News: 2023 Vive Le Rock Awards – Millie Manders, Jim Jones And Bad Barbee Join An All-star Line-up At O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, April 6th
After three long years of delays and cancellations, the Vive Le Rock Awards will finally take place at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on Thursday April 6th. And the good news is that the next day is a holiday so everyone can all party like it’s 1999! Featuring all-star chaos and one-off, unique performances, the …
Album Review: Slow Readers Club Release Anthemic 6th LP “Knowledge Freedom Power”
Band Image – Credit: Trust A Fox Photography One of the great things about being a music journalist is that you get early access to new music. The downside of that is that you have to keep it to yourself, until the day of release. Yes, you can talk about it, write about, tell everyone …
Album Review : Hundred Reasons Release Glorious Sunset, 16 Years After Last LP
Remember that relationship that just ended for no real reason? At different points in your lives, wanting different things, but despite the good times, you shake hands and walk away never looking over your shoulder. Sure, you hear about what they’re up to, from friends, but after awhile they become a distant memory, consigned to …
News: Manchester Punk Festival 2023
If you’re hoping to see some of the best punk bands, currently doing the rounds, then you’d better act quickly as there are less than 150 tickets left for MPF 2023. Spread over the Easter weekend 7-9th April, the festival is shared between 7 venues, all within easy walking distance of each other along the …
Live Review: Millie Manders & The Shut Up – Star & Garter 12/02/23
This is the 3rd time I’ve seen Millie Manders & The Shut Up in less than 12 months. From opening for Less Than Jake, kicking off the R-Fest outdoor stage at last summer’s Rebellion Festival and now the legendary indie venue, The Star & Garter in Manchester. Or “Mandchester” as my yellow wristband proclaims! Tonight’s …
Album Review: Yossari Baby – Inferiority Complex (Alphaville Records)
If you believed every single press release which accompanies any new album, you’d be excused for just throwing away all your record collection each time, as what’s just arrived in your inbox is truly the dogs danglies. Very occasionally, the hype meets the reality, and with Manchester Electo/New Wave 3 piece, Yossari Baby’s debut release, …
Album Review: Dealing With Damage – Use The Daylight
So when this arrived in my inbox just before Xmas, I filed it under “Interesting, check out later”, not really knowing what to expect. Dealing With Damage are a post-punk band from London, formed in 2015, who have spent more of their collective lives than is advisable playing in bands like Sink, Done Lying Down, …
News: Top Guns – Wingmen Take The Road
We live in an era of lockdown crafted, post-pandemic albums. With live performance taken out of the equation, in that dark period between 2020 and late 2021, musicians had to get creative. And get creative they did. Stripped of the ability to perform with their respective bands, Baz Warne (The Stranglers), Paul Gray (The Damned), …
EP: Satan’s Cats – Satan’s Cats
This is so good. Good honest punky rock n roll. You could be forgiven for never having heard of Satan’s Rats, despite them being one of the original 1977 punk bands, having opened for Sex Pistols and played at the legendary Roxy Club. You will not find them at Rebellion Festival, along with all the …
News: The Battery Farm – Flies
Good music should entertain you, be memorable after you’ve just heard it for the first time. It’s the Old Grey Whistle Acid Test!!! Great music on the other hand should disturb you, rock your core and enthuse you to share it with anyone else who think should care. Flies, the debut LP by The Battery …