Introducing - Jordan Allen

Jordan Allen has been on our radar for over a year now.  Starting off a singer-songwriter he's now playing with a band.  He's just released a new video for a track called Set In Stone that's really rather good.

Section 25 / Crispy Ambulance / Kevin Hewick - Bury The Met - 25th August 2014

Three Factory stalwarts, reformed, still producing music, joined forces with some special guests, for a stage at Bury's Glaston-bury Festival.  There was no riot this time, but the hardy few that attended were treated to a mix of some of the best of their back catalogues.

Kal Lavelle / Fiona Bevan / Little Rach - Manchester The Castle Hotel - 24th August 2014

Kal Lavelle and Fiona Bevan have been touring the UK this summer playing co-headline gigs and running songwriting workshops for girls as part of their Song Sisters project to try and increase the number of young women writing and performing music.  We went to their sold out gig at The Castle in Manchester.

Erland And The Carnival - Closing Time

Erland And The Carnival return with their third long player Closing Time. After a tip off from a hardcore Kloot fan, Stuart Ralston checks them out.

The Minx - Manchester Ruby Lounge - 23rd August 2014

We've championed The Minx for over 18 months now and watched them grow to the point where they can headline The Ruby Lounge ahead of the release of their next single No Friends on 1st September.

The Tapestry - Glossop Moon And Sixpence - 22nd August 2014

Ahead of going into the studio to record some new tracks, The Tapestry helped relaunch The Moon And Sixpence in Glossop as a music venue with a short set of their soon-to-be huge anthems.

Edgar's Gift - Charity CD Helping To Support 18-30 Cancer Sufferers

Edgar’s Gift is a charity set up in 2010 in memory of Ben Edkins, who passed away following a year long fight with cancer. One of the projects is a 29 track compilation CD entitled "The 29 Rock You Cancer" with all tracks donated by the bands that appear on it.

Introducing - Emmy's Unicorn

Emmy's Unicorn are a girl/boy duo featuring Emmy-Lou Kay and Mr Ronz.  They've just released their debut EP, which was written in Nashville, entitled Not Dead Yet.

COMPETITION TIME - Win Signed James La Petite Mort CD

We are pleased to announce our first competition.  The prize is a CD of James' latest album La Petite Mort, signed by all seven members of the band.

The Magic Numbers - Warrington Head Music In-Store - 21st August 2014

In-store gigs are coming back into fashion as bands recognise that going and meeting their public is a sure-fire way of getting them to buy physical product.  We nipped up to Warrington to catch the Magic Numbers charm the locals with songs from their new album Alias, out this week.

Little Sparrow / TG Elias / Laura James - Manchester Three Minute Theatre - 20th August 2014

The Three Minute Theatre is one of Manchester' best-kept secrets, a gorgeous, slightly off-kilter rustic theatre nestled in the ground floor of Affleck's Palace.  Last night it was host to three, very different, but equally enthralling artists in Laura James, TG Elias and Little Sparrow.

EXCLUSIVE - The Slow Readers Club - Don't Mind - Video Premiere

We are delighted to have been asked to premiere The Slow Readers Club's new video for their forthcoming single Don't Mind, due for release on September 22nd.

The song is the follow-up to Start Again, released earlier this year, and should feature on the band's second album which they are in the process of recording.

The band launch the single with a gig at Manchester's Night And Day Cafe on September 20th. Tickets for the show can be purchased through this link.

Introducing - Braver Than Fiction

Braver Than Fiction are a five-piece band hailing from Sheffield, who've just released their debut EP entitled King Of Crows.  On the EP, they fuse a wide range of influences and styles to create a unique sound that marks them out a band to keep an eye fixed on.

Courteeners / Blossoms - Liverpool O2 Academy - 18th August 2014

On the day of the release of their fourth album Concrete Love, Courteeners, accompanied by half of Manchester, went thirty miles up the road to Liverpool and reduced the O2 Academy to a heaving, sweaty mess.

Courteeners - Concrete Love

Concrete Love is the Courteeners' fourth album in six years.  With no support from radio and very little press from the London-centric media, they've used their Northern roots talk to the disaffected urban youth.  This may just be the album to finally crack the whole nation's conscience.

The Magic Numbers - Alias

The Magic Numbers are back with their fourth album Alias. It's their most accomplished and adventurous yet, nodding respectfully to their influences, dripping in gorgeous vocal harmonies and sounding like a band making music for the love of it.

The Killers - Liverpool O2 Academy - 15th August 2014

The Killers performed an intimate warm-up for their V Festival headline slots at Liverpool O2 Academy. We have a soft spot for them so went along to join in the fun.

