It's that time to reveal our mostly unsurprising list of our top ten favourite albums of 2024
Tuesday, 24 December 2024
Monday, 23 December 2024
Déjà Vega - Manchester Gullivers - 21st December 2024
Saturday, 14 December 2024
LIINES / Trupa Trupa / Vincent's Last Summer - Manchester Gullivers - 12th December 2024
Thursday, 12 December 2024
Blossoms - Manchester Diecast - 11th December 2024
Blossoms completed the most successful year of their career to date with a show at Diecast in Manchester sponsored by Spotify and Budweiser. Playing an hour set that spanned their four albums they delighted a crowd of hardcore fans and Instagram wannabes.
James - Live At The Acropolis Film Screening / Q&A
Tuesday, 10 December 2024
The Slow Readers Club - Glasgow Stereo - 6th December 2024
The Slow Readers Club returned to Glasgow for the first time since their triumphant Barrowland Ballroom gig (opening for Shed Seven) last autumn for a more intimate affair. Stuart Ralston went back home for the evening and was blown away.
Friday, 6 December 2024
The Slow Readers Club - Manchester Ritz - 5th December 2024
The Slow Readers Club's short Winter tour rolled into their hometown of Manchester on Thursday night for a sold-out months in advance show. A mix of new songs from their forthcoming album Out Of A Dream and fan favourites from their exceptional extensive back catalogue delighted a partisan crowd.
Wednesday, 4 December 2024
Westside Cowboy / All Girls Arson Club - Manchester Castle Hotel - 3rd December 2024
It’s been a long time since we’ve been genuinely excited about the possibilities of a new band. COVID killed a lot of nascent bands stone dead as they couldn’t get into a room together and only now is the scene starting to fully recover. A couple of weeks ago, we were in The Ritz early for the English Teacher headline and the opening band Westside Cowboy struck as one to find out more about. They’re Manchester-based and had their own headline show for their debut single launch at The Castle Hotel. So here we are two weeks later.
Sunday, 1 December 2024
Sprints - Manchester New Century Hall - 29th November 2024
Sunday, 24 November 2024
Blossoms / The Lottery Winners / The Guest List - Manchester Apollo - 23rd November 2024
Blossoms concluded their five-night stand of Manchester venues they'd headlined previously in their career with a final sold-out show at the Apollo, scene of their four-night residency in 2022. A captivated Saturday night audience dance and sung along to a mix of their greatest hits and tracks from their most recent number one album Gary. Support came from The Lottery Winners and The Guest List.
Thursday, 21 November 2024
Blossoms / Neon Waltz / Delights - Manchester Ritz - 20th November 2024
Blossoms' five night stand of Manchester's mid-sized venues in support of their fourth number one album Gary. Performing tracks from across their career they brought the big arena show vibe to the intimate surroundings of the Ritz.
Tuesday, 19 November 2024
Ist Ist / Marathon - Amsterdam Paradiso Grote Zaal - 18th November 2024
“Four best friends playing The Paradiso” bassist Andy Keating tells the thousand and a half crowd in front of him half way through the set in the Grote Zaal (Big Room) of the legendary Amsterdam venue. That Ist Ist don’t at any point look or sound out of place on one of the world’s best known stages is testament to how far they’ve come as they approach their tenth anniversary.
Sunday, 17 November 2024
John Bramwell And The Full Harmonic Convergence / Dave Fidler - London Hackney Earth - 15th November 2024
Friday, 15 November 2024
English Teacher / TTSSFU / Westside Cowboy - Manchester Ritz - 14th November 2024
Tuesday, 5 November 2024
Blossoms - Stockport Plaza - 3rd November 2024
Blossoms played their traditional album launch hometown show at Stockport's grand Plaza on Sunday. Performing both matinee and evening sets which included their recent number one album Gary in full plus six classic tracks from their first three albums, they delighted two seated 1,300 crowds with a performance that demonstrated just how far they've come and how they've developed as showmen.
Saturday, 2 November 2024
Courteeners - Warrington Parr Hall - 31st October 2024
Courteeners headed to Warrington on Thursday night for two intimate shows to support the launch of their Pink Cactus Cafe album. Mixing tracks from the record with some old favourites, they delighted the crowd for an hour.
Wednesday, 30 October 2024
October Drift / Rude Films - Manchester Gorilla - 29th October 2024
October Drift continued their UK tour in support of their third album Blame The Young by playing their biggest headline show to date at Manchester's Gorilla on Tuesday night. In front of an adoring audience, they delivered an adrenalin-heavy seventy-five minute set featuring tracks from across the band's catalogue. Support came from Rude Films.
