James - Edinburgh Usher Hall - 29th April 2023

James’ tour with the Orca 22 orchestra and Manchester Inspirational Voices Gospel Choir headed up to Scotland on Saturday night for the fourth night of the tour in the resplendent settings of Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. Tweaking the setlist as they go and starting to take more risks within songs, the set featured both some of their greatest hits reimagined as well as others plucked from the depths of their forty-year back catalogue and given central billing.

James - York Barbican - 28th April 2023

After a well-earned night off after the first two shows in Brighton and Cardiff, James’ sold out tour with the Orca 22 Orchestra and Manchester Inspirational Voices Choir rolled into York Barbican. A set of hits, deep album cuts and band and crowd favourites from across their forty year career delighted the Friday night audience.

Cindy / Test Card Girl - Manchester Gullivers - 27th April 2023

San Francisco's Cindy brought their UK tour in support of their most recent album Why Not Now to the ballroom of Gullivers in Manchester's Northern Quarter on Thursday night. A set that pulled from each of their four albums to date delighted a small but hugely appreciative Manchester audience

Before Breakfast - Absorbed EP

Following on from last year’s debut album I Could Be Asleep If It Weren’t For You, Sheffield’s Before Breakfast return with a five-track EP Absorbed.

Lottie Gray - How To Haunt EP

How To Haunt is the debut six track EP from Norfolk-born Royal Northern College Of Music student Lottie Gray, a beautifully constructed set of songs that marks her out as an artist of genuine potential who needs your attention now.

James - Cardiff St David's Hall - 26th April 2023

James headed to Cardiff for the second night of their orchestral tour with the Orca 22 orchestra and Manchester Inspirational Voices Choir with a first ever performance at St David's Hall. Tweaking the setlist from the opening night and with first night nerves out of the way, they delighted a sold out audience who found their Welsh singing voices at the end of the night.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Neon Waltz - Thoughts / Dreams / Regrets

Neon Waltz return with their long-awaited single Thoughts / Dreams / Regrets taken from their forthcoming second album Honey Now to be released via Fierce Panda on 1st September. 

James - Brighton The Dome - 25th April 2023

James opened their tour with the Orca 22 orchestra conducted by Joe Duddell and the Manchester Inspirational Voices Choir in front of a reverential seated audience at the resplendent Brighton Dome on Tuesday night. Reinventing and reworking songs from their earliest releases right through to a brand new song recorded for this project, they delighted the audience with hits, rarities and a few surprises along the way.

Caitlin Rose / Dominic Billett - Manchester Deaf Institute - 24th April 2023

Caitlin Rose made her long-awaited return to Manchester, a decade after her last visit to the city, for a sold-out show at the Deaf Institute to promote her Cazimi album. The evening ended with a very special celebration and then Caitlin playing a song unamped sat on the edge of the stage.

The Lottery Winners / Pet Needs / The A.V. Club - Warrington Parr Hall - 22nd April 2023

The Lottery Winners continued their campaign ahead of the release of their third album Anxiety Replacement Therapy with a sold-out show at Parr Hall in Warrington supported by Pet Needs and local band The A.V. Club. Previewing songs from the new record as well as a series of crowd favourites from previous albums and Thom's unique between song chat, the four-piece delighted and entertained an enthusiastic crowd.

TRACK OF THE DAY : emzae - I Guess, Anyway

I Guess Anyway is the new single from emzae, an emotional song written about her reaction to the end of lockdown and the impact that had on her, taken from her debut album All Those Things I Thought I Knew that comes out in September.

Tom Hingley / Ian Britt / Mancunia - Stockport Bask - 16th April 2023

Tom Hingley played an intimate acoustic set mainly comprising hit singles from his time fronting Inspiral Carpets at Bask in Stockport on Sunday night. Support came from Ian Britt and Mancunia.

Inspiral Carpets - Glasgow SWG3 - 13th April 2023

Inspiral Carpets play their first Scottish date  of 2023 to a packed and adoring audience. Stuart Ralston popped home to join the celebrations.

