Thursday 28 January 2016

Pure Bathing Culture / Faitala - Manchester Castle - 26th January 2016


Following the release of their second album Pray For Rain, Portland, Oregon's Pure Bathing Culture made their Manchester debut at the Castle Hotel last night to a packed crowd that fell in love with their soaring anthemic songs from the album and its predecessor Moon Tides. Support came from Manchester-based trio Faitala.

Sunday 24 January 2016

The Libertines / Blossoms - Manchester Arena - 23rd January 2016


After the disappointment of a late postponement of their Ritz show last year, The Libertines plan to make up for it was this show at the Arena, a big challenge for a band at its best when you can see the whites of their eyes. Despite the lack of intimacy they still managed to pull off a show that matched the best of their past with last year's comeback Anthems For Doomed Youth. Support came from the North West's surefire bet for success in 2016 Blossoms and Reverend And The Makers.

Saturday 23 January 2016

Suede - Manchester HMV - 23rd January 2016


"Thank you for coming to this extra-ordinary event" deadpans Brett Anderson before the final song Beautiful Ones, trying not to laugh. But the surroundings do make this gig, one of a series to launch their new album Night Thoughts, just that. Stripped back to a three-piece Suede delighted the 200 or so assembled fans with a mix of four tracks from the album and six classics from their back catalogue.

John Bramwell / Phil Jupitus / Mark Thomas - Hebden Bridge Trades Club - 20th January 2016



Anyone with a passing interest in UK news will have noted the second wave of devastating floods in the past few years to hit the beautiful Calderdale town of Hebden Bridge. But what the town has is an indomitable spirit and the Trades Club has formed a focal point for that. As the town slowly gets back on its feet with signs of the floods visible in the number of shops and pubs still closed, a series of fund-raising gigs for the town were arranged and we attended one featuring John Bramwell who recorded his Live At The Trades album here as well as Phil Jupitus and Mark Thomas.

Saturday 16 January 2016

Adam Scott Glasspool - Interview

Adam Scott Glasspool releases his second EP I Welcome The Flood on February 15th. We've tipped the title track on Shell Zenner's Amazing Radio show this week and caught up with Adam to find out a little more about him, the five-track EP and his plans for the rest of 2016.

Friday 15 January 2016

Ian Prowse - Companeros


The iTunes release of Ian Prowse's 2015 album Companeros is good enough reason for us to revisit it as it's no ordinary album. What the Amsterdam and Pele front man has succeeded in doing is giving a new life to songs written by what he describes as "troubadours hidden away in these islands", putting his own interpretations on songs that have moved him over the years by fellow artists he's met on his travels who, for whatever reason, have not had the opportunity to get their music heard by a wider audience. The concept sounds like it could be an almighty disaster, but it's an unmitigated triumph as Ian treats the songs with the respect they deserve whilst also making his own inimitable mark upon them.

Monday 11 January 2016

VIDEO TRACK OF THE DAY : Bang Bang Romeo - Chemical


We're proud to have been asked to reveal the new video by Bang Bang Romeo for their track Chemical. The band have made many of the tips for 2016 blogger lists and have also recently been featured by Fred Perry Subculture, Radio X and they are headlining the Manchester leg of This Feeling's Big In 2016 party later this month as well as playing at the exciting new When In Manchester festival in April.

By The Sea / Lungs / Tremors - Manchester Night And Day - 9th January 2016



The latest Antics club night at the Night And Day featured three well-matched quality bands including the first Manchester and second ever show for ex-Courteeners bassist Mark Cuppello's new band Lungs. Our first gig of 2016 set the bar high for the rest of the year.

Wednesday 6 January 2016

Track Of The Day : Fossa - In The Cold Of The Night


In The Cold Of The Night is the fourth song released in the last ten months by London's Fossa. It's a beautifully fragile emotional track which showcases vocalist Louis's expressive tones. It demonstrates their love of classic songwriting structures, but their ability to put their own take on it and create something that entrances the listener.

Monday 4 January 2016

PINS / Flesh - Manchester Night And Day - 31st December 2015


New Years Eve has become one of those sanitised events of the year that either prices you out of it or becomes so commercialised and an excuse for people to rip you off that it's lost its appeal to so many. Fortunately, the Night And Day has come up with the idea of giving us the opportunity to do what we do all year on this night - watch live music in a great small venue at a reasonable price. Last year we saw Blossoms, this year we saw in 2016 with one of Manchester's best bands PINS ably supported by newcomers Flesh.