Sunday 31 March 2019

Ist Ist - Edinburgh Sneaky Pete's - 30th March 2019


Ist Ist concluded their Everything Is Different Now tour with their debut Scottish performance at Sneaky Pete's in the capital. In front of an international crowd in one of the most intimate and long-standing venues in the city, they won over new friends with a performance worthy of venues many times this size.

Saturday 30 March 2019

Touts / Inhaler - Manchester Night And Day - 29th March 2019


Touts' tour in support of their recent single Before We Go Forward hit Manchester's Night And Day Cafe on Friday night with an hour-long twenty one set that was confrontational in its raw punk energy. Support came from fellow Irish band Inhaler.

Working Men's Club - Manchester Castle - 29th March 2019


There's a real buzz about Working Men's Club, a word of mouth excitement that feels different to the usual hype that gets thrown around a new band that comes anywhere near threatening the mould of which bands out of Manchester are usually cast from. We caught up with their latest support slot at The Castle Hotel and watched them cast their spell over a packed room.

Friday 29 March 2019

TRACK OF THE DAY (EXCLUSIVE) : Matter Of Mind - Sunken Revelations


Sunken Revelations is the new single from Matter Of Mind. The song has been a live favourite since it was introduced into their set and now finally gets a release of its own.

Doves - Warrington Parr Hall - 28th March 2019


Doves marked their long-awaited return with their first show at Warrington Parr Hall, a warm-up for Friday's Teenage Cancer benefit show at London's Royal Albert Hall. Tickets sold out in minutes as people scrambled to catch one of Manchester's best-loved and often underrated bands return. And return they did in style.

Thursday 28 March 2019

TRACK OF THE DAY : Woman You Stole - Frustration


Frustration is the second single from Manchester alt lo-fi trio Woman You Stole.  Set to an eerie disconcerting video of a masked face and corseted body moving around the screen, Frustration is the follow-up to last year's debut single Excuse My French 

Wednesday 27 March 2019

TRACK OF THE DAY : Lisa - Primitive Us


Primitive Us is the debut single from Ontario's Lisa, a song described as "candy-coated razor blades, phoney feelings, dangling carrots, self-destruction, winning big and then losing it all."

Tuesday 26 March 2019

Cold Water Swimmers - Interview


Cold Water Swimmers recently released their double A-side single Summer Breeze / I'll Be Your Witness. Ahead of their upcoming performance at Manchester's You Are Not Alone Festival at the weekend, we caught up with front man Chris to find out more.

Monday 25 March 2019

TRACK OF THE DAY : Maybe It's Madelline - Ghost


Ghost is the second single from Montreal-based singer Madelline. Described as "an anthem for embracing solitude," it's a haunting yet relatable song about feeling alone in the world even though circumstances might suggest that you shouldn't be.

Sunday 24 March 2019

Neon Waltz / Household Dogs - Manchester YES - 24th March 2019


Neon Waltz brought their tour in support of new single Friends Who Lost Control to the basement of Manchester's Yes on Sunday night with a mix of tracks from their debut album Strange Hymns as well as a number of new tracks. Support came from Leeds' Household Dogs.

Saturday 23 March 2019

James - Hull Bonus Arena - 22nd March 2019


James’ Living In Extraordinary Times tour came to an interesting conclusion at shiny new Hull Bonus Arena for the last night of the tour.

Friday 22 March 2019

James - Birmingham O2 Academy - 21st March 2019


James rolled into Birmingham for the penultimate night of their Living In Extraordinary Times tour where they support themselves with an acoustic set that challenged the audience to keep quiet and listen before an electric set that mixed new with old.

Neon Waltz - Interview


Returning with a new single Friends Who Lost Control, Neon Waltz's second single since their debut album Strange Hymns, and in the middle of a huge UK tour, 2019 might be the year that the John O'Groats band finally see deserved rewards for their infectious and anthemic songs. We caught up with front man Jordan for a chat.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Afghan Sand Gang - Envy


Afghan Sand Gang return with a new single Envy, their first new material since last year's Machine Music EP. It's a social commentary on the state of human interaction in these times of black or white, right or wrong where discourse and compromise are out of the window.

Thursday 21 March 2019

James - Carlisle Sands Centre - 20th March 2019


James' Living In Extraordinary Times tour rolled into Carlisle on Wednesday night to the sports hall turned concert venue The Sands Centre where they played an extended acoustic opening set before treating the midweek crowd to a set that added in a few surprises along the way.