Monday, 28 October 2024
Whitehorse - Manchester Rose And Monkey - 27th October 2024
This is Whitehorse's first ever gig. It's sold out The Rose And Monkey weeks in advance. At the helm of the new band is Thomas Haywood, frontman of The Blinders who played their final shows back in February. With nine unreleased songs plus a cover of Amazing Snakeheads, Whitehorse revealed that the demise of his band hasn't dampened Haywood's creative spirit at all.
Saturday, 26 October 2024
Johnny Marr / James - Montreal MTLEUS - 13th October 2024
Back in the Summer, Manchester icons James and Johnny Marr joined forces for two UK festival shows - Bedford Summer Sessions and Lytham Festival. Delivering two incredible nights that saw Johnny join the nine piece for Laid, it was the first time that they’d played together since James supported The Smiths back in 1985. Luckily for fans in North America, they’ve been able to experience the magic as the two have just come to the end of a lengthy co-headline tour that started in Denver last month. On Sunday 13th October, the tour stopped at MTELUS in Montreal.
Ist Ist / Cucamaras - Cambridge MASH - 16th October 2024
MASH is a venue more often host to sticky-floored, student club nights or tribute bands, as per the promo posters plastered on its walls. But tonight, we are blessed with the real deal. Post-punk four-piece IST IST make their debut on the Cambridge stage following the recent release of their fourth album, Light A Bigger Fire.
Saturday, 19 October 2024
Lanterns On The Lake / Philip Selway - Halifax Minster - 18th October 2024
Lanterns On The Lake headlined the Friday night of Halifax's Town Festival in the resplendent setting of the Minster. Whilst vision was difficult from the pews, Lanterns On The Lake delivered a set of songs taken mostly from their last two albums Spook The Herd and Versions Of Us that felt even more imperious and overwhelming in the hallowed settings. Support came from Philip Selway with a solo set before taking his place behind one of the headliner's two drum kits.
Friday, 11 October 2024
TRACK OF THE DAY : The Slow Readers Club - Technofear
Thursday, 3 October 2024
Ist Ist / Cucamaras - Hebden Bridge Trades Club - 2nd October 2024
Ist Ist opened their UK and European tour in support of their top 30 album Light A Bigger Fire with an intimate opening night sell out at Hebden Bridge Trades Club. Playing the album in full as well as a selection of big-hitters from their first three albums, they confirmed their burgeoning reputation as one of the most powerful independent bands around. Support came from Nottingham's Cucamaras.
Monday, 30 September 2024
Tom Hingley / Harrison Rimmer - Manchester Castle Hotel - 27th September 2024
Tom Hingley launched his The Grand Mal album with an intimate set at The Castle Hotel in Manchester on Friday night. Performing the album in full with a band in tow he demonstrated that whilst fame and fortune might not last forever songwriting talent does with one of the finest collections of songs of his career to date. Support came from Harrison Rimmer.
Monday, 23 September 2024
Ist Ist - Bury The Met - 22nd September 2024
Jack Jones - Jack Jones
Trampolene frontman Jack Jones released his eponymous debut solo album on Friday. Julia Grantham took a listen and concludes that perhaps every adult needs a Jack Jones song to guide them along the path of life.
Thursday, 19 September 2024
Tom Hingley - The Grand Mal
Tom Hingley returns with his first new material since last year’s Decades album, delivering another beautifully heartfelt collection of songs and his first ever solo vinyl album (other formats are available too!).
Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Venus Grrrls / Queen Cult - Manchester Soup - 14th September 2024
Venus Grrrls brought their UK tour to an end with a packed out show at Manchester's Soup on Saturday night supported by Macclesfield's Queen Cult.
Monday, 9 September 2024
IST IST : Light A Bigger Fire
Saturday, 7 September 2024
VLURE - Manchester Deaf Institute - 4th September 2024
VLURE returned to Manchester for the first time in a year to the Deaf Institute to deliver a high-energy set that mixed old favourites with some sparkling new songs to a euphoric crowd.
Monday, 2 September 2024
The Beaches / Chloe Slater - Manchester New Century - 1st September 2024
Monday, 26 August 2024
Blossoms / Inhaler / Shed Seven - Wythenshawe Park - 25th August 2024
Tuesday, 13 August 2024
Inspiral Carpets - Alloa Town Hall - 10th August 2024
Monday, 29 July 2024
Ist Ist / Indoor Pets / The Covasettes / Phoebe Green - Sheffield Network - 27th July 2024
Monday, 8 July 2024
James / Johnny Marr / Inspiral Carpets - Lytham Festival - 7th July 2024
James headed to the seaside on Sunday night with Orca 22 orchestra and the Manchester Inspirational Voices Gospel Choir in tow to headline the final night of Lytham Festival supported by Johnny Marr, Inspiral Carpets, The Magic Numbers and The Kairos.
