Live Review: Francis Dunnery and It Bites (IT Bites FD) / John Young – Manchester Academy, Manchester 20.01.2024

On Saturday night, Francis Dunnery and his band It Bites performed at Manchester Academy, delivering a night of musical brilliance and nostalgia that left the venue buzzing with excitement. The sold-out show took the audience through decades of an impressive career, starting with the classic “Black December” from second album, “Once Around The World”.

With the exceptional talents of the band’s members, including legendary American drummer Chad Wackerman, the performance showcased the unique sound that has defined Francis Dunnery and It Bites throughout the years. Dunnery himself, at 61 years old and still at the top of his game, demonstrated his exceptional songwriting and guitar-playing abilities, connecting with the audience through amusing banter and anecdotes.

The show included tracks from the latest album, “Return To Natural”, with standout moments such as “Magdalena” and “Out of Order”, the latter dedicated to his brother Baz. A semi-acoustic section brought a different dimension to the performance, featuring renditions of “Whole New World” and “Cold Tired and Hungry”.

The night concluded with an encore that saw the audience singing along and cheering for more. “Yellow Christian” served as the perfect finale.

Of note, the sound engineer flawlessly mixed the entire performance, adding to the overall experience.

Francis Dunnery remains an exceptional force in the music industry, despite being at times inexplicably overlooked by the UK mainstream music establishment. Tonight’s performance at Manchester Academy solidified his status as one of the best guitar virtuosos that the UK has ever produced.

Overall, it was a night that celebrated the past, embraced the present, and left fans eagerly anticipating whatever musical brilliance Dunnery has in store for the future.

The new album is available for purchase through Francis Dunnery’s website, and if you get the chance to see him live in the future, don’t hesitate – you will not be disappointed.

Supporting tonight was John Young (from the band Lifesigns), an excellent choice and a great set from John who over a remarkable career has played with the likes of Asia, Paul Rogers and Bonnie Tyler to name but a few. John played a solo set full of progressive rock-infused tracks setting up the evening nicely. John and the band are busy writing a fourth studio album, check out the Lifesigns Website for more information.

John Young