LIVE: ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE – 07/11/2011

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – Where to start? Hmm, a bit of background to set the scene on tonights ‘happening’ would probably help. Wikipedia helpfully informs me that Acid Mothers Temple is “a psychedelic rock band, the core of which formed in 1995” So far, so good, but there appear to be a myriad […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – I’m back at the Ruby Lounge again and it seems to be turning in to a bit of a ritual.  The place has definitely pulled its finger out of late and is getting some top bands through its doors and down its stairs into its gloomy embrace. It’s certainly […]

LIVE: MALE BONDING – 28/09/2011

LIVE: WYE OAK – 22/08/2011

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – The loudest thing in music must be the 2 piece rock band. The White Stripes managed to make my ears bleed from the other side of a field in Leeds, The Black Keys had Manchester Academy shaking in it’s foundations and I remember The Kills forced the keen ones at […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – The sign outside Manchester’s coolest gig venue reads ‘Sold Out’. There’s a large crowd milling around, most with tickets and a few poor sods without. So what’s the difference between Chameleons Vox and the band of old? Well musically, almost nothing. Mark Burgess has handed his bass guitar to […]

LIVE: CHAMELEONS VOX – 12/08/2011

LIVE: YACHT – 25/07/2011

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – Manchester’s roller coaster weather is at one of its brief peaks and I’m off to go and sit in the dark basement that is Ruby Lounge. Monday evenings don’t get much better… But at least it’s cool and the place has really shaped up in to a decent venue […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – It’s a rain-drenched Sunday night and murky, grey Manchester looks like it’s turning into mud.  The promoter at The Ruby Lounge is anxiously looking up and down the street for his crowd, but there’s barely a soul about. Discouraging, perhaps, is the fact that the only other person who turns […]

LIVE: VIVIAN GIRLS 17/07/2011

LIVE: KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS – 10/06/2011

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – Inadequacy is not something that anyone would willingly choose to suffer from, but tonight I’m going to put myself in the firing line by going to see Kitty, Daisy & Lewis at Manchester’s Ruby Lounge. I first heard them on the wireless on Phil Jupitus’ 6Music breakfast show back […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – The Manchester gig scene is spoiled for choice tonight. For a Monday the line up is truly epic. This may go some way to explaining the lack of heads in The Ruby Lounge tonight. Gold Panda (Derwin) is deservedly receiving heavy praise for his debut album which is likely […]

LIVE: GOLD PANDA – 15/11/2010

LIVE: TWEAK BIRD – 26/10/2010

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – I’ll confess, having not heard of this band before I’d asked a few friends if they’d heard of them, to which I was surprised to find they’ve actually released 2 albums to date and have been the Guardian’s ‘Band of the Day’ back in April. ‘You’ll like them Steph, […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – It’s Saturday night in Manchester but you wouldn’t know it. The Northern Quarter is bustling with people but the energy doesn’t seem to be there. Maybe the hangovers from the previous bank holiday weekends revelry are still lingering. Maybe it’s the predictably cold and grey weather hovering over our heads, despite it officially […]

LIVE: SURFER BLOOD – 08/05/2010