LIVE: WILD NOTHING – 21/08/2011

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Now Wave have built a great reputation in Manchester, their events always appear to provide large crowds and great support acts to supplement their exciting, current and fresh headliners. Tonight is no exception, I’ve regrettably been unable to leave the house earlier due to too much Sunday roast and […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Turning up at the Deaf Institute tonight to celebrate their 30th anniversary, Shonen Knife is a musician’s band, in the same way Peter Cook was a comedian’s comedian, loved by connoisseurs and music buffs but managing, relatively, to avoid even the alternative music scene’s radar during their impressive career. […]

LIVE: SHONEN KNIFE – 13/08/2011

LIVE: WASHED OUT – 08/08/11

– DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – I found it difficult to tear myself away from the live news coverage, tonight. Watching businesses in London with families living above, being looted and then torched, didn’t really put me in the mood for a gig. But, as they say, the show must go on. Star Slinger has the unenviable […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – My mum said, “You can’t call a venue that”, I tried to explain to her that ‘The Hard of Hearing Institute’ might not have the same ring to it. Grade II listed, I will have you know as well. Nice to get a bit of history into these reviews, so it’s a […]

LIVE: KARIMA FRANCIS – 09/07/2011

LIVE REVIEW: Moon Duo – 12/05/2011

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – I’m here tonight in the ever cool surroundings of The Deaf Institute’s music hall on the strength of one single. Is this right or is this wrong? Who knows, but Moon Duo’s last single ‘Mazes’, has been played to death on my walks to and from work and has […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – If you like a bit of garage rock, one man who shouldn’t need any introduction is Kid Congo Powers. Legendary sometime guitar slinger with The Cramps and co-founder with Jeffrey Lee Pierce of The Gun Club, and later six string hombre with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Kid […]

LIVE: KID CONGO POWERS & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS – 19/04/2011

LIVE: STEVE MASON – 12/04/2011

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Wow. Good evening from The Deaf Institute – the venue that laughs in the face of health and safety. The venue that scoffs at the idea of personal space. The venue that puts the ‘mmmm’ in intimate. Seriously, there’ll be no cat-swinging here tonight, so tightly jammed in are […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER –  I didn’t come to the Deaf Institute tonight to review  the support band for Dum Dum Girls, but the music of Mazes is so good I feel compelled to let you know about them. All the songs feel ‘killer, no filler’.  They play with boundless energy and come across […]

LIVE: DUM DUM GIRLS – 31/03/2011

LIVE: SLEIGH BELLS – 21/01/2011

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Tonight’s gig is Sold Out with a capital Hype. Bodies jostle for non-existent dancing space, condensation drips from the windows and it takes so long to push your way to the smoking area, it might as well be on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. Probably just as well for […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – The ABC Club come on stage in a haze of pyrotechnics, clad in leopard skin leotards and beckon to the crowd ‘Are you ready to motherfucking rock Manchester?’ Well, actually they don’t at all, but its Monday night in cold, wet and windy Manchester and I need a wakeup […]

LIVE: Wild Nothing / Milk Maid / The ABC Club – 08/10/2010