Liam Frost / Ederlezi / Demi Marriner - Manchester Halle St Michael's - 25th/26th February 2022

One of Manchester's most-loved yet underappreciated songwriters made his comeback with two intimate shows at Halle St Michael's on Friday and Saturday night, reminding us of the brilliance of his back catalogue of three albums whilst tantalising us with new material which he promises will be released "soon". Support came from Ederlezi on Friday and Demi Marriner on Saturday.

Sprints / DEAFDEAFDEAF - Manchester Yes Basement - 24th February 2022

Sprints played their first date of 2022 in the smoky basement of Manchester's Yes on Thursday night, the opening show on their UK and Irish tour in support of their forthcoming second EP A Modern Job. An enthusiastic crowd were drawn in by the infectious energy emanating from the stage as Sprints' no holds barred approach to their art continued their seemingly unstoppable rise.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Just Mustard - Still

Just Mustard have revealed Still, the first track to be taken from their forthcoming second album Heart Under that is released on May 27th. The song features intoxicating vocals from Katie Ball wrapped around a gloriously intense soundtrack.

VLURE - Glasgow King Tut's Wah Wah Hut - 18th February 2022

Delayed from December, VLURE's triumphant end-of-tour homecoming at Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut was the hottest ticket in town on Friday night. Coming home with the release of their debut EP Euphoria in their back pocket and about to embark on a tour across bigger halls supporting White Lies, this was a celebration amongst friends of a band that's destined for greatness.

TRACK OF THE DAY : The False Peak - The Dreamer

The Dreamer is the debut single from The False Peak, a Leeds-based trio and the song very much lives up to their stated aim of "writing catchy songs with an evocative message" as they look back at childhood memories wrapped up in music that has a warm and endearing feel to it.

Smoke Fairies / Samana - Manchester Deaf Institute - 12th February 2022

Smoke Fairies brought their first tour in two years to Manchester's Deaf Institute on Saturday night with a set leaning heavily on 2020's Darkness Brings The Wonders Home album. Support came from a stripped-down Samana.

Sugarfungus - Interview

Vancouver's Sugarfungus formed during lockdown and recently released their debut EP Letting Go, Moving Still, six songs of addictive glorious electronic dream-pop tinged with a hint of melancholy. We caught up with them for a chat to find out more about them, the songs on the EP and their plans.

The Snuts / Heidi Curtis - Manchester Blues Kitchen - 9th February 2022

Wednesday night saw Jack from The Snuts perform a much-rescheduled set of songs from their number one debut album accompanied by a cellist in front of packed and vocal Manchester crowd at The Blues Kitchen. Support came from Newcastle solo artist Heidi Curtis.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Balancing Act - Cold

Cold is the debut single from Balancing Act, a duo featuring Kai Roberts, formerly front man of Carnival Club, and Jackson Couzens of Anteros. Now relocated to London from Manchester where they met, they've got together to produce this first single with the promise of more to come.

Déjà Vega - Glasgow Nice N Sleazy - 6th February 2022

Déjà Vega are on a roll. The night after their biggest ever headline show at Manchester Gorilla, the band make their way north to play their inaugural Scottish show. Stuart Ralston went home for the evening and, like the rest of the audience, was blown away.

Cherry Ghost / Liam Frost - Hebden Bridge Trades Club - 6th February 2022

Postponed almost two years from its original date in April 2020, Sunday night finally saw Cherry Ghost play an extremely rare live show at Hebden Bridge Trades Club with a set spanning their three albums to date to an awe-struck reverent audience. Support came from a solo set from Liam Frost making his Trades Club debut.

Déjà Vega / The Zangwills - Manchester Gorilla - 5th February 2022

Déjà Vega's much-delayed tour to support the much-delayed release of their second album Personal Hell called in at Manchester Gorilla on Saturday night for a triumphant sort-of-homecoming show in front of a fevered crowd drawn in by the cathartic majesty of a band that had always been seen as an underdog but who are now filling venues across the country.

Ist Ist - Manchester 33 Oldham Street - 1st February 2022

Ist Ist played the first of two extremely intimate Independent Venue Week shows at Manchester's 33 Oldham Street venue on Tuesday night. Tickets sold out in seconds for both shows when they were put on sale so there was a real sense of anticipation for a band playing to a tenth of the audience of their recent Manchester headline shows and they didn't disappoint with a twenty-song set that went all the way back to their debut single and forward to an unreleased track they're working on for their third album.

