Monday 30 July 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : She Makes War - Devastate Me


Devastate Me is the first track to be taken from She Makes War's fourth album Brace For Impact which is due out on September 28th ahead of a UK tour. The single represents a departure in style for the musically diverse multi-instrumentalist, but still remains true to her uncompromising independent approach to her music.

Sunday 29 July 2018

James - Kendal Calling - 27th July 2018


As part of the festival season to promote their forthcoming album Living In Extraordinary Times, James played the main stage at Kendal Calling on Friday night. The mysterious person behind the TimBoothLyricADay twitter account kindly offered to review their set which caused much debate on the band's social media groups because of the volume of new songs.

Monday 23 July 2018

LIINES / Berries / Threads - Manchester Deaf Institute - 21st July 2018


LIINES played their biggest headline show to date at the Deaf Institute and what a triumph it turned out to be. Three hundred or so like-minded souls, lovers of music, were joined together by the rapid-fire, raw sound of Zoe, Leila and Tamsin and their album Stop-Start and some new songs that suggest their star is set to rise further. Support came from London's Berries and Manchester's Threads.

Friday 20 July 2018

LIINES - Interview


One of our favourite bands and some of our favourite people LIINES released their debut album Stop-Start back in May. On Saturday they play their biggest headline UK show to date at the Deaf Institute in Manchester with Berries and Threads. We caught up with Leila for a chat about Stop-Start, the gig, new songs and their plans for the rest of the year.

Wednesday 18 July 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : Purple Heart Parade - Mission Hills


Mission Hills is the lead track from Purple Heart Parade's debut EP for Club AC30 entitled Lonestar, due for release on September 7th. Following several years and line-up changes on the Manchester scene, the band signed to Club AC30 earlier in the year and these are the first fruits of this relationship.

Monday 16 July 2018

Three Dimensional Tanx - A Compulsion For Propulsion


The new album by Lancaster's Three Dimensional Tanx is a joy from start to finish. Stuart Ralston loves it and you should too.

Saturday 14 July 2018

Mad Cool Festival Day 2 - Madrid - 13th July 2018 (Arctic Monkeys / Wild Front / The Big Moon / Real Estate / Mavica)


Day 2 of Mad Cool Festival saw Arctic Monkeys headline the main stage with little repeat of the chaos at the gates and food stalls and bars that marred the first day. We also caught Marica, Real Estate, The Big Moon and Wild Front before the headliners delivered a set heavily focused on new album Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino and AM.

Mad Cool Festival Day 1 - Madrid - 12th July 2018 (Pearl Jam / Gang Of Youths / Frank's White Canvas / Eels / Durand Jones And The Indications)


Day 1 of Mad Cool Festival saw 30,000 people descend on land behind the Feria de Madrid complex in temperatures bordering on forty degrees for an evening headlined by Pearl Jam, but featuring a varied and diverse set of acts across eight stages.

Friday 13 July 2018

Little Sparrow (Featuring Robin Dewhurst) - Just 3 EP


Just 3 is the first new material from Little Sparrow since her album Wishing Tree. Including lead track Tender, revealed late last year, her radical reinterpretation of Madness' Baggy Trousers that she performed with Robin Dewhurst in 2016 at Kendal Calling and another new song Dry Your Eyes, the EP showcases the power, range and beauty of her voice and provides a tempting teaser for her second album that she's in the process of recording.

Thursday 12 July 2018

Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott - Manchester Castlefield Bowl - 6th July 2018


Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott made a triumphant return to Manchester's Castlefield Bowl as part of the Sounds Of The City. With a set spanning back to Paul's days with The Housemartins right through to a new as-yet-unreleased track, a capacity crowd bathed in the very un-Mancunian sun and paid homage to the most unassuming of musical heroes.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Average Sex - Ne M'Oublie Pas


Ne M'Oublie Pas is the first track to be taken from Average Sex's forthcoming second EP Melodie which is out in August via Tim Burgess' Ogenesis Recordings label.

Sunday 1 July 2018

Gardenback / Carnation / Déjà Vega - Manchester Soup Kitchen - 30th June 2018

 

Gardenback launched their new single Health And Wellbeing with a raucous set at Manchester's Soup Kitchen on Saturday night. Supported by Carnation and Déjà Vega, their biggest headline show to date had them not only launch their single successfully, but also lay down a marker as one of the best live bands in town.

L.A. Witch / Afghan Sand Gang - Manchester Soup Kitchen - 27th June 2018


LA Witch brought their self-titled debut album and some new material to a baking hot Soup Kitchen basement on Wednesday night. The three-piece's raw and exciting sound, with the three of them lined up across the stage, replicated the energy of the album perfectly. Support came from Mossley's own Afghan Sand Gang.

David Ford - Manchester Deaf Institute - 29th June 2018


David Ford returned to Manchester's Deaf Institute for the final night of his tour in support of his fifth album Animal Spirits. A twelve-song set was split 50/50 with songs from the album and tracks from his back catalogue and a surprise Beach Boys cover with support act Michele Stodart of The Magic Numbers.