A Carefully Planned Festival Day 1 - 15th October 2016 (Lake Komo / Laura J Martin / The Orielles / Peaness / The Tuts / Cowtown / Calico / The Capital)

Manchester's finest urban music festival is still A Carefully Planned. Held over two days each October across Northern Quarter venues and a proper DIY effort rather than corporately funded, it showcases bands that might never get the corporate success its bigger and better funded contemporaries put on for that exact reason. It's a vehicle for discovering new bands, opening up to genres that you wouldn't ordinarily go and watch and in its most inspired moments an introduction to bands that will become your favourites.

Ramsbottom Festival Day 1 - The Slow Readers Club / Larkins / Lake Komo / LIINES - 16th September 2016

It's that time of year again when we head for the hills and the picturesque surroundings of Ramsbottom for one of the few remaining unspoiled festivals on the circuit.  Day One of the festival for us capture further evidence of The Slow Readers Club remarkable rise from the Northern Quarter venue circuit to turning away people at the door wherever they go as well as Glass Caves, Larkins, Lake Komo and LIINES.

Track Of The Day 2 : The Slow Readers Club - Don't Mind (Lake Komo Remix)

The Slow Readers Club are releasing a new single Plant The Seed from their 2015 album Cavalcade. Tucked away on the digital b-side is a rather cracking remix of previous single Don't Mind by the fabulous Lake Komo taking time out from building themselves a reputation as a band to keep a watchful eye on in 2016.

Hidden Charms / Viola Beach / Lake Komo - Manchester Gullivers - 16th November 2015

We seem to be blessed with a number of great triple-header bills at the moment and this Monday night combination of Hidden Charms, Viola Beach and Lake Komo is another great example. Three contrasting bands in style and approach they fit together well and all three would appear set for bigger stages than this in 2016.