LIVE REVIEW – OMD, PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT, A CERTAIN RATIO: ROCHDALE TOWN HALL SQUARE – 07/08/2026

The sun is shinning on Rochdale (who has ever said those words with a straight face?) and people are gathered outside the town hall, pints in hand and various Madchester era clothes on their backs. Clint Boon (BOON ARMY!) has just finished getting the crowd amped up with a DJ set, and you feel as […]
Which band can claim to have had The Beastie Boys at their debut NYC gig, Madonna supporting them in the early 80s, and also labelled ‘that jazz band from Wythenshawe’? Welcome back, A Certain Ratio.  I used to listen to ACR on the long bus journey from Wythenshawe to Altrincham on my Walkman (yes I […]
A Certain Ratio Loco

ALBUM REVIEW: A CERTAIN RATIO – LOCO

LIVE: A CERTAIN RATIO – 24/05/2019

-YES, MANCHESTER- The whistles chirrup, as though there are unseen urban disco crickets stalking the dancefloor of the Pink Room at Yes, rubbing their legs in celebration at the home-coming of Manchester’s A Certain Ratio. Old ravers have oiled their joints well enough to groove at the front; even older Factory heads have their arms […]
One ratio is certain. ACR are 40 years old. And to celebrate, the band – via their latest record label Mute – have released ACR:BOX – an absolutely engorged collection of 50-odd B-sides, alternative takes, remixes and new recordings, overseen by ACR’s Martin Moscrop at Abbey Road studios. For real completists, there is also a […]

INTERVIEW: DONALD JOHNSON (A CERTAIN RATIO)