Bringing you all the Live Reviews that matter since 1998

AKOUSTIK ANARKHY SUMMER PARTY
23 July 2005 / The Rampant Lion / Manchester
:: The Longcut ::
When you think it’s all over, there’s a cry of “Party at the Longcut’s house

EXECUTIONER'S CALL
18 July 2005 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Kill The Young ::
None of them have beards, and as is the inpatient nature of youth, they don’t intend on spending much time dawdling about

KOOKY DOESN'T CRUMBLE
29 July 2005 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: The Kooks :: Ghostly Man :: Star27 :: The Vincent Valmera Show ::
But I didn’t come to be romanced; I came to sample the fresh, the new, the cutting edge shit. Well ideally anyway. It turns out that The Kooks have a talent way beyond the scope of even their combined age...

HITS OF SUMMER
29 July 2005 / Chorlton Southern Hotel / Manchester
:: Movement :: Fear Of Music :: Aidan Smith :: 3rd DAN :: Field Music :: The Whip ::
There’s a feeling that whatever’s around the corner for them, they’ll have it for breakfast...

THREE COLOURS BLACK
20 July 2005 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Thee Unstrung :: The Raveonettes ::
Whilst the imminent third album may be titled “Pretty In Black” there are actually a whole lot of new colours in the music.

LONE BE A LADY
28 July 2005 / The Music Box / Manchester
:: 13 Amp :: Kubichek :: The Ending Of . . . :: LoneLady ::
Lonelady's music it seems, has been created in a fittingly isolated place with jolting, emotionally and instrumentally complex tunes that match her bold stage name.

RUG RAT
22 July 2005 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Kid Carpet :: Nephew :: The Goodbye Plot :: Chris Murphy and The Greenlovers ::
Kid Carpet has gained attention and adulation from cloaking his music in plastic toys bought from car boot sales and selling it on to the audience. The performance was here tonight, but the music stayed at home, probably in the wendy house.

EXCESS EXCESSES
22 July 2005 / The BierKeller / Manchester
:: Neon Plastix :: Test Icicles :: Working For A Nuclear Free City ::
Everything happens in the music of the Test Icicles: new-wave-punk, punk. Metal; thrash metal; grime; hip hop and hardcore. Heavily influenced by Slayer, Slick Rick and Lightning Bolt...

RUBBERMAN
15 July 2005 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Moco :: New Rhodes :: Behind Green Lights :: Folded Remediez :: Liam Frost ::
They have that look of the boy next door who still buys vinyl and fanzines and dreams of meeting a nice girl called Sally to listen to Rough Trade compilations with.

EX-CHAMELEON IN BESTIAL PLEASURES
09 July 2005 / The Jolly Brewer / Lincoln
:: Coconut Dog Fuck ::
with the legacy of the Chameleons still chiming and echoing through every third band in Manchester you have to love Dave Fielding for leaving both Manchester and epic indie rock behind to make music that he likes even if it would clear the floor...

RELIABLE HANDS
05 July 2005 / Reebok Stadium / Bolton (mcr)
:: Coldplay ::
Chris Martin has transformed himself from being a slightly reserved, almost reluctant frontman into a dynamic, full-on rock star and yet still manages to avoid having an ‘I’m the star of the show’ attitude.

TRAINED ENGINEER KICKS DOOR
01 July 2005 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: King Street Hobo :: Astroband :: 52 Teenagers :: Colours Run :: Jupiter Sands ::
Adventures with frustrated Metrolink drivers? Storm clouds raining sweat? Walking in on a hobo playing to himself? Steve Lalley experiences all this and more in pursuit of an evening's musical mantra...

BELIEVE THE TRUTH
02 July 2005 / City of Manchester Stadium / Manchester
:: Oasis ::
Write off Oasis at your peril for they remain a tour de force...