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.

Wand / East Sister - Manchester Soup Kitchen - 26th January 2018

A packed Friday crowd crammed their way into Soup Kitchen to witness California's Wand come to town to plug their fourth album Plum with Switzerland's East Sister in support. They were rewarded with a set that was eclectic, eccentric and interspersed with moments of brilliant outsider angular pop tones from a band that sought to engage its audience at times and at others lose themselves in the moment.

Dantevilles / Hello Operator / Gardenback / Louie Louie / The Goa Express / Maddy Storm - Manchester Jimmy's - 27th January 2018

As January draws to an eventual end, Lucoo filled up the final Saturday with their all-dayer at Jimmy's with a line-up of many of the bands that have graced this stage in the past couple of years. We caught up with Maddy Storm, The Goa Express, Louie Louie, Gardenback, Hello Operator and Dantevilles with a packed hot and sweaty room full of fellow music fans.

Hot Snakes / LIINES / Hopper Propelled Electric - Manchester Gorilla - 25th January 2018

Ahead of the release of a new album Jericho Sirens in March and in support of the Sub Pop reissue of their three albums from 2000-2004, Hot Snakes rolled into Manchester with their furious barricade of unrelenting punishing three minute aural assaults that sent the crowd into a frenzied meltdown, pogoing and moshing. Support came from two Manchester bands - one of our favourites LIINES and Hopper Propelled Electric.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Berries - Faults

Faults is the new single from London three-piece Berries that is due out on February 9th ahead of the release of their second EP later this year. It's set to build on the momentum gathered by their last single Wild Vow and debut EP Those Funny Things which has led to well-received shows around the country to growing audiences and support from the likes of John Kennedy at Radio X and This Feeling and slots at festivals such as When In Manchester, Head For The Hills and Kazoopa.

Sextile / Hey Bulldog / Eyesore And The Jinx - Manchester Castle - 24th January 2018

LA's Sextile are in the UK promoting their new single Current Affair and last year's album Albeit Living. A packed out Castle Hotel in Manchester, with sweat dripping down the walls and from the ceiling, witnessed thirteen songs of blistering adrenaline from the four-piece that dragged their influences kicking and screaming into the here and now and left the audience breathless and demanding more. Support came from Hey Bulldog and Eyesore And The Jinx.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Emma Saunders - Everything To Me

Emma Saunders is a singer-songwriter from London. She's recently added three tracks to Soundcloud, all of which are an impressive first offering. We've chosen Everything To Me as the standout one for us as track of the day, but we'd recommend listening to the other two.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Cabbage - Arms Of Pleonexia

Cabbage have today released their new single Arms Of Pleonexia and first track to be taken from their forthcoming debut album Nihilist Glamour Shots due for release on March 30th.

Beth Bombara - Interview

Beth Bombara's album Map And No Direction made it to number seven in our albums of the year in 2017. A chance find led us to dig back into a fairly substantial back catalogue of an artist who found a home in the UK with Brighton's At The Helm Records for this album. As a result Beth is making her first trip to the UK for a series of shows with Jaime Wyatt in February as well as an appearance at Americanafest on January 31st. We caught up with her for a chat before she set off on her travels to find out a little more about her and where she's looking forward to playing.

TRACK OF THE DAY : David Ford - Animal Spirits

Animal Spirits is the title track from David Ford's forthcoming album, which he's described as being about macroeconomics and their impact on human behaviour.

Proletariat / Mint / Matter Of Mind / Voodoos - Manchester Jimmy's - 20th January 2018

This Feeling's Big In 2018 series of shows took over Jimmy's in Manchester this weekend. Staying true to the ethos of promoting both local talent and giving bands from out of town the opportunity to play somewhere away from home, Saturday night's sold-out show matched Mossley headliners Proletariat and Stockport's Matter Of Mind with Glaswegians Voodoos and Grimsby's Mint for a four band bill that was high on loud guitars, big choruses and powerful songs that aim for the jugular.

