– 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 […]
-THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER- Supporting act Cupids Arrow deliver quite an eclectic mix for a cello duo. From the upbeat heights of the Tetris theme tune to haunting ravines of Hungarian folk. They are strong and interesting to watch. The set finishes with a great cover of Elbow’s ‘Grounds For Divorce’, one they say they […]
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: CAT POWER - COVERS
ALBUM REVIEW: VIS-A-VIS – BEST OF VIS-A-VIS IN A CONGO STYLE
LIVE: JAMES / HAPPY MONDAYS – 03/12/2021
LIVE: THE CHARLATANS – 06/12/2021
INTERVIEW: JOE MATERA - AUTHOR OF BACKSTAGE PASS, THE GRIT AND THE GLAMOUR. DETAILS HIS ENCOUNTERS WITH THE LIKES OF LEMMY, GEORGE MARTIN, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE AND MORE
LIVE: WILLIAM DOYLE – 29/11/2021
