Bringing you all the Live Reviews that matter since 1998

FANCYING A BIT O’ THIS?
27 February 2007 / The Roadhouse / Manchester
:: The Pigeon Detectives ::
In New Music We Trust? Well, not always but in the case of The Pigeon Detectives I’d say they're a fairly reliable bet…

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
28 February 2007 / Dry Bar / Manchester
:: Amida :: Tokyo Police Club ::
Amida's clever pop sits uneasily next to the boys in blues frantic mashes - reservations abound..

LOOK WHO'S TALKING
25 February 2007 / Academy 2 / Manchester
:: The Violets :: Gossip ::
The Violets twist and bend sound and the Gossip treatment makes almost anything sound good

BROLLY GOOD
26 February 2007 / The Attic / Manchester
:: The Fountain :: China Red ::
Delicate paper parasols backdrop pretty light summer evening jazzy soul indie pop - and a cricket team

STAND UP
27 February 2007 / Tiger Lounge / Manchester
:: Hard Luck Child :: King Kayak :: Scruffy Regals :: Dr Butler's Hat Stand Medicine Band ::
Sometimes I wonder if FictionNonFiction have strange powers

NO JUNK CULTURE
22 February 2007 / Pyramid Arts Centre / Warrington
:: I Am Kloot :: (John Bramwell + Pete Jobson) ::
No cider, no Guinness but a solo gig by Mr J Bramwell featuring Pete the bass player who suffers under a smoking ban..

KNIVES OUT
23 February 2007 / The Roadhouse / Manchester
:: Union Of Knives ::
..like the soundtrack of some apocalyptic sci-fi anti-rave

PANIC AT THE DISCO
23 February 2007 / The Castle / Oldham
:: Red Vinyl Fur :: Sunday International ::
Strange tunes and the return of RVF provide various reasons to take cover..

IN A WIDE OPEN SPACE
21 February 2007 / Hard Rock Cafe / Manchester
:: The Shallow Call :: The Amber Club ::
Foot tapping beats and emotive urban hymns

DIFFERENT STRINGS
20 February 2007 / RNCM / Royal Northern College Of Music / Manchester
:: Kate Walsh :: Stephen Fretwell ::
‘William Shatner’s Dog’ instigates some doleful reflection

PETER AND THE KLOOT
18 February 2007 / Apollo / Manchester
:: I Am Kloot :: Babyshambles ::
No one-man shows tonight as Kloot and the 'Shambles provide a convincing display of song writing

PRESSURE VESSEL
19 February 2007 / Dry Bar / Manchester
:: Politburo :: Duty Now :: Air Cav :: Vessels ::
The whole thing - thrillingly - threatens to go on some bloody rampage.

TALKING SHOP
17 February 2007 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: The Early Years :: Danny Saul :: The Stations :: David Brookings ::
Hazy, swirly, translucent sounds mark The Early Years as genre revivalists

24 HOUR GARAGE PEOPLE
16 February 2007 / Academy 1 / Manchester
:: Calvin Party :: Half Man Half Biscuit ::
I could have been like Lou Barlow / But I'm more like Ken Barlow - so say we all

POP VS COOL
17 February 2007 / The Arena / Manchester
:: The Killers :: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club ::
The Killers are unashamedly pop and perhaps it's their infectious joy which makes them the greatest pop band in the world right now. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club... aren't.

SHINE A LIGHT
13 February 2007 / Tiger Lounge / Manchester
:: Its A Buffalo :: The Lightshines ::
This club night is so much fun - you're really never quite sure who's going to be on, and less still when

LOVER'S RIFFS
14 February 2007 / Hard Rock Cafe / Manchester
:: Sunday International :: Band(ism) ::
Stage diving, theatre, wild noises and all in a boiger chain that hosted the death of Anna-Nicole - the strangest of things happen in the least likely of places..