Kula Bay - Manchester Club Academy - 19th January 2018

Kula Bay's first show of 2018 took place in the basement Manchester Club Academy on Friday night on a bill of bands with very mixed styles and fan bases. Their set though confirmed them as one of the acts set to make their mark this year as their developing confidence, innate sense of melody and the immediate hooklines in their songs didn't feel at all out of place in the biggest room they've played so far.

Proletariat - Interview

Proletariat are one of a new wave of bands from the Manchester area making their mark currently. The four-piece haven't been around too long, but already they're selling out headline shows of their own, capturing prized support slots and getting their message heard both in the city and beyond. This weekend they headline This Feeling's Big In 2018 night at Jimmy's in Manchester before their big show at Deaf Institute in March which is already close to a sell-out. We caught up with front man James to find out a bit more about them and what they're about.

Edits - Re-Surface EP

Re-Surface is the third EP from Manchester duo Edits featuring lead track Don't Speak which we featured late last year and four other tracks. It's an EP full of the dramatic electronic and vocal swooping and soaring that characterised their first two releases, but with a more direct sense of purpose. It's an impressive statement of intent from a band seeking to break out of the Manchester underground scene.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Nick Tudor - I Can Rely On Me

I Can Rely On Me is the new single from Bridlington-based solo artist Nick Tudor, following on from last year's Idle Hands and Idle Minds EP. It's one of those songs that you stumble across by accident and it stops you in your tracks.

Sultans Of Ping FC - Casual Sex In The Cineplex (Expanded Edition)

Casual Sex In The Cineplex was the debut album from Sultans Of Ping FC, a mysterious odd bunch from Cork who traded in magnificently bonkers songs for three albums back in the 1990s. Best known for the indie disco hit Where's Me Jumper? that still sets dance floors alight when it's played to a room of forty somethings reminiscing about their university days, the time has come to reissue that album more than twenty five years on, enhanced by the inclusion of a raft of b-sides and the first CD release of tracks from their debut What About Those Sultans? EP.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Control Of The Going - Love You More

Love You More is the second track to be revealed from Control of The Going's debut album I Love You But It's Going To Rain, due for release on February 23rd. The song is a live favourite already and a big bold statement of intent from the Tameside six-piece.

John Bramwell / Dave Fidler / Merrym'n - Biddulph Arms - 13th January 2018

John Bramwell's first gig of 2018 was an intimate affair in the relaxed surroundings of Biddulph Arms. With support from Dave Fidler and Merrym'n, the respectful and attentive audience survived the furnace like conditions of the room and were treated to three very different but talented songwriters displaying their craft.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Soccer Mommy - Your Dog

Your Dog is the first song to be taken from Soccer Mommy's debut album Clean which is due out on March 2nd in conjunction with a UK tour that takes in a show at the Castle Hotel in Manchester on March 4th.

Kula Bay - Interview

Kula Bay sprang out of nowhere in the middle of the year, but by the end of it their debut single 7 Hours was a staple on BBC Introducing in both Manchester and Liverpool as well as appearing on our list of top four tips for 2018. The Warrington four piece's new single Lost With You is out on January 20th and will be exclusively revealed via an interview and session with Michelle and Nat at BBC Introducing Manchester. We caught up with them at the Night And Day just before Christmas for a chat about how things have taken off for them in the past few months and their plans for 2018.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Orphan Colours - High Hopes

High Hopes is the first single from Orphan Colours' debut album All On Red that's released on January 26th on At The Helm Records. Featuring members of ahab, Danny And The Champions Of The World, this supergroup of sorts have crafted an album that has touch points on the work of those three bands, but with an individuality and depth that's all of its own.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Kaves - 27

27 is the debut single from Norwich four-piece Kaves. Only formed in June of last year, they've already sold out their debut gig at their hometown Waterfront studio venue and had repeat plays on BBC Introducing in Norfolk. 27 is a brilliant three minute pop song with a chorus that'll stick in your head for days after listening to it but which is anything but throwaway, touching on a whole boat load of influences whilst retaining an original sound and personality all of its own. It's a mightily impressive debut that has us excited about what they'll do next.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Us - Mute

Mute is the second single from Stockholm-based electronic duo Us. The voice might be familiar though - it's Andrew Montgomery, formerly of Geneva and Amityville and who released his solo album Ruled By Dreams a few years back. His voice is unmistakable and the sparse electronic backing allows him to really demonstrate his command of range and ability to use it to express emotions in a way that many singers simply don't possess the tools to.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Lynchs - Think Responsibly

We like a band with a bit of mystery about them, one that doesn't give away names, post many pictures (although their Twitter Christmas picture shows a sense of humour) but which have a big slice of self-confidence as their introductory email described themselves as "the most exciting new band in Manchester." A bold proclamation so have a listen to their latest single Think Responsibly and see if you agree.

