LIVE: TENNIS – 25/05/2012

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Tonight, in the dark underbelly of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, a cluster of like-minded music fan poseurs are readying their Friday nights with a low-profile offering from Denver’s most cherished lo-fi indie poppers. The crowd is modestly sized, given the relatively established nature of the night’s headliners – Tennis released their […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – England are playing a pointless friendly in Norway and the Eurovision circus is on the hypnotic light box, making my journey to see an Australian psychedelic rock band in a sweaty basement all the more satisfying. The Soup Kitchen is, as always, pretty busy. The extended, repetitive soundcheck gives a […]

LIVE: POND – 26/05/2012

LIVE: JAPANDROIDS – 23/05/2012

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Rewind to November 2009, and a certain SR scribe is cursing his luck after only catching the vinegar strokes of Japandroids’ début Manchester show at Moho Live, so he makes a solemn oath that night that he’ll definitely, 100%, without any shadow of doubt catch them on their headline tour […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – When I hear word that FAWN SPOTS are coming to Manchester I cancel plans and jump at the chance to go see them.  Fawn Spots are Lee Bowden and Jonathan Meager; based in York where they are proactive in the music scene being heavily involved in truly great projects such […]

LIVE: DZ DEATHRAYS / EMBERS / FAWN SPOTS – 16/05/2012

LIVE: TOY – 10/04/2012

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Having never entered the basement of the Soup Kitchen before I am pleasantly surprised! I get in very early and there is about ten people inside, which makes the room look huge. I decide to leave and come back when the bands are due to start. As I walk down […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – I am underneath a kitchen. Upstairs they’re serving soup. On tonight’s menu: Kindness, the creation of London lad, Adam Bainbridge. His name has been floating about the online music atmosphere since 2009, but now in 2012 he has released his debut album, ‘World, You Need A Change Of Mind,’ produced […]

LIVE: KINDNESS – 22/03/2012

LIVE: I BREAK HORSES – 03/12/2011

– THE SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Rumour has it, this is I Break Horses second (or maybe third) gig. Ever. It’s certainly their first gig in the UK. The debut album ‘Hearts’ gained many a rave review after it’s summer release. The Swedish pairing of Maria Lindén and Fredrik Balck have recruited 3 others to take their […]
– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER –  As I walk down into the dusky basement of the Soup Kitchen I can feel the goodwill in the room. It’s been nearly six months since I Am Blackbird have played in their hometown and, by the looks of it, their loyal local following have missed them. After a self-imposed […]

LIVE: I AM BLACKBIRD – 04/11/2011

LIVE: SILVERCLUB – 27/05/2010

– THE SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Career transitions in the music industry will often get you in trouble and a move from the shadows can see you scuttling from front and centre to back stage right, tail firmly between your legs. For every Dave Grohl, there are a dozen Cass Brownes (exactly). So when Manchester’s […]