LIVE: PALEHOUND – 01/03/2016

– GULLIVER’S, MANCHESTER – Palehound is the alias of Ellen Kempner – an unflinching female guitarist and singer unafraid to lay bare her insecurities and imperfections through her music. Tonight is both a strange and special night for Ellen and her band, special as it is their first ever show in the UK, strange as […]
– ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – The chances of being bored at a Savages gig are small, but when we arrive at the Albert Hall and situate ourselves in the upper echelons we’d be forgiven for thinking we’re at a Daniel O’Donnell concert. Shining out through the gloom are lots of little lights with people staring […]

LIVE: SAVAGES – 22/02/2016

LIVE: SUNFLOWER BEAN – 16/02/2016

 – SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – “Keep the music going for a second?” asks Julia Cumming of the sound man, as the rest of the Brooklyn hailing trio, seemingly consisting of a young Frank Zappa and Bob Dylan circa 1967, race to the stage of Manchester’s Soup Kitchen to perform an impromptu half-cover of Parquet Courts’ […]
– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – The Melbourne-based band share this moment with us at Gorilla, starting off the night with a rapturous applause from the crowd. From the get-go, it’s a complete sensory overload and as all seven members of the band pick up their instruments, within seconds we are treated to ‘Robot Stop’, a new track that weaves […]

LIVE: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD – 15/02/2016

LIVE: FLOATING POINTS – 12/02/2016

 – THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – It’s been a long time coming, but Mancunian Sam Shepherd’s debut album Elaenia was certainly worth the wait. After releasing a string of outstanding DJ friendly EP’s and singles, since 2009, we’re finally able to immerse ourselves in a long player that ebbs and flows from danceable bloops and bleeps, to […]
– FALLOW CAFE, MANCHESTER – Trips to this small converted terraced house in the heart of Studentsville are becoming quite a regular occurrence for me. They continue to host a production line of talented and fresh new bands, a lot of whom are locally based. It’s a cold and dark foggy night, like one you’d see in […]

LIVE: THE BABE RAINBOW – 02/11/2015

LIVE: OUGHT – 02/09/2015

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Well summer’s over, the tent is packed away and the sun cream remains unused. Don’t shed a tear though, because dark nights drawing near ushers in months of fantastic gigs. Two days into September and we’re already under way, another stellar line up from prolific promoters Now Wave. Headliners […]
– FAT OUT’S BURROW, SALFORD – This is not your average Wednesday night. A grown man stands above us, wearing khaki shorts, a schoolboy-like shirt and red socks pulled up to his knees. Soon, this man would hold a level of control over us. He would direct us, manipulate us and frankly embarrass us. His […]

LIVE: DAN DEACON – 17/06/2015

LINE UP FOR OPENING OF FAT OUT’S BURROW AT ISLINGTON MILL ANNOUNCED

Promoters Fat Out Til You Pass Out have announced the line-up for the start of their two year residency at Islington Mill. A week long calendar of events in June to mark the promoters’ has been announced to showcase the direction they want to take during their tenure. The opening night will feature James Blackshaw, […]
– GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER – Its 10 to 11. The curfew for most Manchester venues is merely minutes away. Yet, as most bands are packing up to the sound of roars from the audience, there is one band that is just coming on stage. The band is Tops and this is not due to any lateness, […]
Tops

LIVE: TOPS – 13/05/2015