Bringing you all the Live Reviews that matter since 1998

DOGGY STYLE
29 July 2006 / The Roadhouse / Manchester
:: The Hot Puppies :: Dead Disco ::
Romantic, yet knowing and mordant, and dark yet sprightly, The Hot Puppies are a timeless blend.

LACH ONTO THIS
22 July 2006 / The Rampant Lion / Manchester
:: Lach ::
“Shut up – I’m telling a f***** story”

BURNING BRIGHT
26 July 2006 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Brightlights ::
When front man Leon Blanchard steps onto the stage and asks “Is everyone ok?” he’s already visibly melting in the heat

A NIGHT AWAY FROM THE TELEVISION
31 July 2006 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Tom Verlaine ::
No band, no frills, just twisting, winding melodies, evocative soundscapes and the coolest voice in the world.

FUTURESONIC 2006: ELECTRIC PROG FROM THE FIFTH DIMENSION
21 July 2006 / Academy 2 / Manchester
:: Battles ::
An avant-garde complex cauldron of sound indiscernible to ears not in possession of musical ESP.

WISH YOU WERE A VW BEATLE?
27 July 2006 / Dry Bar / Manchester
:: Julian Donkey-Boy :: Gideon Conn ::
Mr Conn adopts a strange Mancunian accent as he declares: “I wish I was Wembley Stadium. Then someone could streak across me.”

FUTURESONIC 2006: AN INDUSTRIAL RAVE AMONGST THE SOFT FURNISHINGS
21 July 2006 / Rossetti Hotel / Manchester
:: The Black Paths :: Gillan Edgar :: The Search Map ::
It's Futuresonic time, and between the glitterball and the plush sofas of the Rossetti Hotel basement is there's probably the biggest collection of cables ever assembled...

SOUND PLANET
13 July 2006 / Jabez Clegg / Manchester
:: The Loungs :: Waxplanet :: The Children :: For Tomorrows ::
For a hot summer’s night, this is all good enough for me

REVENGE IS SWEET
19 July 2006 / The Roadhouse / Manchester
:: She Wants Revenge ::
When front man Justin Warfield announces that he believes that Manchester is one of the top 3 music cities in the world , it’s easy to understand his rationale.

TAXI FOR MR STRANGE ?
15 July 2006 / Latitude / Henham Park, Suffolk
:: Mojave 3 :: British Sea Power :: I Am Kloot :: Antony And The Johnsons :: The Former Bullies :: Product 01 :: Get Cape Wear Cape Fly :: Soft Hearted Scientists :: Howling Bells :: Camille ::
"It should be over that bridge" says the spotty kid on a bike whose day we've just ruined by engaging with him.

IMMIGRANT PUNKS TAKE MANCHESTER
04 July 2006 / Academy 2 / Manchester
:: Gogol Bordello ::
“Of course we immigrants wanna sing all night long / Don't you know the singing salves the troubled soul?”

NOISE BOYS
12 July 2006 / Retro Bar / Manchester
:: Capulet ::
Capulet bend and break the instruments as melody and rhythm fold over each other in delicious swathes

GIRLS WORLD
07 July 2006 / Academy 2 / Manchester
:: Pretty Girls Make Graves ::
PGMG masterfully control their instruments, swaggering, as flighty stadium flourishes abound, hips sway and the music pours out

CELLAR VIE
07 July 2006 / Barfly / Masque / Liverpool
:: The Basement :: The Hot Meltz :: Whiskey Headshot ::The Prelude ::
A band imbued with a sense of patience as they flesh out the bones of their murky country/rock twanged leanings and hang on an air of reflection and musical meanderings

COOL PEPPERS
12 July 2006 / The Arena / Manchester
:: Red Hot Chili Peppers ::
The crowd are predictably delighted when the opening notes of ‘Give It Away’ ring out and it all plays out with rugged gusto

THREE’S THE MAGIC NUMBER
10 July 2006 / Life Cafe (now see Studio / Chicago Rock) / Manchester
:: The Pipettes ::
Accompanied by their band The Cassettes, The Pipettes are what the 60’s girl groups would have been with a 21st century restyle

OUT OF THE WOODS
13 July 2006 / The Roadhouse / Manchester
:: Pooler :: In The Black :: Shakspeer ::
Their ambitions and sounds are huge, yet they play with meagre resources – it works spectacularly

HOT IN THE CITY
02 July 2006 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Maccabees :: Jack Palente ::
“Who are you?” shouts someone.

INDEPENDANCE WAY
04 July 2006 / Tiger Lounge / Manchester
:: The Children :: The Whyers :: Moco :: Tokyo Rebel Society ::
It's a dirty garage rock'n'roll spectacular...AGAIN!

STRAW HATS AND REVOLUTIONARY SPATS
06 July 2006 / Night & Day / Manchester
:: Politburo :: The Redwings :: Ryna ::
It’s ironic that the Guardian’s Good/Bad barometer now ranks Kooks style hats as on their "way out"