Colacello / Strawberry Lemonade / Max Hammond / South By Zero - Manchester Lions Den - 29th January 2022

Saturday night saw the first Boon Army night at Manchester's Lions Den venue on Deansgate Mews, four acts interspersed and followed by a DJ set from Clint Boon. Giving an opportunity to new and upcoming acts of all ages to play in front of each other's audiences with the attraction of one of the city's favourite musical sons, the Lions Den is trying its hardest to establish its venue, recently refurbished and rearranged, in a part of the city centre that isn't noted for small independent venues.

Wet Leg / Mandy, Indiana / High School - Manchester Yes - 28th January 2022

Wet Leg headed to Manchester as part of the celebrations of Independent Venue Week to play a sold-out-in-seconds show in the Pink Room of Yes to a crowd of the already converted and the curious. Performing their forthcoming debut album in full and more they delighted a two hundred and fifty crowd with a song full of fun and joy that's been in short supply recently. Support came from the contrasting but both excellent High School and Mandy, Indiana.

Proletariat - Manchester Rose And Monkey Hotel - 26th January 2022

Proletariat played an intimate stripped-back show at Manchester's Rose And Monkey on Wednesday night as a thank you for ticket holders for their upcoming headline show at Gorilla on May 21st. Revealing their next single What Do We Call This Place as well as a surprise cover, they demonstrated a different side to their work than we'd previously seen.

The Red Stains - Manchester Stage And Radio - 26th January 2022

The Red Stains' first gig of 2022 was an intimate affair in the makeshift venue of the basement of Stage And Radio on Port Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter. With a significant crowd already in for the opening band, their ten song set gave an exciting and thrilling reminder of their fascinating pop / punk crossover.

Yard Act - Manchester Yes - 25th January 2022

In the middle of a chart battle with Years And Years with their debut album The Overload, Yard Act are on a mission to play as many gigs and sell as many records as humanly possible to try and top the charts at the end of the week. We caught their last minute gig at Manchester's Yes, announced 24 hours before, their fourth of the day and witnessed a tired and emotional band capture the imagination and hearts of a packed out crowd.

Déjà Vega - Personal Hell

Déjà Vega's second album Personal Hell captures one of the most enthralling live bands around spreading their wings from their self-titled debut yet retaining the thrilling intensity for which they've become known, a trio of friends who've been on a musical journey for approaching a decade and who are finally getting the wider acknowledgement that we've known they've always deserved.

The KVB / DEK - Manchester Deaf Institute - 22nd January 2022

The KVB brought their sixth album Unity to a packed-out Deaf Institute on Saturday night in their adopted hometown of Manchester for the second night of their UK tour supported by local trio DEK.

Howling Bells / Lexi Berg - Manchester Night And Day Cafe - 21st January 2022

Howling Bells played the penultimate night of their Revive Live tour at Night And Day Cafe in Manchester on Friday night, performing their self-titled debut album in full plus tracks from its follow-up Radio Wars, turning back the clock way back to 2006. Support came from Lexi Berg playing a solo set showcasing tracks from her recent debut EP.

Lonelady / Peter Duggal - Hebden Bridge Trades Club - 14th January 2022

With so many shows cancelled at present, it was a real joy to witness a gig for the first time in 2022 at our favourite venue, The Trades Club in Hebden Bridge, and with such an intoxicating performer as Lonelady on stage, fusing dance and rock music elements into a combination that few do so successfully and with an audience eating out of the palm of their hands as the seventy-five minute set felt like a genuine release of pent-up frustration and a reminder of the joy that live music can bring.

Ryley Walker - So Certain EP

Ryley Walker is one of the most prolific artists around. Not just content with releasing his own solo album Course In Fable last year, he also put out a number of collaborations inspired by the improvisational spirit that runs through his live shows where songs take on a life of their own often detached from their recorded origins. The So Certain EP is a more traditional record, laid down with long-term collaborator Bill MacKay on guitar, Andrew Scott-Young on bass and cello and Quin Kirchner on drums and percussion, the former two who'd worked with him on Course In Fable.

VLURE - Euphoria EP

Glasgow five-piece VLURE have been the hottest band on our radar since they released a live video of Desire way back in 2019 when the world was a very different place. Two and a bit years on, they release their debut EP Euphoria as a soundtrack to survival, of understanding exactly what and who matters and the importance of love and friendship to our existence and happiness.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Mary Joanna - Dead Man's Eyes

Dead Man's Eyes is the lead track from a new compilation album released by Mary Joanna of unreleased tracks from the short-lived existence of their band in 2015-6 as a tribute to her brother and bassist / programmer Will Coogan who passed away in 2021. 

