– Castle Hotel, Manchester – I came across Sophie Jamieson’s astonishing, raw debut album at the very start of the year. Gold Flake Paint, one of the best music blogs around, has a knack of presenting albums to me in their end of year roundup that I’ve never heard of, but because of their brilliant […]
– Castle Hotel, Manchester – It’s a later than expected start tonight, scheduled support act Loose Articles are sadly unable to perform, here’s wishing a speedy recovery. It means I arrive barely ten minutes before the main event, just in time to hear Black Flag then Black Sabbath playing as background music, as though the […]
– Castle Hotel, Manchester – I’d forgotten, after all this time, just how intimate the back room at The Castle is, and what a wonderfully evocative room it is too. It’s like being in someone’s front room, albeit a front room with a stage. It also has a slight vicarage vibe about it, with its […]
Situated in the Castle Hotel on the penultimate Wednesday of the Year of the Rat’s introductory month, I ask the above-titled entity questions largely relating to a subject that requires acute sensing to detect vibrations beyond rudiments such as speech and the smashing of porcelain. The transcription process starts… Angus: What would be the worst […]
-VARIOUS VENUES, MANCHESTER- ‘New Music Festival and Conference’ Off The Record is returning to Manchester for its fourth edition this Friday. It’s a one day event (apart from the networking drinks on Thursday), taking place over different venues across the Northern Quarter, such as Jimmy’s, Night and Day Café and Soup Kitchen. During the day, […]
-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- There is a dreamlike start to Bonniesongs’ set. An array of ethereal layered vocals are intertwined. It is vast, especially for a singular artist on stage. It is like a Sigur Ros track, transporting you to a tundra, or mountain top but wrapping you warm in the expanse with Bonnie’s enticing, […]
-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- Manchester’s own Deco Records have become synonymous with putting on good live nights and the five band bill they have compiled for this evening’s entertainment is no exception. I get to an already packed out Castle in time for Plato, a Manchester based four piece who offer alternative based rock that […]
-CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- Just a quick missive from the front line, as I find myself rolling out of the award-winning Cocktail Beer Ramen Bun into the Castle Hotel and happen upon a gig from an Icelandic singer songwriter called Axel Flóvent and his troupe (well, his two accompanists). It is lovely, gentle, chilled music and […]
-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- Monk Dominated by an almost dystopian theme, Monk plough through their set with particularly heavy-handed drumming, guitar tones presumably reliant on pedals and a kind of aggressive sing-speak approach (effects also employed) that tries to convey a sense of despair. The super-serious nature of the music doesn’t particularly invoke the sentiment […]
-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- A nice little two band line up has been comprised by Interior for a sold out show at The Castle tonight of two acts that have been attracting ever more attention. Opening we have Working Men’s Club, a quintet from Todmorden whose name is an ode to the only form of […]
GIG GUIDE
Our gig guide is handpicked and every act has been listened to before making it onto the list.
See this month's guide
ALBUM REVIEW – PROLAPSE: I WONDER WHEN THEY’RE GOING TO DESTROY YOUR FACE
INTERVIEW: MANCHESTER PSYCHFEST RETURNS - WE CATCH UP WITH PROMOTERS NOW WAVE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS YEAR'S EVENT
INTERVIEW - NERVES
ALBUM REVIEW - MARISSA NADLER: NEW RADIATIONS
ALBUM REVIEW - NO JOY: BUGLAND
ALBUM REVIEW - MGK: LOST AMERICANA
ALBUM REVIEW - THE THING: THE THING
ALBUM REVIEW - THE ROYSTON CLUB: SONGS FOR THE SPINE
ALBUM REVIEW - TEETHE: MAGIC OF THE SALE
INTERVIEW: PEA SEA - NEW ALBUM 'A PYKE OF PATINA SLATE' FEATURES COLLABORATIONS WITH PETER BREWIS (FIELD MUSIC) AND TOM ENGLISH (MAXIMO PARK)
