LIVE: JULIA HOLTER – 06/12/2018

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- Julia Holter is incredible. The LA-based musician is just 33 years of age, and she released her fifth (5th!) astonishing album Aviary to much acclaim last month, a 90 minute magnum opus that dazzles with its range of styles from atonal experimental noise to some of the best pop songs she’s composed so […]

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- The Beauty Witch have compiled a treat for those in Manchester this evening, with Gorilla taking centre focus. Opening proceedings, we have local band Inland Taipan, who have a new line up which incorporates additional viola and violin. The ethereal vocals and frantic guitar notes are complimented beautifully by the strings and create […]

LIVE: KIKAGAKU MOYO / INLAND TAIPAN – 07/11/2018

LIVE: GLASVEGAS / BIRTHDAY GIRL – 22/10/2018

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- A slightly subdued start to the evening at Gorilla this evening – Swedish rockers Birthday Girl don’t have the same following as the headliner tonight so the venue isn’t filling up right away but as soon as the first chord hits people are round from the bar, surging forward and paying attention. The […]

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- Gorilla seems to be the place I go to watch Villagers. Tonight’s gig is their third time there and it’ll be the third time I’ve seen them there, without seeing them anywhere else in the meantime. My journey to the venue takes me passed Manchester Arena, where U2 are preparing to play a […]

LIVE: VILLAGERS – 19/10/2018

LIVE: BC CAMPLIGHT – 10/10/2018

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- Half way through proceedings – a sweaty, sleazy gorgeous romp of a night – and Brian Christinzio takes off his lounge lizard jacket to reveal a T-shirt with the slogan ‘I’m in a weird place now’. You and me both, mate. You want to try standing here by the stage, as a geographically […]

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- I’m immediately greeted with the haunting voice of Irena Zilic as I arrive at Manchester underground hot spot Gorilla. Bosnia and Herzegovina native Irena has a wonderful tone and fantastic stage presence, bouncing off her accompanying musician with ease as she opens up the night. It’s already quite busy when I arrive part […]

LIVE: MORCHEEBA / IRENA ZILIC – 08/10/2018

LIVE: JULIEN BAKER – 24/09/2018

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- If anyone has been following my series of ‘shit, how good are all these incredible young female songwriters at the moment’ reviews, then you’ll know this is approx. entry number 49, with previous editions featuring the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Soccer Mommy, Florist and Let’s Eat Grandma. There’s just such a magnificent wealth […]

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- A crucial starting point to any gig, I’m off my tits on Spoons refill coffee. I’m heading to see the performance of my Twittersphere’s latest darling, Mitski. She’s little known to me bar a few enjoyable listens to her latest album, Be The Cowboy. I could be here for that name alone. I […]

LIVE: MITSKI / EERA – 19/09/2018

LIVE: ICEAGE – 09/09/2018

– Gorilla, Manchester – Let’s get this out of the way upfront: I have the biggest man crush on Iceage front man Elias Bender Rønnenfelt. He’s possibly the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in real life, and his brooding, pouting, strong silent type stage persona (and off stage persona if his interviews are anything […]

-GORILLA, MANCHESTER- We’re in a bit of a golden era for young women making exceptional albums with, gasp, guitars rather than synths and a vocoder, like so many of their male peers. Artists like Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy, Julien Baker, Mitski, Lucy Dacus and tonight’s star turn Phoebe Bridgers are all making brilliant, emotional, funny, […]