Ist Ist / NOPRISM / Post Ironic State - Glasgow King Tut's Wah Wah Hut / Newcastle Cluny - 13th / 14th April 2023

Ist Ist opened the UK leg of their Protagonists tour in support of their Top 50 album with packed out shows at two legendary venues - Glasgow King Tut's Wah Wah Hut and Newcastle Cluny. Supported by two great local artists - Post Ironic State in Glasgow and NOPRISM in Newcastle, Ist Ist demonstrated why they're on the cusp of making a significant breakthrough under their own steam with the irresistible and overwhelming power of their art.

TRACK OF THE DAY : The Red Stains - TV Static

TV Static is the new single from the latest incarnation of Manchester's most vocal toilet graffiti artists, a satirical view of the world around them tinged with a sense of desperation at the expectations placed on people in the digital age.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Seb Lowe - Cavalryman

Seb Lowe returns with a new single Cavalryman, a studio version of a live favourite. His strongest release yet, it's his most ambitious track yet musically featuring his new band line-up and produced by James Skelly.

Inspiral Carpets / The Solution - Leeds O2 Academy - 8th April 2023

Inspiral Carpets continued their tour in support of The Complete Singles with a sold-out show at Leeds O2 Academy on Saturday night. An expectant crowd revelled in a set that rolled back the years and reminded them of more youthful times. Support came from the very excellent The Solution.

Peter Hook And The Light - Manchester Albert Hall - 7th April 2023

Peter Hook And The Light played a trio of shows at Manchester's Albert Hall over the Easter weekend - performing classic and greatest hits Joy Division and New Order albums in full as has become tradition. The Friday night saw the five-piece tackle both bands' second albums - Closer and Power Corruption And Lies as well as a short encore of singles and favourites from around the period of the release.

The Orielles - Manchester Canvas - 6th April 2023

The Orielles returned to their adopted home of Manchester for a sold out show at Canvas on the penultimate leg of their tour to support their exceptional third album Tableau. Drawing heavily from that record with a few older favourites added for good measure, they delighted a crowd of all ages with an intense hour and a half set.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Bella Estelle - Smile

Smile is the latest single from Portsmouth-based songwriter Bella Estelle. A beautiful love song with a very personal meaning to her, the song is uplifting and emotional, building imposingly and impressively.

Ist Ist - Leeds Oporto - 4th April 2023

From the highs of headlining the fifteen hundred capacity Ritz in their hometown of Manchester on Friday and the elation of hitting number eleven in the midweek album charts with their new album Protagonists, Ist Ist went intimate on Tuesday night with an outstore performance for Crash Records at Oporto in Leeds. Performing a fourteen song set from across their three albums, they reminded us of their earlier days in venues of this size with a raw intense performance in a crammed space.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Lala Hayden - Slice

Remember Anteros? Their one and only album When We Land was one of the greatest indie pop albums of our time. Then they disappeared. Now their front woman Laura Hayden is back, under the not so secretive pseudonym of Lala Hayden with Slice, the first track taken from an EP Girl Becomes that is out in May.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Lanterns On The Lake - String Theory

Lanterns On The Lake have today released String Theory, the second track to be taken from their forthcoming album Versions Of Us. Accompanied by a lyric video, the song muses over the existence of alternative versions of yourself in another world where fate dealt you a better hand and you made different life choices.

Inspiral Carpets - Manchester Albert Hall - 1st April 2023

Inspiral Carpets made an emotional return to Manchester for their first show there for seven and a half years since the passing of drummer Craig Gill. A hits-heavy set with a poignant tear-inducing surprise in the encore delighted a packed out Albert Hall who transmitted so much love to the band on what Clint Boon described as "one of the greatest nights of my life."

Ist Ist / Bandit / Dr Dr - Manchester Ritz - 31st March 2023

Ist Ist launched their third album Protagonists with their biggest headline show to date to over a thousand people at The Ritz in Manchester. Focusing heavily on the new record with old favourites to delight those they've picked up on their journey from the Night And Day to here, they made a triumphant statement of intent. Support came from Dr Dr and Bandit.