EVEN THE STARS

Legendary Mancunian label Ugly Man, who released records by luminaries such as The Man From Del Monte and early I Am Kloot singles, are ma...

We introduced Mary Joanna & The Southern Electrikk a few weeks ago.  Our good friend and photographic genius Elspeth Mary Moore caught...

It's been a long time coming, but Andrew Montgomery, formerly singer with 90's indie heroes Geneva and latterly Amityville and St ...

She Makes War is a one woman wrecking ball.  A heady mix of electric guitar, acoustic ukulele, loop pedals, megaphones, xylophone, cymbals...

Bird are one of Liverpool's best kept secrets, but about to take on the world with their wonderful debut album, My Fear And Me.  They...

Four of the North-West's hottest new bands joined forces to sell out the Deaf Institute on Saturday night.  Headlined by Puppet Rebel...

Gospel's incredible debut single Disasters Running Wild hits you with a wave of layered vocals over a menacing electronic beat.  It...

In a surprise announcement, The Courteeners have revealed the release of a new album Concrete Love on August 18th.

US duo The Vacant Lots release their debut album Departure on Sonic Cathedral on June 30th.  Our reviewer Stuart Ralston discovered them, ...

Even The Stars favourites Catfish And The Bottlemen have announced the release of their debut album, The Balcony, on September 15th.

A sweltering Tuesday night in Manchester saw The Castle playing host to two great acts on a double headliner bill.   Natalie McCool was l...

There's an underground buzz around Manchester now about The Backhanders with Terry Christian championing their first demo and the rele...

This Friday sees a Manchester Amnesty fundraiser featuring Michele Stodart from the Magic Numbers, Carwyn Ellis of Colorama, The Lonesome...

It's always a delight when you discover an artist or band unintentionally.  We caught the second half of Nina Baker supporting Little ...

Inspiral Carpets have announced details of their forthcoming self-titled debut album, their first since reforming with original vocalist S...

Trampolene are one of the most exciting new bands on the live circuit at the moment. High energy, low fuss rock and roll music with little...

We have a soft spot for Musée Mécanique.  Their 2010 debut Hold This Ghost was one of our favourite albums of the year.  They've now a...

It's been three years since Tom Vek's second album Leisure Seizure, but he's back with his new album Luck.  It's his most...

We missed the start of Danny Mahon's set supporting Inspiral Carpets last week, but our good friend Stuart Ralston had made the trip ...

Fresh from recording their forthcoming self-titled album, Inspiral Carpets played their first gig of the year at XFM's First Friday ni...

Badly Drawn Boy and Liam Frost have teamed up for a charity show with all proceeds going to Manchester's Christies Hospital.  The show...

My Igloo are a new band born partly out of the break-up of Manchester favourites Frazer King.  They've been together six months. This ...

There's been a buzz building around Manchester about Mary Joanna & The Southern Electrikk despite them being able to count the num...

Former Inspiral Carpets vocalist, and regular visitor to Fife on his non-stop solo acoustic tour, Tom Hingley brings his new band to Scotl...

Candy Says are a unique proposition.  They have a manifesto which starts with the following : "We’re not even prete...

Ahead of the release of their second album Eclipse over twenty years after its creation, Manchester 90s heroes Paris Angels have released...

It's been a long time since Ren Harvieu's last solo show.   We went along to her low-key comeback show at Hebden Bridge Trades Clu...

Rounding off their tour in style with a headline gig at The Roadhouse, our good friend Stuart Ralston made the trip down from Scotland a...

Une petite naissance pour la petite mort.   James unveiled their majestic new album in an intimate sweaty sold-out show at London’s Ele...

La Petite Mort is James ’ 13 th studio album.   For a band that’s been dismissed by the media so many times, it’s a miracle that they...

The inspiration for the title of the blog is this song. First played as far back as 2007 and featuring on the DVD of their Moolah Rouge alb...

Little Sparrow Wishing Tree CD / Download out now Once in a while you find an artist that stops you in your tracks with the sheer ...

Little Sparrow , aka Katie Ware, has slowly but surely been building a dedicated following in Manchester with her stunning voice and beautif...

Gramotones have been building quite a buzz around Manchester for a couple of years now, fuelled by infrequent gigs and a love of harmonie...

Stefan Melbourne  - The Way We Fall EP DL / CD Out Now It's nearly two years since Stefan Melbourne's debut EP Before The Su...

There's a huge buzz in Manchester around Puppet Rebellion .  On the eve of the release of their second EP No Means Yes, we met with f...

NO  -  El Prado ( Arts And Crafts ) CD / Download / Vinyl (released April)   Released 18th February   It seems a long time si...

Reverend And The Makers -  Thirty Two ( Cooking Vinyl ) CD / Vinyl / Download / Pledge Due out 24th February Reverend And The Maker...

Findlay Manchester Band On The Wall 7th February 2014 Findlay returns back home to Manchester and charms a packed Band On The Wall. ...

High Hazels / The Orielles Sheffield Shakespeare 28th December 2013 It's been quite a year for new Sheffield band High Hazels, r...

The Slow Readers Club Heaton Chapel Blue Cat Cafe 22nd December 2013 Sometimes there's a band that you look at and listen to and...

Since the last hurrah of The Bluetones in September 2011, Mark Morriss has been ploughing a new career as a solo artist.  His second albu...

Candy Says / The Lottery Winners Manchester Fallow Café 24th October 2013 Candy Says came to Manchester for the final night of thei...

Etches Manchester Gullivers 3rd October 2013 It's no mean feat to get the first song you put out in the public domain played by ...

Black Casino And The Ghost -  Some Dogs Think Their Name Is No ( Lucky Machete) Download / CD Out Now Black Casino And The Ghost are...

Badly Drawn Boy Manchester Deaf Institute 6th September 2013 This sold-out show at the Deaf Institute in Manchester is Badly Drawn B...

Littlemores Home Sweet Home EP Self-released Download  / CD It's been almost two years since Littlemores released their Idle I...

Catfish And The Bottlemen / Puppet Rebellion / The Slow Readers Club Manchester FAC251 (This Feeling Club Night) 31st August 2013 ...

The Lottery Winners Manchester Academy 3 10th August 2013 The North West has a reputation for producing dark, dour, spiky music with...

Ryan Jarvis Manchester The Castle 2nd August 2013 So many singer-songwriters get tagged with the next big thing albatross as record ...