learn technical difficulties would […]

LIVE: ALGIERS – 31/01/2014