REPUBLICA are back on tour and we’re ecstatic about this. They’re supporting the legendary BOOMTOWN RATS. Talk about an explosive combination, with both bands renowned for delivering live to the fullest and headed by charismatic leads. Continue reading REPUBLICA and THE RATS on tour: Liverpool & Manchester →

It’s almost a year since we last caught EDDI READER in the north of England at the RNCM in Manchester. Tonight, I’m heading to Warrington in my first venture to the rather fine building that is Parr Hall. Continue reading EDDI READER on tour →

Every ANI DIFRANCO show is memorable. Her loyal fanbase will attest to the fact that no matter what album she’s working on at the time, whatever its flavour and content, the Little Folksinger as she’s come to be affectionately known delivers each time and reminds us that we’re in the presence of greatness and inspiration. Always one to experiment with her music and lyrics, pushing boundaries where we may not even realise boundaries exist, she also rarely misses a chance to voice her political and social concerns from the stage. All of this makes her not only one of the most valued living songwriters and guitar-players in music history, but also a hugely significant and sometimes controversial cultural figure. Continue reading ANI DIFRANCO: ALLERGIC TO WATER in MANCHESTER & LONDON →

The third and final day of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL saw humidity levels soar, along with the excitement fans held for the impending day of amazing music. Continue reading FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL JAPAN 2014 – DAY 3 →

Day 2 of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL and the sun was blazing hot, fans were decked out in the coolest possible attire and were ready for another day of fantastic live music in the middle of the mountains. Continue reading FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL JAPAN 2014 – DAY 2 →

The 2014 edition of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL at Naeba Ski Resort saw yet another heavyweight lineup breaching Japan’s shores at the end of July. Festival goers this year enjoyed unseasonably good weather for the three-day event, only enduring brief showers on the Sunday. Continue reading FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL JAPAN 2014 – DAY 1 →

It’s that time of year again, when Japan’s dedicated festival-goers bust out their heavy duty rain boots, foldable chairs and rainbow ponchos and make their way to the slopes of Niigata for the country’s biggest music event: FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL. Continue reading FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL 2014 in Japan – Preview →

The June edition of HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER at Studio Coast in Tokyo featured a healthy scattering of bands including Simian Mobile Disco, Blonde Redhead, Joan As Police Woman and Cat Power. But the first act we caught were London’s electro monoliths SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO. Continue reading HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER: from BLONDE REDHEAD to JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN to CAT POWER →

I knew I would love THE BEACHES even before I arrived at LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2014. From their interviews and tracks, I already wanted their album, and as I far as I was concerned, this was one of the more exciting bands to join the festival lineup. Continue reading LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY – THE BEACHES →

The sound has been pretty good at the East Village Arts Club playing host to a number of excellent bands at LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2014. So, I don’t know what’s happening during the SEPTEMBER GIRLS set on the Saturday of the festival. The engineering is all a bit clunky, but the band do their best to cope with some annoying mic issues. Continue reading LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY – SEPTEMBER GIRLS →

There are not many bands I would do this for: a bit of a running joke within our team at Liverpool Sound City, “The hunt for Hero Fisher” kept us very busy one day. Tipped off by a colleague that this was one to watch, we fully intend to see Hero Fisher perform in Liverpool, but due to traffic, we just miss her and spend quite a few hours trawling the streets and venues asking if people had seen HERO FISHER. Continue reading The hunt for HERO FISHER →

THE WITCH HUNT’s Louisa Osborn, Chris Mulligan and Ste Anderson have been gathering buzz and now they’re geared up and ready to smash the Uni Stylus stage as part of LIVE AT LEEDS 2014. It’s the biggest stage I’ve seen them on and I’m in no doubt that they are going to fill it out nicely. Continue reading THE WITCH HUNT impress at LIVE AT LEEDS festival →

Natalie Findlay is always good value live. You know what you’re going to get, and each time you get it, it’s rawer and sexier, the vocals are searing and the attitude is biting. Tonight, she’s performing at Zanzibar as part of LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2014, and you couldn’t ask for a better venue for this 150% performer – a pokey bar with great character and a low stage. Thanks to a perfect set time of just past midnight on a Friday night, we’re all packed tightly in here, already sweating and ready to take on the live wire that is FINDLAY. Continue reading LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY – FINDLAY →

Liverpool-based SOUTHERN have a little buzz following them. Folk-rock with a heavy dash of bluegrass is what we’re expecting from this brother-sister duo, accompanied tonight by a drummer and bass player at Leaf Café as part of LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2014. I’m intrigued by the sounds that Thom and Lucy Southern are producing, and frankly just looking forward to hearing something other than the all-too-common indie or psychedelic rock that pervades the UK industry. Continue reading LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY – SOUTHERN →

WOLF ALICE have been gathering momentum since we saw them last year. The East Village Arts Club is filling up nicely to welcome the London four-piece led by Ellie Rowsell. Looking around, this band have definitely captured the student market as the venue hosting acts for LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2014 begins to resemble a busy student union. Continue reading LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY – WOLF ALICE →

One performer at LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2014 that I’m particularly excited to see is PAWWS – the alter ego for Lucy Taylor and her band. Having worked previously with Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke and MGMT, as well as being a classically trained pianist and flautist, Lucy’s now putting out her own tracks and the standard is very high indeed. Continue reading LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY – PAWWS →