Sunday, 30 June 2024
Puressence / Concrete Club / Purple Heart Parade - 29th June 2024
Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Placebo - Halifax Piece Hall - 25th June 2024
Thursday, 20 June 2024
Charm Of Finches / Mia Kelly - Salford The Kings Arms - 19th June 2024
Australian sister duo Charm Of Finches returned to Salford for their third headline show in the Greater Manchester area in a couple of years as part of their extensive UK tour to promote their fourth album Marlinchen In The Snow. They delighted a sold out crowd in the intimate surroundings of The Kings Arms’ upstairs theatre supported by Quebec singer-songwriter Mia Kelly.
Sunday, 16 June 2024
James - London O2 Arena - 15th June 2024
James finished their biggest ever UK arena tour with their first ever show at London’s O2 Arena, making the capital’s largest indoor gig space feel intimate with a mix of their greatest hits and tracks from their number one album Yummy.
Saturday, 15 June 2024
James - Manchester CO-OP Live - 14th June 2024
James played their biggest ever sold out UK show at Manchester’s newest venue Coop Live on Friday night. Mixing tracks from their number one album Yummy with most of their biggest hits they demonstrated that you can still live and thrive as a band without simply playing the nostalgia card.
Friday, 14 June 2024
TRACK OF THE DAY : Ist Ist - Repercussions
Thursday, 13 June 2024
James - Birmingham Utilita Arena - 12th June 2024
James’ UK tour in support of their number one album Yummy headed to Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Wednesday night. The most spontaneous and thrilling show so far, imperfectly perfect, delighted a West Midlands crowd with a rich mix of the familiar and not so familar.
Wednesday, 12 June 2024
James / Razorlight - Cardiff Utilita Arena - 11th June 2024
Monday, 10 June 2024
Scattered Ashes - All That Is Solid Melts Into Air EP
Recorded in December 2023 at the iconic Darklands Audio studio in Dublin, Scattered Ashes deliver a near perfect EP in All That Is Solid Melts Into Air. The Dan Doherty produced recording showcases the Dublin/Mayo (London based) quartet for what they are and their darker more sinister approach sets them apart from many of their contemporaries. Like many of the bands that release on Galway based Blowtorch Records they are a band of distinction with a bright future ahead of them despite the dark undertones prevalent in many of their songs.
Sunday, 9 June 2024
James - Leeds First Direct Arena - 8th June 2024
James’ tour in support of their number one album Yummy rolled into Leeds First Direct Arena on Saturday night. A set of eight tracks taken from the record was mixed with most of their biggest singles and a couple of old friends.
Saturday, 8 June 2024
James - Glasgow OVO Hydro - 7th June 2024
James brought their tour to support their number one album to the cavernous space of Glasgow’s Hydro and 12,000 hungry excited Glaswegians. Capturing the mood of the night perfectly with both the performance and setlist they mixed the new and old in just the right measure to get an ecstatic response.
Friday, 7 June 2024
Thursday, 6 June 2024
James - Newcastle Utilita Arena - 5th June 2024
James continued their UK tour in support of number one album Yummy with their first show in over twenty years at Newcastle's Utilita Arena. Mixing many of their biggest anthems from their 1990s commercial peak with their current number one album Yummy and with Tim Booth getting up close and personal with the audience, they turned an old soulless arena into an intimate space.
Tuesday, 4 June 2024
James / Razorlight - Aberdeen P&J Live - 3rd June 2024
James opened their UK arena tour in the North East of Scotland with their first ever visit to the P&J Live arena and their first visit to the city since 2008. Playing a predictably varied set of songs taken from their recent number one album Yummy as well as dipping in and out of forty years plus of hits and with beautiful accompanying visuals and crystal clear sound, they presented a new record they're justifiably proud of in detail alongside some more familiar songs. Support came from Razorlight.
Monday, 3 June 2024
The Lovely Eggs / Violet Malice / Loose Articles - Manchester New Century - 1st June 2024
The Lovely Eggs brought their ten-date tour to promote their new album Eggsistentialism to a close with a fast and furious show at New Century Hall in Manchester on Saturday night supported by Violet Malice and Loose Articles.