SUNDAY SCHOOL
11 February 2007 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Maps :: Longview :: The Second Floor ::
A fine evening's music, with tunes being spun between bands that even I'd forgotten existed

CRUNCH TIME
13 February 2007 / Club Academy (Academy 4) / Manchester
:: The Former Bullies :: The Hold Steady :: The Checks ::
How come the most exciting guitar music right now is being made by a bunch of guys probably older even than me?

ROUTINE SURGERY
10 February 2007 / Academy 3 / Manchester
:: Clinic :: The Adventures of Loki ::
On the plus side, they still have some useful weapons

SCARLET FANTASTIC
11 February 2007 / Sacred Trinity Church / Salford
:: Nancy Elizabeth :: Voice Of The Seven Woods :: Starless And Bible Black :: Chris Corsano ::
A suitably warm, ad-hoc, downright lovely environment in which to take in some gentle sounds

FIT TO DIE
08 February 2007 / Retro Bar / Manchester
:: Daggers (aka / formerly Bureau) ::
No messing, no filler, no indulgent experimentalism, just great pop firing on all cylinders

RACINE FUEL
07 February 2007 / The Roadhouse / Manchester
:: Racine ::
Racine may not always bring the weather with them but they do bring a good show..

NO BLINKING
08 February 2007 / Academy 1 / Manchester
:: +44 :: The Maple State :: The Tommys :: The Sounds ::
This could render Blink 182’s “indefinite hiatus” longer than many critics truly expected. Or hoped.

CRASH LANDINGS AND THIN SPIRITS
06 February 2007 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Snowfight In The City Centre :: Air Traffic :: Ghosts ::
Snowfight prove a back to front bill can work in their favour quite easily

BEDROOM FROLICS
05 February 2007 / Secret Venue / Manchester
:: iDresden :: Anteater ::
A fallowfield bedroom (yes bedroom) hosts the lead singer from Forward Russia's solo project debut in our fair city - plus the occuppants of an ill-fated Star & Garter booking.

HARMONY IN MY HARD ROCK HEAD
07 February 2007 / Hard Rock Cafe / Manchester
:: Tim And Sam's Tim And The Sam Band With Tim And Sam :: iDresden ::
Beautiful soundtracks and bouts of self contained fury that stick in your head like jagged pieces of red hot shrapnel

SUCKER PUNCH
01 February 2007 / The Roadhouse / Manchester
:: Supersuckers ::
A hammer and tongs hour-and-a-bit of rock n’ roll thunder

NEWS : SOUNDS LIKE MANCHESTER : MM FREE SERIES @ HARD ROCK
01 February 2007 / Pyramid Arts Centre / Warrington
:: Tim And Sam's Tim And The Sam Band With Tim And Sam :: The Amber Club :: iDresden :: Sunday International :: SAY (Say Jansfield) :: The Shallow Call :: Monomania :: Band(ism) ::
MANCHESTERMUSIC IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE REVOLUTION 96.2 FM AND HARD ROCK CAFE BRINGS YOU FREE LIVE MUSIC EVERY WEDNESDAY IN FEBRUARY, WITH IDRESDEN, TIM & SAM, SUNDAY INTERNATIONAL, THE AMBER CLUB, MONOMANIA, THE SHALLOW CALL, BAND(ISM)AND SAY JANSFIELD

AUTOMATIC PILOT
03 February 2007 / Academy 1 / Manchester
:: The Automatic :: The Horrors :: The View :: Mumm-Ra ::
There's at least one much-needed winklepickered kick up the arse in a 2007 "indie" scene

20 MINUTE WARNING
01 February 2007 / Dry Bar / Manchester
:: The Generalissimos :: International Trust :: Brandon Steep ::
Then the belligerent little bloke in glasses, who's been gleefully laying into the near free-for-all of the beer fridge, gets up on stage

SILENCE OF THE LAM
02 February 2007 / Apollo / Manchester
:: Ray Lamontagne ::
“Speak to us, Ray?” - “I am talking to you..”