LIVE: PETE DOHERTY – 17/05/2016

– THE ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER – The intricate carvings and delicate stained glass windows running along the balcony of the Albert Hall create a surprisingly peaceful atmosphere for a gig that is sure to be nothing of the sort. The crowd fills the old church building to breaking point and I decide that taking a […]
– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – A golden rule that I have picked up about writing is: show, don’t tell. As in, if a character is rude don’t say ‘He’s rude,’ have him do something rude. This rule, ‘show, don’t tell’ can be applied to other art forms, namely music and one which Laura Mvula might want […]

LIVE: LAURA MVULA – 18/05/2016

LIVE: FLAMINGODS / ALDOUS RH – 19/05/2016

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – Flamingods are first and foremost an intriguing band. With their roots in music from around the world and their passion for unusual instruments they find on their travels, they are the sort of band you go to see in order to experience something a little different. Upon arriving at Soup Kitchen […]
 – ACADEMY 3, MANCHESTER – The last time I saw Tim Hecker was just after he’d released the incredible Ravedeath, 1972, when he played in the beautiful surroundings of St. Phillips Church in Salford as part of the Future Everything festival. What set this apart from any other gig I saw that year was that […]

LIVE: TIM HECKER – 16/05/2016

LIVE: MANCHESTER PSYCH FEST IV – 14/05/2016

– NIGHT & DAY CAFE/AATMA, MANCHESTER – Sunny Saturday afternoon in Manchester (yes!) and it’s so tempting to leave everything behind and have a healthy sunbath. Duty calls however and when I get to Aatma, it feels like joining a vampires’ meeting. A nice crowd dances to the temperamental Psyblings. Sweet young insanity comes in […]
– NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – “Are they all girls?” asks a girl next to me, clearly shocked by the four women standing before us. Ironically it is this sort of cloaked sexism that the band take aim at with their lo-fi, stagnant guitar music. Their guitarist does not shave her armpits, they hail […]

LIVE: CHASTITY BELT – 12/05/2016

LIVE: TOURIST – 10/05/2016

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – The usually refined Deaf Institute with its animal print wallpaper and red cushioned seats has tonight been transformed into something much more in line with the euphoric electronics of Tourist. Huge lights stand tall and form an arch around Tourist’s impressive array of production equipment that consists of a […]
– SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER – Let’s begin with an undeniable truth that will set the tone for this review: The Hotelier are fucking awesome. Don’t let the ‘emo’ tag they get tarred with put you off, they are so much more than that. The label comes from their incredible second album Home Like Noplace There […]

LIVE: THE HOTELIER – 10/05/2016

LIVE: BAD MANNERS – 07/05/2016

– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER – “You Fat Bastard!” Bad Manners’ war-cry will be constantly chorused all the gig long, both by the crowd and the larger-than-life, charismatic frontman Buster Bloodvessel. After struggling a little bit so as to get in the venue, by the time I’m in, support band Max Splodge is filling the thick […]
– AATMA, MANCHESTER – In the hidden attic of a side alley in the Northern Quarter, roughly a hundred people are assembled on this Friday night for something fairly special. There may be no marquee outside with a band’s name in neon letters – hell, there isn’t even a sign outside saying the name of […]

LIVE: FALSE ADVERTISING / ILSER – 06/05/2016