Dave Fidler - Interview


Dave Fidler is preparing to release his second solo album Songs From Aurora on April 5th. We caught up with him for a chat about the unusual methods employed in the writing of the record, the fuller sound compared to his debut I'm Not Here and his exciting plans for taking the record out on the road.

Touts - Interview


Touts recently released Before We Go Forward, a cover of a long-lost Joe Strummer song. We caught up with them as they embark on a big UK and Ireland tour including a show at the Night And Day in Manchester on the 29th March to talk about their songwriting ethos, plans for an album and the Brexit elephant in the room.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Caoilfhionn Rose - Look At You Now


Look At You Now is the latest single from Caoilfhionn Rose's debut album Awaken and it's accompanied by a video of busking trips across Europe that perfectly captures the mood of the song.

Tuesday 19 March 2019

James - Edinburgh Usher Hall - 18th March 2019


James' Living In Extraordinary Times tour rolled into Edinburgh for the solitary Scottish date of the run. With some surprise guests at the end they continued the tour's set up of a half-hour acoustic set supporting themselves and then a mix of their best-loved tunes, tracks from the album that gave the tour its name and some unusual choices from their back catalogue.

Louie Louie - Interview


We caught up with Louie Louie as they prepared to release their long-awaited debut EP to talk through the six tracks, why it's taken them so long to be ready to release it and working with Guy Garvey of Elbow and Peter Jobson of I Am Kloot.

Monday 18 March 2019

James - Newcastle City Hall - 17th March 2019


James continued their Living In Extraordinary Times tour with a sold-out show in the theatrical setting of Newcastle’s City Hall, performing an emotional half-hour acoustic set ahead of their electric headline.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Pavia Ward - Frozen Teardrops


Frozen Teardrops is the debut single from Manchester singer / songwriter Pavia Ward. Clocking in at close to five minutes, it's an ambitious first offering, set to a pulsating electronic beat that allows Pavia's impressive expressive voice to take centre stage.

Sunday 17 March 2019

Ist Ist / Red Light Effect - Manchester Gorilla - 16th March 2019


Ist Ist returned to Gorilla for the biggest headline date of their Everything Is Different Now tour. Supported by the impressive Red Light Effect, they played an hour's set of tracks from the EP, its predecessor Spinning Rooms, some early singles and a new track called Black to a rapt audience drawn in by the four-piece's power and intensity.

Saturday 16 March 2019

The Slow Readers Club - Liverpool Arts Club - 15th March 2019


The Slow Readers Club made a triumphant return to Liverpool to play to a sold-out months in advance Arts Club on Friday night. With a set touching on all parts of their back catalogue, they held the audience in their grasp for seventy minutes without ever letting go.

Friday 15 March 2019

The Slow Readers Club - Blackpool Bootleg Social - 14th March 2019


The Slow Readers Club tour rolled into Blackpool on Thursday night for an intimate sold-out show at the Bootleg Social. In front of an adoring crowd they ran through tracks from their three albums to date as well as a new track from their recent recording sessions as they continued their seemingly endless trek through the provincial towns and circuit venues of the country on their first major nationwide tour as full time musicians.

Louie Louie - So It Begins EP


So It Begins is the long-awaited debut EP from Louie Louie. Across six-track the Anglo-Portuguese four piece finally capture on record the sound that has made them much loved on the underground scene in Manchester.

Thursday 14 March 2019

TRACK OF THE DAY : Alice Pisano - Lost You In The Crowd


Lost You In The Crowd is Alice Pisano's second single following up last year's Celebrate Life, a song that showcases one of the most promising new vocalists to emerge in the past twelve months.

Wednesday 13 March 2019

Lunar Sounds - Manchester Band On The Wall - 13th March 2019


Lunar Sounds played their debut Manchester show at Band On The Wall as part of their regular Free Vibez night with an eight-song set featuring all four tracks their recent self-titled EP and four new songs.

Tuesday 12 March 2019

James - Cambridge Corn Exchange - 11th March 2019


James' Living In Extraordinary Times tour made its way to Cambridge on Monday night. With the clever idea of supporting themselves with an acoustic set, James fans got two for the price of one, albeit two very different sides to the band. Dan Starr went along for an emotional evening laced with surprises from the band's extensive back catalogue and some modern day James classics.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Izzie Walsh - Sidelined


Izzie Walsh returns with a new single Sidelined, her first of 2019. The BCMA and Indie Week UK award winner follows up last year's Take Me Back and 2017's The Curse EP with another track that showcases her expressive voice and her ability to craft a song that takes her love of country music and converts it into something of her own that feels remarkably contemporary.

