High Voltage

It’s been a while since this correspondent has visited Oldham Street’s iconic Night and Day Café, but Manchester indie institution Friends of Mine’s takeover of the venue tonight ensured that a return was a must. Former recipients of HV’s New Noise spotlight, Crooked Rooks, are an enticing enough proposition on their own, but the booking of an intriguing new act from down the M62 made this a gig that I did not want to miss.

The Tea Street Band,...

In a student-free Manchester on a rainy Monday night School of Seven Bells were supposed to provide a glimmering wall of shoegazey marvellousness to transport us somewhere safe and otherworldly. Unfortunately it seems the band weren't aware that this was the deal, in a display that provided little more than a show of going through the motions. 



Things started brightly enough with first album favourite Half Asleep sounding as delicate as ever, with...

The music industry has become an increasingly fickle entity.  Record labels are now far more inclined to drop underperforming artists, making musicians seem disposable and temporary. Stories of record labels showing blind faith in a band they have a passion for seem a distant memory, with most music acts now lucky to get a couple of releases under their belts before they are thrown mercilessly onto the scrap heap. Therefore, huge credit must go to The Coral for genuinely standing...

Now in its third year, Rock Sector Records' SOS Festival has returned to Radcliffe in a new and extended two day format, taking in both a classic rock day (Friday) and a heavier metal day (Saturday).

After briefly getting lost in Radcliffe (bloody Metrolink, sending me the wrong way…), I arrive on the Friday just in time for The Jokers to come on, who lay down some neat AC/DC-esque hard rock riffs, and try their hardest to get the currently rather small crowd going....

I always envision Warp artists playing in the dark. Looking back to other Warp acts I’ve seen over the years I’m reminded that they’ve all played from the unlit corners of the stage. Half the time I’m not even sure if they’re the act I’ve come to see. Tonight at the Ruby Lounge however, The Hundred in the Hands play in stark purple hues. Not so much steeped in mystery, but more like they’ve just stepped out of a Topshop shoot, adorned with fringes,...

I’ll never forget the feeling watching The White Stripes play Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage in 2002. Pre-performance doubts whether simply a drummer and guitarist could accommodate the heaving crowds thirst for music hastily blown away as soon as Jack White hit the first notes of ‘Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground’. Tonight’s bout of reflection was brought about by the choice to move the Ohio duo’s show to the chasm of The Academy 1, but in front of a sold...

Having been locked away for a while working on new material Noah and the Whale played a one off show at the Manchester Cathedral on Saturday night The Cathedral was the perfect setting for the show and it came complete with an appearance from the Reverend.

After the resident Reverend had had a chat with the audience, The Wave Pictures took to the stage.  Their chilled out indie pop sound kept the awaiting crowd content but it was clear who they were here to see. Whilst...

The air of anticipation that surrounded this intimate gig was phenomenal.  Ash were back at the Tiv for the first time since 1997 and there certainly was an electric atmosphere...There were little clues dotted around that this was going to be a night to remember.  Whether it was the huge double decker tour bus or the queue that was down the street waiting to get in, it was going to be special.

Once band walked on stage with a confident swagger the crowd responded. There...

Its rare to find yourself at a gig and spend a solid 50% adoring the music and the other 50% laughing (perhaps a bit too) heartily at the on stage banter. Impressively, We Are Scientists manage to balance this wit with a sturdy canon of songs that have stood the test of fickle indie times.

Coming straight from their set at Glastonbury the night before, it felt almost a treat to watch the band in such an...

Whoever had the bright idea of moving tonight's show from the main Academy to the cattle pen that is Academy 2 had obviously miscounted the number of tickets sold, as the place is absolutely heaving tonight. Not only that, considering the freakishly warm and very un-Mancunian heatwave we've been experiencing over the last few days, the atmosphere in the venue is oppressive to say the least; in fact, it's so humid in here, even the walls are sweating...

Opening up tonight is...