Teleman - Manchester Oast House (Disaronno Terrace) - 13th August 2014

Set outside The Oast House in Manchester's Spinningfields business district, Disaronno have been putting on some of the best emerging talent in UK music over the past few weeks. We caught Teleman performing in this slightly surreal environment and impressing us with tracks from their recent debut album Breakfast.

Introducing - My Lyrical Mind

Hailing from Macclesfield, My Lyrical Mind is 23 year old singer / songwriter Matt Wood. He opened the acoustic tent at the recent Blackthorn Festival and he has just posted some new demos on Soundcloud. After giving our Scottish correspondent a follow on twitter, Stuart Ralston decided to follow back and have a listen.

Weirds / Kassoma / April Towers / The Slow Readers Club - Manchester Castle Hotel - 11th August 2014

Four very different bands for free on a Monday night - that was the offer from the lovely folks at Beta, promoting new and unsigned bands in Manchester.  The offer was too good to turn down and what we got was a rich diversity of sound and audience interaction.

Tom Hingley - Airdrie The Avenue - 9th August 2014

Tom Hingley returned to Scotland with his acoustic guitar (and some bitter) to play two well received sets in Airdrie. Stuart Ralston was impressed again.

Childhood - Lacuna

Hailing from London, Childhood release their much anticipated debut LP, Lacuna. Stuart Ralston has a listen.

Déjà Vega / LVLS - Middleton Carsons Bar - 9th August 2014

Middleton is more renowned for its famous sons The Courteeners and Paul Scholes than for music venues, but we made the trip up to the hidden gem that is Carsons for the end of the first day of their Well Spotting Festival to catch Déjà Vega  and LVLS.

Introducing - Our Fold

Our Fold release their fabulous second single, the ribauld guitar stomp of She Goes On today.  We spoke with Damien and Dan from the band about their nine-year path to being one of the most exciting "new" bands in town.

Introducing - Cavalry

We stumbled across Cavalry by accident, a brief mention and recommendation of them whilst trying to find some information on another band.  We liked what we heard though and tried to find out more.

Bird / Tokolosh - Dig The City, Manchester St Ann's Square - 8th August 2014

As unusual gig locations go, St Ann's Square in Manchester as part of the Dig The City festival celebrating and promoting urban greenery is up there.  However, Bird and Tokolosh transform it into the perfect setting for their dark introspective art form.

Joan As Policewoman - Manchester Gorilla - 7th August 2014

A sweltering Gorilla was treated to a stunning performance from Joan As Policewoman as she ran through most of her album-of-the-year contender The Classic and crowd favourites from her back catalogue, whilst winning over the Manchester crowd with her unique charm.

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE - Dave Fidler - Bridport Arts Centre - 14th June 2014

Even The Stars have been on the road with John Bramwell and Dave Fidler for a number of their shows this summer.  We've set up a camera at some of these shows to film the sets.  In conjunction with Dave, Even The Stars is proud to present his set at Bridport Arts Centre on a balmy June day prior to England's opening World Cup match with Italy.

John Bramwell / David Ford / Dave Fidler - Holmfirth Picturedrome - 2nd August 2014

The picturesque setting of Holmfirth Picturedrome played host on Saturday night to an event loosely labelled "Singer Songwriter Splash".  We went along to see three of the finest proponents of that art form treat us to their own unique brand of what is associated with that catch-all tag.

The Slow Readers Club Announce New Single Don't Mind

The Slow Readers Club announce new single and launch night.

Following on from the release of Start Again, a fan favourite and featuring regularly on 6Music, comes the second single of the year from The Slow Readers Club. Stuart Ralston has given the new song a spin.

Colt 45 - The Tide Is Turning

Stuart Ralston checks out the debut album from Cumbrian trio Colt 45.

Blossoms - Interview

Even The Stars met with the hotly tipped Blossoms ahead of the first of their residency series at Heaton Chapel's Blue Cat Cafe to chat over how they got together and their plans for stardom.

Tokolosh - Stay Strong

Tokolosh is a Manchester indie-supergroup featuring Liam Frost, Nathan from The Whip and Christian of the much-missed Earlies.  After a series of singles over the past two years, their debut album finally gets a digital release this week with vinyl to follow in September.

Blossoms / Velocets - Heaton Chapel Blue Cat Cafe - 1st August 2014

To play in front of 8,000 people before your debut single has even been released is something special. Blossoms did that the other week supporting James, but they've now booked in a more intimate residency at the legendary Blue Cat Cafe in Heaton Chapel, close to their hometown of Stockport.  It's full to the rafters and Even The Stars went along to see them justify the building hype around them.

The Raveonettes - Pe'ahi

Taking an album title from a surfing slot in Hawaii, The Raveonettes return with album number 7, Pe'ahi. Stuart Ralston leaves his Slow Readers Club cds alone for a while to have a listen.