Given that Ash burst out of the blocks with their debut album ‘1977’ thirty years ago, the youth of today would be forgiven for not being familiar with the nature of these Northern-Irish alternative rock and rollers. But whilst ignorance may be understood, it is certainly still pitied, because an Ash gig is a palate-cleanser that we could all do with - a night off from reality, on a harsh winter’s evening. Photo Credit: Paul Lang They kick the gig off with the barnstorming

Ahead of the BRIT Awards coming to Manchester for the first time in its history, The K’s took to the Gorilla Stage on Friday night in support of War Child as part of the highly-anticipated Brits week lineup. The Merseyside quartet showcased their ever-growing prowess on the concert stage to a sold-out crowd, creating the perfect sense of communal celebration not only for their music, but for an incredible cause. Photo Credit: Paul Lang / @paullangphotographer On what would

It’s not often you get a line up that demands you arrive the second the doors open but that was the case last Friday night at Manchesters New Century Hall. Headlining the night was the energy-fuelled Indie Pop duo Good Neighbours but first up was FLETCHR FLETCHR , one of the most exciting new live acts in the country. From start to finish their set was filled with a dramatic tension. A blend of moody synths, dense drum beats and echoed vocals that floated through the venue.

The city’s biggest celebration of the best new and independent film, Manchester Film Festival , returns in 2026. An annual celebration of storytelling through cinema, MFF brings film lovers and filmmakers together for 11 days of screenings, Q&As, red-carpet glamour, and so much more. Now in its twelfth year, Manchester Film Festival has grown year-on-year, and is now one of the biggest celebrations of cinema in the UK, with consistently high reviews from The festival will als

Suede are having fun on this tour. That’s all. They’re in sweaty, beer coated venues playing songs they’ve only just written and bouncing about like lunatics. They have a weird goth-punk band opening for them and a mass of dizzy teenagers lining the barrier; they’re a definitively modern band. Suede at RFH 14 Sept 2025 credit Paul Khera The strange gothic kids that christen the night are called Bloodworm, a three piece band from Nottingham whose instruments hang lazily from

Entering the stage following a dancey remix of ‘Strawberry Fields’ , Hushtones turn their walk out into a playful mission statement for the night: prepare for something retro, thoroughly Liverpudlian, but with a subtle hint at something fresher. The quintet has spent the past few years becoming a staple of the North-West music scene, known for blending guitar-driven indie with bright male-female vocals and a penchant for 60s and 70s leaning songcraft that nods to Fleetwood M

It is the mid 80s. Uni students are covering the half-written essays on their desks with piles of lyrics, teenagers are shuffling back through their windows after gigs and people are tumbling over pavements with messy guitar ringing in their ears. This was the beginning of the grunge movement and since then, not much has changed. There are still Uni students grabbing lyrics from under their schoolwork and hurtling down sticky basement stairs, and in 2026 it is Dopplegänger

Punk Rock duo Kid Kapichi returned to Liverpool last week to give us a laidback, acoustic introduction to their new era. After the departure of guitarist Ben Beetham and drummer George Macdonald last year, the two-piece have released the perfect send off with new album ‘Fearless Nature’. With a sold out crowd at Rough Trade, they embodied the intimacy of the introspective album, telling anecdotes on creating the album together as a final farewell. The short set gave us ju

The Sunday headliner has been revealed for this June's Africa Oyé Festival in Liverpool. Fifteen years after her first UK festival performance at Africa Oyé, Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer Fatoumata Diawara is set to make a triumphant return to Sefton Park this summer. Photo credit: Epiphone/Gibson The UK's biggest celebration of African and Caribbean music and culture makes its return to Liverpool on 20th and 21st June this summer, with Nigerian Afrobeats star Patro

Playing the final night of their 2025 ‘Songs for the Spine’ tour, The Royston Club took to the stage at Mountford Hall on December 13th. Having sold out every date of their UK tour this year, The Royston Club ended their performances in their home from home, Liverpool. Originally from Wrexham, the Indie band have taken the UK’s music scene by storm, playing festival after festival and heading out on an extensive run of UK and EU tour dates in 2026. Finding huge success fo

