Bringing you all the Live Reviews that matter since 1998

WILD AND ELUSIVE
27 March 2012 / The Deaf Institute / Manchester
:: Wild Birds ::
In this media savvy age when everything from the colour of a musician's undies to who the groupies are is announced on twitter three weeks before the gig, here is a band that have focused on delivering their music first.

SOUPED UP!
29 March 2012 / Soup Kitchen / Manchester
:: Blondes :: Die Hexen ::
It's not easy to make it feel like a late Saturday night in summer on a Thursday in March, but this came pretty close.

AUDIOVISUAL MEMORIES
26 March 2012 / The Deaf Institute / Manchester
:: Memoryhouse :: Patterns ::
Memoryhouse may have been created as a multimedia project, but the music more than stands up on its own.

RETURN OF THE ELECTRIC MAINLINE
25 March 2012 / Academy 1 / Manchester
:: Spiritualized ::
No orchestras line the stage this evening, no complex arrangements, instead lights flash and guitars scream: this is Spiritualized the rock'n'roll band and right now they sound like the best rock'n'roll band in the world.

STRANGER STROKES
22 March 2012 / Gullivers / Manchester
:: Stranger Son :: It Hugs Back ::
"We got double booked... with a thrash metal night. Their last band's just finishing, our first one'll be on about half ten..." Yes, it's another late night at Stroke Club but well worth the wait.

HANGING AROUND
24 March 2012 / Academy 1 / Manchester
:: The Stranglers :: Mike Marlin ::
Almost exactly 35 years ago, The Stranglers dropped into Manchester’s Electric Circus..today they make an equal statement...

THE WORD ON THE STREET
16 March 2012 / Ruby Lounge / Manchester
:: Santiago Street Machine ::
Manchester – a city of beats, bass, booms and breaks should take note and take note soon. In terms of live dance music, there aren’t many doing it better than Santiago Street Machine.

SWITCHGEAR
15 March 2012 / The Ritz / Manchester
:: WU LYF :: Herb Diamante :: Shinies ::
Ay, Ay, Ay. What a difference two years makes....Wu Lyf claim home turf...

FRENCH REVOLUTION
15 March 2012 / Ruby Lounge / Manchester
:: Diagrams :: Yeti Lane :: Butcher The Bar ::
Parisians Yeti Lane have shrunk to a two-piece but somehow their sound seems bigger than ever.

HIDDEN TREASURES
14 March 2012 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: The Detour :: Black Lights ::
It's easy to forget sometimes that not all great new bands are to be found in fashionable typefaces on exquisitely designed posters: here an in-house weeknight bill at Night & Day showcases a couple of jewels.

UNEASY LISTENING
13 March 2012 / Ruby Lounge / Manchester
:: Xiu Xiu :: Trumpets Of Death ::
Like the young Edwyn Collins fronting a post-rock band trying to play pop disco but without any real idea how to go about it...

FLYING SOLO AGAIN
05 March 2012 / Academy 2 / Manchester
:: Mark Lanegan ::
Eight years on from "Bubblegum", Lanegan has finally stopped collaborating for long enough to make another album of his own - and here, delivers to the crowd exactly what they came to hear: that deep, unmistakeable, whisky soaked voice

NEW LIFE ON PLANET EARTH
07 March 2012 / Ruby Lounge / Manchester
:: Mount Eerie :: Earth ::
Three tracks in all concept of time has evaporated - in reality it's been about half an hour.

WE ARE POP STARS
04 March 2012 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: We Are Augustines :: The Louche :: The Sun Electric Band ::
We Are Augustines look ridiculously pleased with themselves as they walk out onto the stage, but then you would be, wouldn't you? They've been through a lot and now they're being screamed at like pop stars. But that's not tonight's only story...

CELEBRITY FUN FAIR
04 March 2012 / The Deaf Institute / Manchester
:: Theme Park :: The Cast of Cheers ::
A frenetic evening out with staccato singing, tight playing and tighter jeans

ROCK'N'ROLL SPIRIT
01 March 2012 / Ruby Lounge / Manchester
:: The Duke Spirit :: Sissy And The Blisters ::
You don't go and see The Duke Spirit expecting massive leaps of innovation, you go because they're a bloody great live band. Well, you do if you're a girl, anyway. I concede that gentlemen of the heterosexual variety might have other reasons.

PROMISED YOU A MIRACLE
03 March 2012 / The Ritz / Manchester
:: Simple Minds ::
Moving, innovative and spine tingling crescendos of a time never to be forgotten