EVEN THE STARS 22 TIPS FOR 22

The folks at SoundOn have asked us to compile a playlist of our tips for 2022, so we've selected 22 of the artists and bands that we think will make their mark over the next twelve months and who we're looking forward to hearing what they do next. We've selected artists and bands that haven't yet released their debut album. We'd love to hear in the comments who you recommend and who you think we've missed.

EVEN THE STARS 2021 PLAYLIST

We've compiled a playlist of forty of our favourite songs of 2021, a mix of singles and album tracks from new and established bands.

Full list - VLURE, Ist Ist, James, Odd Morris, Julia Bardo, Marissa Nadler, Self Esteem, Wolf Alice, Dry Cleaning, Low Hummer, The Slow Readers Club, Stephen Fretwell, LIINES, Lime Garden, wych elm, Soot Sprite, FIKA, Egyptian Blue, Sprints, Proletariat, Blanketman, Rosellas, Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra, Meggie Lennon, talker, Wyldest, Hectorine, Solis, Lanterns On The Lake, Roxanne De Bastion, Blankenberge, English Teacher, Francis Of Delirium, Hates Talking, Grandmas House, James Holt, Thyla, Bleach Lab, The Clockworks and Bullet Girl

EVEN THE STARS ALBUMS OF 2021 - 5 to 1

2021 has been a very strong year for albums. Our top three would have topped this list in most of the years that we've being doing this. Our top five features a band about to celebrate its fortieth anniversary with an album that stands up against anything they've ever released, a Manchester band's second album in two years who are hopefully on the brink of bigger things, a rich emotional debut from an Italian songwriter, a long-awaited return after over a decade away from a much-loved singer-songwriter and a ninth solo album from a singer entering her third decade in the business.

EVEN THE STARS ALBUMS OF 2021 - 10 to 6

2021 has been a very strong year for albums. Our top three would have topped this list in most of the years that we've being doing this. Today we reveal albums ten to six in our favourite records of the year.

Solis - Interview

Solis is likely to be a name familiar to those with their ear to the ground in Manchester over the past few years as she's played a series of impressive support slots for the likes of Blossoms and Ist Ist as well as some showstopping performances at open mic nights around town. With her debut album scheduled in for 2022 and a recent single Sunday acting as a lead-in, we caught up with her for a chat about how she came to be in Manchester, her inspirations and plans.

The Chameleons / Ist Ist / Salvation - Manchester Ritz - 18th December 2021

The Chameleons brought their traditional Christmas shows back to Manchester Ritz after last year's enforced absence with two nights entitled Home Is Where The Heart Is 2021 / Nostalgia 81:21 as a celebration of forty years of the band's existence. We caught the triumphant second night supported by Salvation and Ist Ist as they reminded us just why they're one of the most-loved if underacknowledged bands to come from the city.

Apta - Echoes

Echoes is the third album to be released this year by the prolific Apta - description "one man, many machines, some strings" - following in the footsteps of WF24 - Vignettes and Rainbow Islands. Across eleven tracks we're taken on an atmospheric trip through the thought processes of the creator.

Ist Ist / Proletariat / Oceans On Mars - Manchester Academy 2 - 11th December 2021

Ist Ist’s much-delayed tour in support of last year’s debut album Architecture and subsequently this year’s follow-up The Art Of Lying concluded with their biggest headline show to date, a triumphant twenty one song homecoming at Manchester Academy 2 on Saturday night supported by Oceans On Mars and Proletariat.

Lanterns On The Lake / Wyldest / Hector Gannet - Newcastle The Boiler Shop - 10th December 2021

Lanterns On The Lake played their first hometown headline show for four years on Friday night at The Boiler Shop supported by Wyldest and Hector Gannet. Originally intended as a celebration of the launch of their Spook The Herd album but delayed by eighteen months by the pandemic, with promoter changed in the interim, the night still felt like a triumphant return in front of a loyal attentive audience.

Lanterns On The Lake / Wyldest - Hebden Bridge Trades Club - 9th December 2021

Lanterns On The Lake resumed their much-postponed tour at Hebden Bridge Trades Club on Thursday night supported by Wyldest, finally able to tour their 2020 album Spook The Herd in the country's finest small venue.

TRACK OF THE DAY : James Holt - The Wedding

Even The Stars favourite James Holt seems to be churning out more songs than Santa’s elves are busily making toys it would appear, and what a gift for our eardrums his new single The Wedding is.

Ist Ist / Paid By Cash - Leeds Hyde Park Book Club - 8th December 2021

Ist Ist continued their long-delayed tour in support of their debut album Architecture and its top 100 follow-up The Art Of Lying with a sold-out show in the intimate basement of Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds supported by Skipton's Paid By Cash with a seventeen song set that showcased both albums as well as selected tracks from their early EPs.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Sisterix - What Will I Wear To The Revolution?

