Lanterns On The Lake headlined the Friday night of Halifax's Town Festival in the resplendent setting of the Minster. Whilst vision was difficult from the pews, Lanterns On The Lake delivered a set of songs taken mostly from their last two albums Spook The Herd and Versions Of Us that felt even more imperious and overwhelming in the hallowed settings. Support came from Philip Selway with a solo set before taking his place behind one of the headliner's two drum kits.
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Ist Ist opened their UK and European tour in support of their top 30 album Light A Bigger Fire with an intimate opening night sell out at Hebden Bridge Trades Club. Playing the album in full as well as a selection of big-hitters from their first three albums, they confirmed their burgeoning reputation as one of the most powerful independent bands around. Support came from Nottingham's Cucamaras.
Tom Hingley launched his The Grand Mal album with an intimate set at The Castle Hotel in Manchester on Friday night. Performing the album in full with a band in tow he demonstrated that whilst fame and fortune might not last forever songwriting talent does with one of the finest collections of songs of his career to date. Support came from Harrison Rimmer.
Trampolene frontman Jack Jones released his eponymous debut solo album on Friday. Julia Grantham took a listen and concludes that perhaps every adult needs a Jack Jones song to guide them along the path of life.
Tom Hingley returns with his first new material since last year’s Decades album, delivering another beautifully heartfelt collection of songs and his first ever solo vinyl album (other formats are available too!).
Venus Grrrls brought their UK tour to an end with a packed out show at Manchester's Soup on Saturday night supported by Macclesfield's Queen Cult.
VLURE returned to Manchester for the first time in a year to the Deaf Institute to deliver a high-energy set that mixed old favourites with some sparkling new songs to a euphoric crowd.
James headed to the seaside on Sunday night with Orca 22 orchestra and the Manchester Inspirational Voices Gospel Choir in tow to headline the final night of Lytham Festival supported by Johnny Marr, Inspiral Carpets, The Magic Numbers and The Kairos.
Australian sister duo Charm Of Finches returned to Salford for their third headline show in the Greater Manchester area in a couple of years as part of their extensive UK tour to promote their fourth album Marlinchen In The Snow. They delighted a sold out crowd in the intimate surroundings of The Kings Arms’ upstairs theatre supported by Quebec singer-songwriter Mia Kelly.
James finished their biggest ever UK arena tour with their first ever show at London’s O2 Arena, making the capital’s largest indoor gig space feel intimate with a mix of their greatest hits and tracks from their number one album Yummy.
James played their biggest ever sold out UK show at Manchester’s newest venue Coop Live on Friday night. Mixing tracks from their number one album Yummy with most of their biggest hits they demonstrated that you can still live and thrive as a band without simply playing the nostalgia card.
James’ UK tour in support of their number one album Yummy headed to Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Wednesday night. The most spontaneous and thrilling show so far, imperfectly perfect, delighted a West Midlands crowd with a rich mix of the familiar and not so familar.
Recorded in December 2023 at the iconic Darklands Audio studio in Dublin, Scattered Ashes deliver a near perfect EP in All That Is Solid Melts Into Air. The Dan Doherty produced recording showcases the Dublin/Mayo (London based) quartet for what they are and their darker more sinister approach sets them apart from many of their contemporaries. Like many of the bands that release on Galway based Blowtorch Records they are a band of distinction with a bright future ahead of them despite the dark undertones prevalent in many of their songs.
James’ tour in support of their number one album Yummy rolled into Leeds First Direct Arena on Saturday night. A set of eight tracks taken from the record was mixed with most of their biggest singles and a couple of old friends.
James brought their tour to support their number one album to the cavernous space of Glasgow’s Hydro and 12,000 hungry excited Glaswegians. Capturing the mood of the night perfectly with both the performance and setlist they mixed the new and old in just the right measure to get an ecstatic response.
LIINES return with their first new material in two years with the previously unheard Holding On.
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James continued their UK tour in support of number one album Yummy with their first show in over twenty years at Newcastle's Utilita Arena. Mixing many of their biggest anthems from their 1990s commercial peak with their current number one album Yummy and with Tim Booth getting up close and personal with the audience, they turned an old soulless arena into an intimate space.
James opened their UK arena tour in the North East of Scotland with their first ever visit to the P&J Live arena and their first visit to the city since 2008. Playing a predictably varied set of songs taken from their recent number one album Yummy as well as dipping in and out of forty years plus of hits and with beautiful accompanying visuals and crystal clear sound, they presented a new record they're justifiably proud of in detail alongside some more familiar songs. Support came from Razorlight.
The Lovely Eggs brought their ten-date tour to promote their new album Eggsistentialism to a close with a fast and furious show at New Century Hall in Manchester on Saturday night supported by Violet Malice and Loose Articles.
Dantzic and Sugartung, two of Manchester’s newest and most incendiary bands join forces for a sold out show at The Castle Hotel on Oldham Street.
Inspiral Carpets continued their run of intimate live shows around their summer festival appearances with a sold-out show at a hot and sweaty Live Rooms in Chester supported by Stanleys.
Personal Trainer headlined a sold out sauna-like Academy 3 in Manchester on Saturday night as the 6 Music favourites delivered an upbeat set taken from their debut album Big Love Blanket as well as singles and new material.
Ist Ist headed to Liverpool for the penultimate show of their UK and European tour, filling out the loft of the Arts Club supported by Salford upstarts Aerial Salad and local support Dog Sport. Performing tracks from their forthcoming fourth album as well as their three albums to date they reinforced the growing belief that anything that stops their rise is going to come from outside the band's control.
Johnny Marr has just wrapped up a ten-date tour in support of Spirit Power - a compilation album commemorating a decade since he embarked on his solo career. The tour saw the guitar legend perform at iconic venues across the UK, including Hammersmith Apollo and Glasgow Barrowlands, before culminating at Nottingham’s Rock City. Johnny's career has been interwoven with a multitude of musicians since its inception and he often embarks on tours with them. For his ‘Spirit Power’ tour, he was joined by Supergrass frontman and solo artist, Gaz Coombes.
James release their 18th studio album on Friday. Graham McPhail, aka TimBoothLyrics on social media, takes a critical look at the twelve tracks that make up one of the strongest records of their career to date.
James release their eighteenth studio album Yummy on April 12th. The deluxe edition features another twelve tracks, collectively known as Pudding, which feature outtakes and demos and jams from the sessions. Even in their mostly unfinished state they provide a fascinating insight into the band’s songwriting methods that’s often talked about but rarely made public.
At only thirty-two and with her main output heading up the prolific Big Thief, Adrianne Lenker has just released her fifth solo album Bright Future. Julia Grantham takes us with her on her own voyage of discovery.
Easter launched their album Facsimile Of A Dream on Good Friday appropriately at The Star And Garter. Against a sombre backdrop of the venue's landlord passing away earlier in the day, they delivered a three quarters of an hour set of tracks from the album and their previous work.
Ist Ist continued their triumphant European tour, starting the homebound journey at De Vorstin, an impressive and imposing venue in the small sleepy town of Hilversum to a five hundred strong crowd on a Sunday night. Support came from the ever energetic October Drift.
Inspiral Carpets played their smallest show in decades on Monday night with a packed out show at AMP in Stockport as part of its Town Of Culture celebrations. With a set full of most of their back catalogue of hits the intimate hot and sweaty gig was a real throwback to their roots as a garage band that grew up on stages of this size before fame came their way.
