Jack Wakeman / Tom Kay - Manchester Gullivers Lounge - 28th April 2019

The intimate surroundings of Gullivers' downstairs lounge provided the perfect setting for two talented solo performers on Sunday night as Hull's Tom Kay and Manchester's own Jack Wakeman shared the stage in front of a respectful crowd that was there to listen and appreciate the music rather than the sound of their own voices.

The Blinders / The Ninth Wave / Working Men's Club - Manchester The Ritz - 27th April 2019

The Blinders' biggest headline show to date in their adopted home of Manchester on Saturday night proved to be their biggest triumph so far with a magnificently staged set, tracks from their debut album Columbia and an exciting signpost to where they're going next with some rapturously received new material. Topping off the night were support slots from two of the most highly-tipped bands around - The Ninth Wave and Working Men's Club.

Cabbage / Heavy Rapids - Manchester Deaf Institute - 26th April 2019

With the release of their debut album proper Nihilistic Glamour Shots behind him, Cabbage are regrouping and refocusing as they prepare the follow-up. They recently announced a low-key tour and we caught up with the third night of that tour at a raucous sold-out Deaf Institute in Manchester for a set of old favourites and an insight into their new direction.

Mammoth Penguins - There's No Fight We Can't Both Win

Cambridgeshire power pop trio Mammoth Penguins return with their third long player, There's No Fight We Can't Both Win. Stuart Ralston has a listen to an album from a band that continues to progress their sound without losing sight of their roots.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Hannah Scott - Walk A Wire

Hannah Scott returns with Walk A Wire, her first new material since last year's Pieces Of The Night album. The song is inspired by a friend suffering from a disability that led her to close herself away from people, but asks her (and others) to open up and take a chance rather than hide away and miss out on life experiences.

TRACK OF THE DAY 2 : Ride - Future Love

Ride return with a new single Future Love and the announcement of their sixth album, and second since their reformation, This Is Not A Safe Place due for release in August. Future Love manages to both recreate the euphoric optimism Ride's glorious Going Blank Again past whilst sounding fresh and reinvigorated in a way many reformed bands struggle to do close to three decades after their first commercial peak.

Vera Sola / Elle Mary And The Bad Men - Manchester Castle Hotel - 23rd April 2019

Vera Sola's European tour rolled into the sauna-like conditions of Manchester's Castle Hotel on Tuesday night for a dramatic set made up of tracks from last year's Shades album as well as a raft of new songs, supported by Elle Mary And The Bad Men.

TRACK OF THE DAY 1 : The Mysterines - Gasoline

Gasoline is The Mysterines' third single, released ahead of their debut UK headline tour that kicks off next week. Clocking in at just two minutes and sixteen seconds with a ferocious energy and anger running through it, it's a fighting antidote to the bland image-led "bangers" that are being sold to the masses as cutting edge.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Social Contract - Hoist Their Heads

Hot on the heels of their Common Tongue single, South London four-piece Social Contract return today with a new single Hoist Their Heads, a politically and socially charged song that avoids the usual platitudes and calls to arms and instead focuses on calling out inequalities and obsession with stories rather than human impacts.

Anteros / RedFaces / Good Future - Manchester Gorilla - 17th April 2019

Anteros brought their Where We Land tour to Manchester Gorilla on Wednesday night with the intent to entertain and make a point and they succeeded wholly in doing both. Support came from Sheffield's RedFaces and Good Future, another band hopping off the 192 from Stockport to try their luck in the big city down the road.

The Blinders - Interview

Ahead of their biggest ever shows headlining The Ritz in Manchester and Scala in London, we caught up with The Blinders to discuss their recent trip to America, their commitment to combining visual elements to their music, the recording process for their second album and what's influencing them in that process.

Dirty Laces - Manchester Vinyl Revival - 13th April 2019

Dirty Laces took to the pavement outside Vinyl Revival in Manchester for a traffic-stopping five-song set to celebrate Record Store Day in front of a mix of friends and family, record shoppers, bemused passers-by and irate drivers.

Matter Of Mind / Jekyll / Elephant Trees - Manchester Star And Garter - 12th April 2019

Matter Of Mind celebrated the release of their new single Sunken Revelations with a packed show at Manchester's Star And Garter on Friday night supported by Jekyll and Elephant Trees. A high-energy performance full of crowd participation showed that they're just a break away from reaching a much wider audience.

Fontaines D.C. - Leeds Brudenell Social Club - 12th April 2019 (Evening)

There’s an air of anticipation as Irish post-punk rockers Fontaines D.C. roll into town for the second of their seven date sold out UK tour supporting the release of red hot new album Dogrel. This evening’s show coincides with the actual release date of the album and there’s no better place to celebrate it than at the award winning Brudenell Social Club on the outskirts of Leeds.

Dub Sex - Interview

Thirty-three years since their formation, Dub Sex are about to release a compilation of EP tracks, rarities and radio sessions entitled Search For The Right Words. We caught up with front man Mark Hoyle for a chat about the band's history, why they're still here more than three decades later and their plans for the future of Dub Sex.

