LIVE: BELLE AND SEBASTIAN – 03/07/2019

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- Belle and Sebastian have always had a devoted, loyal fanbase and they’ve turned up in their droves tonight. It’s so packed and steamy in the Albert Hall, we overhear people next to us mention that some fans can’t even get into the room, and are almost on the stairs outside, luckily we […]

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- In front of a sold out Albert Hall crowd, Oh Sees main man and Castle Face Records label boss John Dwyer takes to the stage, to a huge cheer, but hang on a minute, he’s just setting up the equipment – himself. That’s just one of the million reasons to love this […]

LIVE: OH SEES – 18/05/2019

LIVE: THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN – 16/04/2019

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- Best known as leader of Britpop heroes Blur and virtual pop superstars Gorillaz, Damon Albarn has never been one to stick to one project and for that has become the most forward thinking and prolific artist of his generation. The Good, The Bad & The Queen is a project he launched back […]

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- “The ones that sound like you’re on holiday? I’d have gone to see them!” My mum is 63-years-old. She loves The Beatles and Motown and Take That. She also, it turns out, has been as charmed by Beirut’s swaying melodies as I have and packaged that appreciation up in a turn of […]

LIVE: BEIRUT – 10/04/2019

LIVE: IDLES – 03/04/2019

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- What a rise it has been for Idles. Just 28 months ago, they joined us in the studio for the Silent Radio radio show, with just a two-year-old EP to their name, and an advance single named ‘Well Done’ that was just beginning to get some tentative national airplay. That day, they […]

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- There’s a chance I’ve seen Sharon Van Etten play live once before. It’s 2014 and I’m in idyllic Wales. It’s the second day of Green Man and I’m riding high on that festival wave of ‘I haven’t showered in longer than is socially acceptable but my hair still looks quite good so […]

LIVE: SHARON VAN ETTEN – 22/03/2019

LIVE: WHITE DENIM – 15/02/2019

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- Walking into the Albert Hall I have always felt mixed levels of excitement. I’ve seen David Gray there at an all seated event, feeling like the youngest person in there, and then King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard in the middle of summer, probably the sweatiest gig I’ve ever attended. So, as […]

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- Neneh Cherry is the absolute boss. Here she is on stage at the Albert Hall, absolutely killing it in support of her recent Four Tet and 3D (of Massive Attack fame) produced album Broken Politics, an album that has rocketed her to the kind of critical acclaim that came with her seminal […]

LIVE: NENEH CHERRY – 13/02/2019

LIVE: THE DANDY WARHOLS / JUNIORE – 31/01/2019

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- Tonight’s a rather special night and the Albert Hall is dressed up for the occasion. It’s been 25 years since Portland’s indie rockers The Dandy Warhols burst on to the stage and to celebrate they have embarked on an epic tour and released a new album, Why You So Crazy? Opening proceedings […]

-ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER- Ben Gibbard is modest with his ‘between-song’ banter tonight, but at one point the Death Cab frontman tells Manchester that this is their favourite city to play, adding that if that sounds like it’s made up, in this case it really isn’t. I believe him. I would believe him if he told […]