Thursday 28 July 2016

Track Of The Day : Ryley Walker - The Roundabout


The Roundabout is the second song to be revealed from Ryley Walker's forthcoming third album Golden Sings That Have Been Sung that is out on August 19th. Accompanied by a video filmed on the fourth of July back in Pilsen in Chicago set as blitzkreig celebrations mark Ryley's favourite time of summer.

Wednesday 27 July 2016

Viola Beach - Viola Beach


Viola Beach's debut album should be coming out under very different circumstances. The tragic death of Tomas, Kris, River and Jack as well as their manager Craig in a road accident in Sweden back in February meant that they were never to see that release for themselves. Viola Beach is a compilation of their first two singles, four tracks destined for an EP release and a live BBC session, nine songs that shine a light on what might have been, a precocious talent, still untainted by the quest to sell records and driven by their infectious unbridled joy at making music. It's a record that will make you cry, but will also make your heart beat a little bit faster.

Monday 25 July 2016

The Slow Readers Club / Puppet Rebellion / Sabella - Sheffield Crystal - 23rd July 2016



One of the great things about the growing trend in urban festivals is the fringe events. Sheffield's Tramlines is no exception; in fact one of the highlights is the three-day celebration of some of the country's finest up and coming bands in Crystal that has become something of a legend. With free entry and ten hours of bands there's no need for a wristband. We caught Sabella, Puppet Rebellion and The Slow Readers Club in the baking heat under its glass roof - three great and very different bands.

Louis Barabbas And Project Fear - Four Songs About Modern Politics


Four Songs About Modern Politics is a concept EP about the current state of politics and recent events in the UK from Mancunian troubadour Louis Barabbas. All proceeds from the rush release will go to Médecins Sans Frontières .

Ethan And The Reformation - Manchester Night And Day - 23rd July 2016


Ethan And The Reformation are a band already making waves in Manchester and beyond with their debut single Hollandia and their soon-to-be-legendary live shows. We caught up with them opening for Little Barrie at the Night And Day on Saturday night on the back of their own recent Soup Kitchen headline.

Saturday 23 July 2016

Belly - London Kentish Town Forum - 21st July 2016


Belly completed their reunion UK tour with a celebratory show at London's Kentish Town Forum. Even tighter and more joyful than the Leeds and Manchester shows earlier in the week, the show was an absolute triumph, a band back together for the very evident love of making music and playing live.

Thursday 21 July 2016

Cupids - Manchester Spaceport X - 20th July 2016


It's a brave man to take on the Manchester weather and Cupids had to reschedule two rooftop acoustic gigs last week because of the downpours and for a while it looked like tonight, the second night of the rescheduled shows, might fall victim to the weather, even as they started. But it held off and we were treated to a magnificent stripped-down set from one of the city's most promising bands.

Monday 18 July 2016

LIINES - Manchester Night And Day - 15th July 2016


LIINES are a band on the brink of making their mark. Recently signed, they've got big plans for later in the year with the release of their next single Disappear. We caught up with them in the Night And Day as they played a half-hour set which confirmed everything we knew about them and which won over a new set of fans.

Sunday 17 July 2016

Belly - Leeds University Stylus - 16th July 2016


As reunions go, Belly's is probably the least heralded of the plethora of 1990's 4AD acts that reformed, despite them actually getting a better chart position with their debut album Star than any of the more feted acts ever achieved. Tonight's Leeds University shows though that they're the most special of all of them.

Saturday 16 July 2016

Janileigh Cohen / Liam McClair - Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre - 15th July 2016


Once a month the Royal Exchange hosts a special series of arts events under the name of Special FX from 6 to 7pm. The event showcases some of the best local talent and Friday night was no exception as Bolton's talented Janileigh Cohen and the seemingly omnipresent Liam McClair charmed an audience into silence with an hour of fragile emotional folk music of the highest order.

Thursday 14 July 2016

Matter Of Mind - Manchester Night And Day - 13th July 2016


Stockport's Matter Of Mind are a band we're tipping for the top. With an assured three-track EP A State Of Mind under their belt already, they've started to win some admiring glances around Manchester at the moment and on the basis of tonight's passionate set, they're likely to continue to win hearts and minds as they develop still further.

Track Of The Day : Berries - Siren


Siren is the lead track from London three-piece Berries' debut six-track EP Those Funny Things due out on August 19th. It's a fabulously laid-back and loose three and a half minutes with one of those hooks and a guitar solo that packs a killer punch just underneath its surface.

Wednesday 13 July 2016

Track Of The Day : Dantevilles - Perfect Place


Dantevilles are one of the hottest properties on the Manchester scene right now and their new single Perfect Place, along with upcoming support slots with Blossoms and tying up with Mrs (Clint) Boon for her tea party, is certain to cement that position.

Tuesday 12 July 2016

Track Of The Day : Cabbage - Dinner Lady


Cabbage have been causing quite a storm in Manchester over the last six months. Word of mouth sold out shows which descend into near chaos, nakedness and mini riots with an ever expanding fanbase captivated by their off-the-wall approach to their art. But, as Dinner Lady, the latest song to be taken from their recent debut Chou EP, shows, there's something quite special about them.

Saturday 9 July 2016

Michele Stodart - Salford Eagle Inn - 8th July 2016


To support the launch of her second solo album Pieces, Michele Stodart played two intimate reveal shows in London and Salford this week. We caught up with her in the up-close-and-personal surroundings of Salford's fabulous Eagle Inn to witness a show that drew from Pieces, but also her debut Wide Eyed Crossing, a Neil Young cover and two brand new songs.

Weaves / Methyl Ethel - Manchester Castle - 7th July 2016


Weaves are on their first headline tour on the back of the release of their self-titled debut album and their sold out Manchester show, sold out on word of mouth rather than radio airplay, proved them to be a band with an unstoppable momentum set for bigger rooms than this. Support came from Perth's Methyl Ethel.

Thursday 7 July 2016

Belly - Interview


Belly's return is one of the least-heralded yet most-anticipated returns of the past few years, at least in the Even The Stars household. The four-piece enjoyed significant success in the UK with their number two album Star in 1993 and its follow-up King. They split shortly after and Tanya Donelly pursued a solo career for a number of albums including last year's Swan Song series. Earlier this year, Belly announced a series of UK dates for July and promised new material. We spoke to them ahead of their UK tour which starts in Glasgow on July 15th.

Wednesday 6 July 2016

Michele Stodart - Pieces


Pieces is Michele Stodart's second solo album following 2012's Wide-Eyed Crossing. It's a record that trades on a simple intimacy that draws the listener in, sits them down and narrates the stories of the songs to a beautiful longing soundtrack.

Saturday 2 July 2016

Clay - Edinburgh Electric Circus - 1st July 2016


Clay are about to embark on their first big UK headline tour in support of a forthcoming EP.  The hotly-tipped Leeds four-piece brought their energetic show to Edinburgh's Electric Circus on Friday night and with just eight songs left the impression that they're a band very much on the rise.

Friday 1 July 2016

James / The Sherlocks - Sheffield Botanical Gardens - 30th June 2016


James’ summer season of gigs moved on to Sheffield for the opening night of the Music In The Gardens festival set in the picturesque surroundings of the Botanical Gardens on the outskirts of the city. In pouring rain, James delighted the picnic-toting crowd with a set heavy on recent number 2 album Girl At The End Of The World but with enough, but not all, of their big hits for everyone. Support came from Sheffield’s next big thing The Sherlocks.