On a dreaded sunny day in Manchester, Johnny Marr took to the stage at Castlefield Bowl, for a homecoming gig as part of the Sounds of the City festival. Looking effortlessly cool as always, Marr strutted onto the stage adorning sunglasses and a denim jacket, wielding his trademark Fender Jaguar. Photo Credit: Aaron Parsons As he opened with the catchy Generate Generate, the usual tradition of train passengers waving from the bridge towering above began instantly, with one dr

We couldn't think of a better way to spend one of the hottest evenings of the year than sampling three of the most exciting UK performers while lapping up the summer sunshine. Well, this is exactly what we were treated to at Manchester's Castlefield Bowl this week as Wet Leg, English Teacher and THEATRE took to the stage in the blistering heat. Photo Credit: Harry Proctor // @harry.proctor.56 The natural amphitheatre of Castlefield Bowl immediately brings a cinematic quality

Despite the miserable weather in Manchester on Wednesday evening, American Indie Folk singer Annabelle Dinda had no problem uplifting the crowd with her energetic set. Dancing with her band on stage, the singer’s whimsical energy was felt by the audience, whose cheers got louder with the more songs she played. As her set came to a close, there were chants of ‘one more song’ and ‘another one’ that proved Annabelle had successfully done her job of warming up the crowd. The exci

Discover some of the best new music from emerging artists in Liverpool, Manchester and all the beautiful places in between! TERE! TERE! has officially arrived on the Rock scene. Her debut album ‘NO MORE MANNERS’ is a roaring success from start to finish and demonstrates the young artist’s already mature sound. Hailing from Spain, she studied music in Liverpool and released the album at just 20 years old. Pairing a classic Grunge sound with vocals that are akin to Olivia Rodr

Merseyside's multi-venue festival Sound City returned once again on Bank holiday weekend and proved why we love it so much. Running from venue to venue to catch everyone on your packed schedule, inevitably bumping into your best mates, your favourite band and that ex you haven't spoke to in 5 years... Photo Credit: Paul Lang (@paullangphotographer) // BOOT Magazine With an absolutely stacked line up filled with the most exciting new acts from the UK and beyond, are schedule w

Although Manchester's Brit-Pop Indie legends James have been playing for over 40 years, we knew they would still have a few tricks up their sleeve ready to make the gig a standout performance. The hype for the show started hours before they came on, with hundreds flocked outside the stadium wearing James ’ signature daisy on t-shirts, hats, hoodies and bags. Despite the overarching nostalia of the night, there were people of all ages queuing at every entrance, speaking to the

The time has come to start planning your festival schedule for 2026! Here's some of our favourites where you can discover your new favourite artist... Photo Credit: Kendal Calling 2025 Sound City - Liverpool (2nd-3rd May) Liverpool's city festival always provides one of the best venue hopping experiences and always guarantees new music discovery. The 2026 line up features some of the most talked about newcomers from the world of Indie and Post-Punk including Keo , Westside Co

There is a delicious irony in watching one of the most abrasive bands in the UK right now perform in a room bathed in neon pink. Last Thursday, Mandy, Indiana took to the Yes Bar Pink Room stage for the opening night of the BBC Radio 6 music festival delivering a performance that solidified their status as the definitive torchbearers of European noise rock. Mandy, Indiana (BBC 6 Music) Following a blisteringly high-octane support act in Silverwingkiller , the Manchester/ Berl

Last week, Norwegian singer-songwriter Sigrid took over Manchester Academy to showcase her new infectious 2025 album 'There's Always More That I Could Say' . Her notable confidence and comfortability in the spotlight let the connection between herself and her audience prevail, driving an energetic set that underscored her undeniable enjoyment and on-stage prowess. Photo Credit: Paul Lang // @paullangphotographer She kicked off her set with ‘I’ll Always Be Your Girl’ , the op

Where have all the goths in Liverpool gone? The punks, the queer kids, the ones that used to hang out by the courts, or around the museum? They’re here, in Outpost, a sticky backroom thick with gig posters and synth, seeing the very best of Liverpool’s local bands. The first wave of fabric draped gig goers are here to see The Nocturnal , a gothic swirl of Siouxsie vocals and Cure covers. They’re volatile, with safety pins stringing together their lines of synth and shimmerin

Georgia Johnson headlined a sold out show at ARCHIVE in Liverpool on Thursday night, taking to the stage after four other excellent artists from a range of genres had warmed up the crowd. Accompanied by a cellist/banjo player, drummer, lead guitarist, bassist and trumpet player, Georgia Johnson and her band captivated the room at the cosy and intimate venue, but you could easily imagine them selling out much larger venues with their dazzling stage presence. Georgia was clea

On Friday night, Gorillaz kicked off their ‘The Mountain’ tour at Manchester’s Co-op Live. In what can only be described as a striking, immersive spectacle, Damon Albarn lead the virtual band through a masterclass performance. Every single inch of the stage was utilised by the extensive, diverse array of live instruments, and the on-screen graphics truly transported the audience into their virtual world. Overall, the finely-honed stagecraft and attention to detail was omnipr

Jazz legend Courtney Pine returns to Liverpool's Tung Auditorium on Saturday 14th March with this award-winning show, House of Legends . Courtney Pine (Credit: One Fell Swoop) In 1986 a 22 year old Courtney Pine appeared on the front cover of the iconic British music publication NME, he is the only Black British jazz artist to do so - the last quote in a two page interview read “You know I’m doing this for a reason” and you better believe he still is… House of Legends is a ve

On Friday night, the Liverpool's O2 Academy saw Man/Woman/Chainsaw supported by Little Grandad. This event is probably best described as the inside of the weird kid's orchestra practice room. There were instruments scattered around the stage, a couple of the performers had made it into suits but most of them were in stripy tights and graphic tshirts, and the music was an experimental mixing pot of everything from David Bryne to Fat White Family. And it was brilliant. Little

We recently took time off from our usual schedule of attending gigs and interviewing artists to visit one of the most talked about restaurants in the North-West that promised a unique audio-tasting experience. Situated in Liverpool's Baltic Triangle, Manifest was opened by Chef Patron Paul Durand and his wife and business partner Charlotte Jones in 2022. Inspired by Paul’s travels around Europe, the wine bar and restaurant offers a combination of relaxed European dining an

STONE have been one of the most exciting, visceral acts in the Liverpool scene for a good few years now. They’ve gained a cult following for the intensity of their live shows and last year they finally delivered what the fans had been calling for… their debut album. ‘Fear Life For A Lifetime’ was a poignant culmination of their journey so far and was a fierce Rock record laced with heartfelt undertones. However, there was a rumbling in the background that the album release p

Celebrating the 20 th anniversary of their debut album in 2025, Kaiser Chiefs’ 20 Years of Employment tour truly took fans back in time. The Indie Rock band hailing from Leeds found success with their debut album, ‘Employment’ , released in 2005 and selling over three million copies. Playing the full album alongside their greatest hits, Kaiser Chiefs rocked their Manchester performance from start to finish on Saturday, 14 th February 2026. Supported by Corella , O2 Victo

Since we last saw Cardinals back in 2024 when they supported Been Stellar , it’s clear a lot has changed. Gone are the fresh-faced, Fred Perry-clad members of the past. Now they enter the stage – hoodies up and puffer coats still on – as a band who no longer need to question their place in the room. The shift is subtle but clear. Where they once carried themselves as EP-era hopefuls, tonight they stand firm in the identity their debut has carved out. That confidence bleeds i

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