EVEN THE STARS - TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2023

The following twenty albums have been our favourites of the year

Dirty Laces - Blink For Nothing

Eight years into their existence Dirty Laces have this week released their debut album Blink For Nothing, the culmination of a journey from a bunch of lads seemingly without focus and a plan to a band with a clear vision and ambition about exactly how they want to sound. It's an impressive first full length collection of songs and testament to their steadfast belief in their music.

Dirty Laces - Manchester Academy 3 - 17th September 2022

Dirty Laces celebrated the release of their new single Midnight Mile on Saturday night at Manchester Academy 3. An hour plus set of old favourites and new material confirmed their transformation from an archetypal Manchester lads band to a much more powerful and compelling sound.

A Concert For John (Peter Hook And The Light, LIINES, The Blinders, Cabbage, Dirty Laces, The Mysterines, Purple Heart Parade, Déjà Vega, Loose Articles, Scuttlers, Inland Taipan, Gardenback, Hey Bulldog, The Big Peach, La Mode) - Manchester Ritz - 1st August 2021

You'll know John Hall. If you're the type of person who likes to talk while the band are on, he'll have cast you a disbelieving stare across the room. If you're a real dickhead, like one man in Rawtenstall at a Liam Frost gig, I might have stood between the two of you at some point. If you love live music videos on You Tube, you'll have seen his wonderful Manc Music channel of films of songs recorded across Manchester's music venues, you'll probably be in one of them as he loves to show the audience reaction. If you've ever sat in the secret garden at the back of the Castle or the Rose And Monkey you'll definitely have met him. There isn't a bigger champion of new music in Manchester than John Hall. Many people might claim that title, bollocks that it is, as their own. But there's no I in John Hall, just a love of music, an extravagant flounce, a wicked laugh, a bag of pills and the biggest heart.

Dirty Laces - Interview

Dirty Laces release the video of their new single You ahead of an extensive nationwide UK tour. We caught up with them to find out a little more about them, their links with Bands FC, love of physical product and excitement about going on the road to new places.

Dirty Laces / Cobain Jones - Manchester 33 Oldham St - 1st March 2020

To celebrate the impending release of new single You and an extensive UK tour, Dirty Laces announced two last minute intimate shows at 33 Oldham Street for this Sunday night that sold out in minutes when put on sale earlier in the week. We caught the second of the night where they demonstrated their continuing evolution as a band and introduced new material into the set. Support came from an acoustic solo set from Cobain Jones.

20 FOR 2020 - EVEN THE STARS TIPS - Part One

Every year we give our predictions as to bands that will make their mark in the following year. Sometimes we're way off the mark, sometimes we're spot on and other times we're a year or even two or three ahead of a band breaking. What really matters though is we think these twenty artists are great - and think you should check them out.

Dirty Laces / The Slumdogs / Becki Fishwick - Manchester Deaf Institute - 22nd December 2019

Dirty Laces brought a successful year to an end for them with an intimate Sunday night show at The Deaf Institute in Manchester with a selection of old favourites, new material and a couple of surprise covers. They were supported by the return of The Slumdogs after a ten month absence and a short covers set from Becki Fishwick.

James / Anteros / Dirty Laces - Bingley Weekender - 1st September 2019

James headlined the final night of the inaugural Bingley Weekender on Sunday night, their last UK show before taking a well-earned sabbatical, with a set laden with hits and tracks from their recent top ten album Living In Extraordinary Times. Across the other stages we also caught impressive sets by Dirty Laces and Anteros.

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.

Liverpool Sound City (Berries / Average Sex / Hey Charlie / Peaness / Dirty Laces / White Room / Dish Pit / Violet Youth / The Seamonsters) - Various Venues - 6th May 2018

Day two of Liverpool Sound City saw us avoid the big venues and headline acts and concentrate on some of the smaller stages and bands that have been on our must-see list for a while or those we'd missed when they were last in Manchester. Across another scorching hot day in Liverpool, we caught The Seamonsters, Violet Youth, Dishpit, White Room, Dirty Laces, Peaness, Hey Charlie, Average Sex and Berries.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Dirty Laces - In Time

In Time is the new single from Manchester's Dirty Laces and it comes from their debut EP The Modern Age which is being launched with a headline gig at underground venue The Peer Hat on 10th February.