One of the standout alt. rock bands of the last decade, Wolf Alice recently released their fourth album, 'The Clearing' . The London-based band have grown from supporting small gigs in 2010, to an arena tour around the UK. The new album, 'The Clearing' , showcases the duality of their music, ranging from the dreamlike atmosphere of 'Just Two Girls', to the adrenaline-charged 'White Horses'. Their songs range from intense and dramatic to delicate and eerie. Photo Credit:

Danny’s Always Late had the whole scene of Artefact bouncing and anticipating their every note. The four piece drags you into a sphere of Shoegaze, Indie and a fresh new take on Punk, curating a vibrant and luscious new sound. The quartet has such unwavering energy and immersive music that you feel a part of the musical experience they take you for. Photo Credit: Thea Radford They begin their set with ‘Drunk Kisses’, their skilled techniques and textured sound comes across

We caught Delaner at District for a headline show that felt less like another date on the calendar and more like a marker of progression. Busy from the first doors, there was a sense early on that this was a band stepping into their own space. Operating within an Indie Rock framework, Delaner blend loud, rhythm-driven arrangements with emotive songwriting and dynamic shifts, drawing from classic alternative influences while maintaining a distinctly modern edge. The band’s s

Keyside returned to Liverpool last Friday with an exceptional sold-out headline performance at the O2 Academy as part of their 2025 UK tour. Following a busy summer on the festival circuit, featuring BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend , and supporting the likes of The Wombats , Keyside continue to prove themselves as one of the North West’s most exciting rising bands. Photo Credit: Marieke Macklon Supported by The Cases and The Kowloons , both acts delivered rocking performances th

Over the last two years The Last Dinner Party have sky rocketed from exciting newcomers to one of the most acclaimed bands in the UK. Having broken through with the hit ‘Nothing Matters’ which blew up online, they quickly proved that they’re far more than a one hit wonder. Their debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ was one of the standout albums of 2024, filled with a shimmering expressionist singles, giving graceful Baroque Pop ballads a maximalist twist to wonderful effect.

Tucked away on the corner of Hardman Street, one of Liverpool’s most beloved grassroots venues, Quarry , begins to swell with swathes of eager fans of local band Monks , as they prepare for the final show of the year. Photo Credit: Kieran Shayle Stepping down into the newly re-opened venue, the intimate 250 capacity lent an air of exclusivity and mystique to the evening, which was only emphasised by the dimly-lit rooms, draped in veils of smoke and occasionally pierced by sha

Future Yard on the 22nd of November was a little like an old picture of your parents; slightly hazy, glamorously messy and probably fueled by something not mentioned after the night is over. Opening this affair were Idyllic, a jumble of jangly 60s guitar lines and 90s indie-rock crescendos. They’re the back room of an old record shop, bits of Jimi Hendrix and a couple of tunes by The Verve , with whisky stained dust sleeves and old guitar picks that rattle around. Each song

Temeraire - an ensemble born from Liverpool’s music course - unveiled their first acoustic set within the warm, rustic embrace of Artefact , a venue that seemed to inhale and exhale with the band’s every note. The evening unfolded like a tapestry of brassy hues, yearning vocals, and a distinctly bohemian aura that lingered in the audience. The night had a gentle, handmade sound, each charming song being another step into their budding music career. Photo Credit: Will Litton

Alessi Rose has emerged as one of the UK's most exciting new pop sensations in recent years. Her bold, cutting lyricism, alluring gothic aesthetic and infectious songwriting has earned her masses of adoring young fans as well as huge support slots alongside the likes of Tate McRae and Noah Kahan . Now, she has embarked on her own big UK tour, landing in Liverpool on Friday 21st November and we were there to capture it! Photo Credit: Paul Lang It was immediately evident how

On October 29 th , alright (okay) released their long-anticipated EP ‘ Decent (Fine) ’ ( read our review here ). Then, on November 15 th we gathered to hear this enticing EP played live at Liverpool’s trendy venue Future Yard. Boasting five support acts, the gig was thrust into life by Grungy, eruptive three-piece colourwash , followed by the Metal-infused Face It Tegan and the haunting intensity of Broadsheet Speak , peaking with the Punky, radiant energy of Broken Down G