Dublin sister duo Sisterix have released their latest single, What Will I Wear To The Revolution?, a song that captures the contradictions between fighting battles against the system and the expectations placed on people by society and social media to look good at all times.

The Libertines / Ed Cosens / Trampolene / Dead Freights - Manchester Academy - 6th December 2021

The Libertines' Giddy Up A Ding-Dong Tour rolled into a sold-out and packed to the rafters Manchester Academy on Monday night for an ecstatic celebration of the work of one of the country's most-loved bands playing to an audience of young and old. Support came from Dead Freights, Trampolene and Ed Cosens.

James - London Wembley Arena - 4th December 2021

James concluded their UK tour at Wembley Arena on Saturday night. With a career-spanning set James once again defied those who wish them to be a greatest hits machine with something more cerebral that demands attention yet is ultimately far more rewarding.

James / Happy Mondays - Manchester AO Arena - 3rd December 2021

James and Happy Mondays played triumphant sets at their homecoming show on Friday night at the cavernous AO Arena that both bands made feel intimate and celebratory in different ways. Happy Mondays delivered a set of their most well-known material whilst James played a stunning set that felt like a magical mystery tour through their extraordinary back catalogue.

The Red Stains / Pyncher / The Strangerz - Manchester Castle Hotel - 2nd December 2021

The Red Stains played their final show of 2021 at their Jump The Met night at a sold out Castle Hotel in Manchester on Thursday night supported by two other up-and-coming Manchester-based bands Pyncher and The Strangerz on the strongest small venue bill we've seen this year.

Dry Cleaning / Garden Centre - Hebden Bridge Trades Club - 1st December 2021

Dry Cleaning continued their short run of intimate shows around the UK with a packed out night at Hebden Bridge Trades Club on Wednesday night featuring songs from their debut album Long Leg that's featured highly on most album of the year polls and from their Sweet Princess and Boundary Road Snacks And Drinks EPs. Support came from a solo slot from Garden Centre.

James / Happy Mondays - Glasgow Hydro - 30th November 2021

James’ tour in support of their All The Colours Of You album with Happy Mondays rolled into Glasgow on Tuesday night for a show at the Hydro that once again contained a real mix of the old and new with a finale that had the whole floor bouncing out of the cavernous hall.

VLURE / The Novus - Leeds Headrow House - 29th November 2021

VLURE completed their first UK tour with a show at Headrow House in Leeds. We diverted our travel plans as part of our mission to see them as much as we can at this important phase in their development as a band and were rewarded by another intense and unique performance from a band that excited us from the first note we heard from them and the love for who continues to grow.

James / Happy Mondays - Cardiff Motorpoint Arena - 28th November 2021

James and Happy Mondays' UK and Ireland tour rolled into Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena for James' first gig in the Welsh capital for ten years and their first in this venue since 1999. As in previous evening, James' set was a career-spanning one, but one that setlist watchers would have been thrown a few curveballs by as they introduced a few rarely-played tracks to the set without ruining the momentum and energy of the night.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Charm Of Finches - As A Child

As A Child is the latest single to be taken from Australian duo Charm Of Finches' new album Wonderful Oblivion - a beautiful song that takes a wistful look back at the carefree feeling of being a child, unaware of the world around you and unburdened by the pressures of adulthood accompanied by a video of childhood memories.

The Charlatans / Martin Carr & What Future - Birmingham O2 Academy - 27th November 2021

Saturday night saw The Charlatans' month-long tour in support of their career-spanning boxset head to the O2 Academy in Birmingham for a sold-out show that took the crowd on a nostalgic journey through some of their biggest hits, but also reminded us with some of their more recent material that they're an active thriving band even after all their trials, tribulations and tragedies over the years. Support came from Martin Carr & What Future.

James / Happy Mondays - Birmingham Utilita Arena - 26th November 2021

James' UK tour in support of their sixteenth studio album All The Colours Of You rolled into the cavernous surroundings of Birmingham's Utilita Arena on Friday night. A career-spanning set mixing chart-busting classic tracks, deeper cuts and fresh new songs had the crowd dancing from start to finish feeding off the energy emanating from the nine-headed beast of a band operating at full throttle. Support came from Happy Mondays.

James / Happy Mondays - Leeds First Direct Arena - 25th November 2021

James opened their UK and Ireland arena tour at Leeds First Direct Arena on Thursday night supported by Happy Mondays. Mixing classic crowd-pleasing singles with deeper cuts from across their career and a fair smattering of songs from this year's All The Colours Of You album, the newly-expanded nine-piece demonstrated that they're still a creative force to be reckoned with.