Monday 11 March 2019

The Slow Readers Club - Edinburgh Liquid Rooms - 8th March 2019


Show six of the mega tour and The Slow Readers Club are in Edinburgh for the first time, playing another triumphant gig. Stuart Ralston returns to his favourite venue in the Scottish capital.

Sunday 10 March 2019

James - London Royal Albert Hall - 9th March 2019


James’ Living In Extraordinary Times tour headed to the capital on Saturday night and the salubrious surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall. Following on from previous nights they opened for themselves with an acoustic set of rarely played tracks followed by a new album heavy electric set.

Friday 8 March 2019

TRACK OF THE DAY : Touts - Before We Go Forward


Touts return with a new single Before We Go Forward, a cover of a lost Joe Strummer track that feels particularly apposite in these troubled and uncertain times that we live in, and a Irish and UK tour at the end of the month.

James - Bath Forum - 7th March 2019


The James tour rolled into Bath on Thursday, scene of the recording of One Man Clapping just over thirty years ago, for night two of the Living In Extraordinary Times tour and a two-set performance by James which defied many of the conventional norms of how you structure a setlist when you have a hit-laden back catalogue.

The Slow Readers Club - Dundee Beat Generator - 7th March 2019


The fifth date of their marathon UK and European tour sees The Slow Readers Club in incredible form, mixing up old and new, and winning over yet another new audience. Stuart Ralston enjoyed the short trip to Dundee to catch them.

Thursday 7 March 2019

James - Margate Winter Gardens - 6th March 2019


James opened the second leg of their Living In Extraordinary Times tour with a first non-festival visit to Margate since when they supported The Smiths almost thirty-four years ago to the date. A challenging setlist heavy on new material and rarely played tracks from their back catalogue stretched the crowds to their limit until they signed off with a barrage of hits towards the end.

Ist Ist - Interview


Ist Ist are in the middle of a tour to promote the release of their second EP Everything Is Different Now. We caught up with bassist Andy Keating for a chat ahead of their hometown Manchester Gorilla show about how their sound has developed, those Joy Division comparisons that dog them and their plans for an album.

Wednesday 6 March 2019

The Slow Readers Club - Interview


As they embark on a forty-seven date tour of the UK and Europe we caught up with Aaron, Kurtis, Jim and David of The Slow Readers Club ahead of the second night of the tour at Carlisle Brickyard to talk about the difference going full-time has made to them, the new material they've started to write for their fourth album, planning setlists and the challenges and excitement of playing towns and cities that they've never visited before.

Tuesday 5 March 2019

The Twilight Sad - Glasgow Barrowlands - 2nd March 2019


Following on from the release of their critically acclaimed album It Won/t Be Like This All The Time The Twilight Sad finished a 4 date run of sold-out gigs in 5 days by playing a triumphant gig at their spiritual home, the legendary Glasgow Barrowlands, leaving a 2,100 strong capacity crowd mesmerised and ensuring there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Jason Wynne was front and centre to take it all in.

Monday 4 March 2019

James Holt / Mano McLaughlin - Manchester Night People - 1st March 2019


James Holt launched his new single Come Out To Play at Manchester's Night People on Friday night. Julia Grantham reports back on the outsider who's barging his way into the conscience of a growing band of admirers. His headline set was preceded by Mano McLaughlin showcasing songs from his forthcoming Then Lightning album.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Dave Fidler - Skylark


We're delighted to be asked to exclusively reveal online Skylark, the lead track from Dave Fidler's forthcoming second album Songs From Aurora, which is due for release this Spring.

The Slow Readers Club / The Tea Street Band - Carlisle Brickyard - 3rd March 2019


The second night of The Slow Readers Club's mammoth UK tour saw them play to a packed room at a snow-bound Brickyard in Carlisle. A career-spanning set covering all three albums also included a new song called The Wait from their recent demo sessions. Support came from Liverpool's The Tea Street Band.

Sunday 3 March 2019

SKIES / Bluelights / Red Bricks - Manchester Night People - 2nd March 2019



SKIES closed their X tour on Saturday night at Night People in Manchester, the Kent duo playing a thrilling set to a busy crowd supported by Stockport's Red Bricks and Nantwich's Bluelights, who both performed deservedly well-received sets.

Friday 1 March 2019

Ist Ist / Roaches / Bakelite - Leeds The Lending Room - 28th February 2019



Ist Ist opened their nationwide Everything Is Different Now tour with a busy show at The Lending Room in Leeds supported by Bakelite and Roaches. Showcasing songs from their two EPs and giving us a tantalising glance into their future with a new song, they both delighted older fans and converted new ones with one of their strongest performances to date.