Even The Stars Top Albums Of 2017 - 5 to 1

Our Top 25 albums of 2017 countdown concludes today with the Top Five albums (in our opinion) that were released this year. We also would give a very honourable mention to our most listened album of the year which is Live With Royal Northern Sinfonia, which topped our 2016 listing and received its first physical release on vinyl in November.  Feel free to tweet us your favourites and why you think our list is great / predictable / preposterous.

Tips For 2018 - The Top Four

Welcome to the final day of our tips of 2018 where we present the four acts that we have the highest hopes for next year to make an impact on the music scene, either in Manchester or further afield. Our final four are Kula Bay, Janileigh Cohen, Average Sex and MarthaGunn.

Even The Stars Top Albums Of 2017 - 10 to 6

Our Top 25 albums of 2017 countdown continues today with the albums that make up numbers 10 to 6 in our list. Feel free to tweet us your favourites and why you think our list is great / predictable / preposterous.

Tips For 2018 - Part Four

Welcome to Day Four of our tips of 2018 where we present twenty acts who we think will make an impact on the music scene next year. Today we have Bedroom High Club, Hannah Ashcroft, Maddy Storm and The Gallerys.

Happy Mondays - Glasgow O2 Academy - 23rd December 2017

Rounding off their tour in Glasgow, a rejuvenated Happy Mondays bring the house down. Stuart Ralston headed down to the O2 Academy to catch the last night of Happy Mondays' 30th celebrations.

Even The Stars Top Albums Of 2017 - 15 to 11

Our Top 25 albums of 2017 countdown continues today with the albums we ranked 15 to 11 of those released this year. Feel free to tweet us your favourites and why you think our list is great / predictable / preposterous.

Tips For 2018 - Part Three

Every year we make some predictions of bands that we think are going to make an impact in the following year and beyond (we use that caveat as we're often a year ahead of some of these types of polls as we cover bands at the very grass roots level, particularly in Manchester). Last year our nominations included the likes of Cabbage, Carnival Club, Matter Of Mind, Dantevilles, Berries, Urban Theory and Peaness, all of whom had successful years.

Over this week, cumulating with our top four tips on Saturday, we'll run through 20 acts we think could make their mark in 2018.

Even The Stars Top Albums of 2017 - 20 to 16

Our Top 25 albums of 2017 countdown continues today with the albums that make up numbers 20 to 16 of our favourite records of the year. Feel free to tweet us your favourites and why you think our list is great / predictable / preposterous.

Tips For 2018 - Part Two

Welcome to Day Two of our tips of 2018 where we present twenty acts who we think will make an impact on the music scene next year. Today we have Purple Merlin, Pip Blom, The Goa Express and Pale Rider.

Even The Stars Top Albums Of 2017 - 25 to 21

Our Top 25 albums of 2017 countdown starts today with numbers 25 to 21 in our list of thebest albums (in our opinion) that were released this year.  Feel free to tweet us your favourites and why you think our list is great / predictable / preposterous.

Tips For 2018 - Part One

Every year we make some predictions of bands that we think are going to make an impact in the following year and beyond (we use that caveat as we're often a year ahead of some of these types of polls as we cover bands at the very grass roots level, particularly in Manchester). Last year our nominations included the likes of Cabbage, Carnival Club, Matter Of Mind, Dantevilles, Berries, Urban Theory and Peaness, all of whom had successful years.

Over the next five days, cumulating with our top four tips on Saturday, we'll run through 20 acts we think could make their mark in 2018.