TRACK OF THE DAY : MarthaGunn - Saint Cecilia

Saint Cecilia is the debut single from MarthaGunn, a band that appeared in our top four tips for 2018 having seen them live at the tail end of 2017 and then they promptly never released anything the whole year. Their first offering is more than worth the wait though.

Fontaines D.C. - Leeds Brudenell Social Club - 12th April 2019 (Matinee)

The band of the moment Fontaines D.C. rolled into town with a swagger as they celebrated the release of their superb debut album Dogrel by performing a special matinee performance which included a stunning short, sharp, shock of six songs. Jason Wynne made his way across the Pennines for the first of a double helping.

The Slow Readers Club / Liam Frost - Manchester Gorilla - 11th April 2019

The Slow Readers Club made a triumphant return home on Thursday night from their gruelling thirty-two date tour around the UK with a sold out in minutes show at Manchester Gorilla. Covering all bases from their career so far they raced through a twenty-song set in front of an adoring audience that never once stopped bouncing. Support came from Liam Frost with songs from his recent Latchkey Kid album and an old favourite.

Matter Of Mind - Interview

Matter Of Mind returned recently with a new single Sunken Revelations and on Friday they headline the Star And Garter in Manchester. We caught up with front man Jordan for a chat about their recent debut nationwide tour, the single and plans for the future.

Ian Prowse - Here I Lie

Here I Lie is Ian Prowse's third solo album, following on from 2014's Who Loves Ya Baby? and 2015's Companeros after a couple of decades with celebrated indie underdogs Pele and Amsterdam. Across eleven songs, he releases his first new record for four years - an exploration of themes that delve into the personal as well as the social and political fabric of his line of sight.

Fontaines D.C. - Dogrel

The burning question is are Fontaines D.C. the most important band out there right now? They represent a number of exciting new bands from across the Irish Sea producing great new music and they are at the forefront of an exciting new scene. Jason Wynne takes a closer look at their highly anticipated debut Dogrel.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Coby Fletcher - Power Never Changes

Power Never Changes is the debut single from Coby Fletcher, a face and voice you might recognise if you're familiar with the Manchester music scene. He's striking out under his own name now and Julia Grantham takes a listen to his first offering.

Dave Fidler / Camilla Sky / Joe McAdam - Salford Eagle Inn - 5th April 2019

Dave Fidler launched his second album Songs From Aurora with a sold-out six-piece band set in the intimate surroundings of Salford's Eagle Inn, playing the album in full as well as a few favourites from his debut. Support came from a rare set by Joe McAdam and Camilla Sky.

Dollie Demi / Nadia Sheikh - Manchester Jimmy's - 6th April 2019

Dollie Demi and Nadia Sheikh headlined the latest This Feeling club night at Jimmy's in Manchester. Two very different bands provided an interesting contrast in style, one rock and roll, the other a melee of garage, pop, punk and all manner of influences but united in their ability to grab the audience's attention.

Dub Sex - Search For The Right Words

Formed in Hulme in the mid 80's and splitting in 1990, Dub Sex have long been in contention for the title of Manchester's greatest cult band. Following shows in 2014, including gigs with friends Inspiral Carpets, it was clear there was still much love for a band who played shows with their contemporaries Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses back in the late eighties. 2019 sees the issue of the definitive Dub Sex compilation and some live shows to accompany the release. Stuart Ralston takes a nostalgic look back.

The Slow Readers Club / Bridges - St Albans The Horn - 3rd April 2019

As the Slow Readers Club entered their final leg of their 32 date UK nationwide tour, Ed Smith caught up with them at the smallest show of the tour in the intimate surroundings of The Horn in St Albans.

LIINES - Chester Live Rooms - 4th April 2019

LIINES have been on the road with Sleaford Mods for a few weeks now and we caught up with them opening the night at Chester's Live Rooms venue on Thursday night. A breathless half-hour set saw them rattle through tracks from their debut Stop / Start album as well as play a number of new songs that show them moving forward as a band without losing the essence that makes them magic.

TRACK BY TRACK : Dave Fidler - Songs From Aurora

As he releases his second album Songs From Aurora to the world, Dave Fidler talked us through the album's twelve tracks, the stories behind them and the experiences that inspired him as an accompaniment to the record you can hear in full below and on his Bandcamp page.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Charlie Soul - Obsessed

Obsessed is the debut single from Charlie Soul, the first fruits of twelve months of writing. Accompanied by a video that captures the mood of the song, it tells of the inability to forget at the end of a relationship.

Mano McLaughlin - Then Lightning

Then Lightning is Mano McLaughlin's long-awaited second album, the follow-up to 2013's Peach Got Bones and demonstrates why many of his contemporaries rate him as one of the best singer-songwriters around despite the lack of recognition he's had from the industry over the past few years. Then Lightning might not change that, because things aren't as simple as great music automatically getting the acclaim it deserves, but it's a record that will disarm and charm anyone fortunate enough to cross its path.

Dave Fidler - Songs From Aurora

Dave Fidler’s second solo album Songs From Aurora is a significant progression from his debut I’m Not Here. Eschewing the reel-to-reel recording methods and stripped-back solo approach of the debut for something deeper, richer and more varied in tone, it’s a record that sees him blossoming out, discovering himself musically and delivering a record that is set to charm anyone lucky enough to cross its path.