LA’s soulful R&B duo INC. are second to perform at HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER in Tokyo on the Saturday, standing out as a unique entity amongst an otherwise fairly consistent indie/alt-rock lineup. Since releasing their first album “no world” in January, brothers Andrew and Daniel Aged have received quite a bit of attention for their moody soul efforts, and yet remain surprisingly low-key online. Continue reading TOKYO HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER DAY 1 – INC. →

Danish atmospheric solo outfit INDIANS is the first act to grace the stage of HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER in Tokyo on the Saturday. The curtain is pulled back to reveal a solitary figure seated behind a keyboard on a table draped with black cloth. Dreamy keys ring out as he breaks into opening track “New” and the mood is instantly set. Continue reading TOKYO HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER DAY 1 – INDIANS →

BLACKEYE are back in the north of England. Having impressed at Zanzibar at Liverpool Sound City a few weeks earlier, the currently three-piece band were back to woo some new fans beyond the bounds of their home city of London. Fronted by the refreshingly forthright Chloe Little, Blackeye has pumped out some stunning recorded tracks online and some fun videos that ooze DIY energy – this is a band who have a knack of producing songs with great headbanging hooks. Continue reading BLACKEYE charm female fans in Manchester →

We’re here again at Salford’s Islington Mill, this time to check out Bolton band SECOND HAND WINGS and see where they’re at these days. We last spotted them at Manchester Pride supporting HEATHER PEACE in 2011, so it’s been some time and now they’re launching their debut album “Mountain City.” Giving Bolton shoppers a preview the day before at Bolton Marketplace, they’re celebrating the album release at this renowned venue. Continue reading SECOND HAND WINGS debut album launch →

Let’s make things clear from the get go – CHARLIE STRAIGHT is a band hailing from the Czech Republic, not a solo artist, but the name is appropriate because they really do become one entity onstage. Regardless of the size of the stage or crowd, they give their all, and here at London’s 333 Mother Bar on their first UK tour, having played at The Great Escape festival, they rise to the challenge of winning over a new crowd. Continue reading CHARLIE STRAIGHT hooks London →

We’re back in Manchester with the effervescent foursome BO NINGEN aka Taigen on vocals and bass, Kohhei and Yuki on guitar, and Mon-chan on drums. Having blown the roof off the venue at Liverpool Sound City earlier in the month, the Japanese ‘stick men’ are back in the north of England to enchant more people with their smashout performances. Continue reading BO NINGEN devastate Manchester →

Swedish synth-pop artist MOLLY NILSSON was in town and Salford’s renowned Islington Mill venue was preparing for a night of darkness only brightened with lights provided by visitors. However, Molly did bring something of her own: “I cheated – I brought a spotlight! But that’s life…” Continue reading Bringing Your Own Light with MOLLY NILSSON →

Brighton’s ESBEN AND THE WITCH are back in Manchester. Last we saw them here, they were casting spells in the peculiar Fuhrer Bunker. They’re in another evocative venue today – St Clement’s Church in Chorlton as part of the annual Chorlton Arts Festival. Continue reading ESBEN AND THE WITCH return to haunt Manchester →

CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN is a high-energy four-piece who deliver live and have proven to be solid recording artists. We meet them in Manchester’s Zoo and are immediately impressed by their politeness and charm. They ooze a confidence and sex appeal that has been much talked about, with lead singer Van McCann carrying a natural charisma rarely seen. They know what they want and they’re planning on getting it. Continue reading CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN steam up Zoo →

Our photographer SINEAD MARIE caught up with Japan’s BO NINGEN backstage at Manchester’s Zoo venue as part of DOT2DOT Festival, and who should we all bump into but the fabulously cool DEAP VALLY aka Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards all the way from LA. Continue reading BO NINGEN & DEAP VALLY chilling backstage in Manchester →

Welsh band PAPER AEROPLANES know how to put on a great show. Whatever format they choose, you’re guaranteed a memorable night.

Here at Manchester’s Deaf Institute, they’re headlining to a packed crowd on a Friday evening. Their last venture to the city was a much more intimate affair at the Castle in Northern Quarter, together with double-bassist John Parker. With the addition of cheery drummer Ryan (“Bryan Adams”) Aston, now making up the four-piece unit, they’re planning on delivering a full sound tonight. Continue reading PAPER AEROPLANES send Little Letters to Manchester →

French-born London-based SOPHIE DELILA is relaxing in the ground floor café of Manchester’s Soup Kitchen as we arrive. A graduate of Boston’s famed Berklee College of Music, home to Grammy-winning alumni including Paula Cole, Bruce Hornsby, Quincy Jones and Aimee Mann, among many others, she became known as a singer with the NOUVELLE VAGUE collective, has supported the likes of Lionel Richie, Jamiroquai and Mika, has dueted with France’s 2006 Nouvelle Star (American Idol equivalent) winner Christophe Willem on the brilliant “What Did I Do,” and is now preparing to release her “My Life Could Use A Remix” album. Continue reading SOPHIE DELILA – bound to rise →

Here at the recently refurbished East Village Arts Club in Liverpool which has since hosted the likes of Liverpool Sound City festival, Kate Nash and The Fall, we’re here to catch the Brazilian phenomenon that is CSS. The band otherwise known as Cansei de Ser Sexy (“I got tired of being sexy” in Portuguese) have produced some of the most memorable songs of the noughties, including the delicious “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above” and funky “Music is My Hot Hot Sex” both used on many a commercial, one by that tiny company named after a rather common fruit. Continue reading CSS get their move on in Liverpool →

Post-rock icons SIGUR ROS wowed fans with a superb set at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo Japan. This venue, which translates to “Japan Martial Arts Hall,” is often used for massive sumo and judo tournaments, however also doubles as an arena for huge live shows, the first of which was The Beatles in 1966.

On Tuesday evening, the arena was sectioned off halfway to make way for an expansive stage, large enough to comfortably house the eleven-piece live band. This incredibly popular group, hailing from Iceland, last played in Tokyo a mere 9 months ago, performing at one of Japan’s largest music festivals, Summer Sonic. Continue reading SIGUR ROS send Tokyo into ecstacy →

London-based indie label Just Off Pop takes over The Victoria in Dalston, playing host to the STRANGERS’ launch party for their new single “Something New.” To look inside the crowded venue, nobody would imagine that this is a Monday night, but this is revealing of Strangers’ ability to draw in the crowd. Continue reading STRANGERS brighten up Dalston with Something New →

We arrive to a rammed Manchester Academy, as we await ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (OMD) aka the original lineup of Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, and Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes.

The Mancunians have always had a lot of love for this band, and the die-hard fans are already at the merch stand stocking up on their memorabilia. Ambient music fills the venue as the fans get ready to greet their synthpop heroes. Continue reading OMD earn it in Manchester →