Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes & The Mysterines - Academy, Manchester (9/2/24)

The Mysterines played Manchester Psych Fest last year. I gave them a cursory listen beforehand to decide whether they were worth watching and I decided that they weren't really for me. I remember them as sounding like very generic indie. However, the guitarist bowing his guitar to start their set gives me some hope. They immediately confound my expectations as they are much more rock than I expected. They play a dark brand of rock which sounds like Chelsea Wolfe or AA Williams fronting Foo Fighters. 'Dangerous' sounds like a female fronted Queens Of The Stone Age. I'm reminded of Siouxsie Sioux on the new track 'Strong' (or is it 'Stray', I couldn't quite read my own handwriting) which also has some nice dirty sounding guitars. 'Hung Up' has a driving Foo Fighters rock feel. It is a bit pedestrian at times but they are generally better than expected.

Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes open with what sounds like downbeat 70s style soft rock. Frank sounds great and looks sharp too, like a prizefighter at ringside ready to step in the ring and challenge the winner of the big fight. The crowd are fully invested right from the start. There's a big Arctic Monkeys influence, partly because of Frank's vocal similarity to Alex Turner. There is a real power to tracks like 'Self Love' which comes across like a simpler, less pretentious Muse. The band are really enthusiastic and their spirit is contagious, I was particularly impressed by the two guitarists who appear to give all that they have. They are much heavier live than they are on record as evidenced by 'Devil Inside Me'. Queen Of The Stone Age's muscular riff driven rock is an obvious reference point, only played with a punk rock energy, as demonstrated on 'Honey'.  Much of the set is centred around the new album. It is surprising then that the show is as vibrant as it is as I found the record quite maudlin on first listen. 'Sun Bright Golden Happening' slows the pace down and it feels intimate despite the size of the venue. 'Superstar's lurching riff on the verse gives way to a hugely anthemic chorus. Frank instructs the crowd to bounce during 'Lullaby' and the crowd has no option but to comply, carried away by its buoyant energy. In fact, the crowd are really impressive as they are rabid throughout and this helps to elevate the show. I wasn't particularly looking forward to tonight but this was unexpectedly good.

Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes ****

The Mysterines ***

Dave Hause & Will Hoge - Band On The Wall, Manchester (4/2/24)

Will Hoge is a gentle singer/songwriter from Nashville. There is quite a country feel to much of the material but his vocals have more of a Bob Dylan/Tom Petty feel. The second track has much more energy, which gives it more of a punk rock troubadour feel in the vein of tonight's headliner or Chuck Ragan. He seems very personable and relatable when he's talking in between songs, and his personality shines through. The tone of his voice often brings Cat Stevens to mind, particularly on the piano led 'End Of the World'. I definitely approve. It's quite emotional at times, especially on the poignant 'The Last One To Go', which with the addition of harmonica gives it a Bruce Springsteen feel. He plugs in his electric guitar for a stunning country soul number which sounds like Alabama Shakes fronted by Living Colour's Corey Glover. It is hypnotic and his voice is spectacular here. 'Jesus Came To Tennessee' has a 'The Devil Went Down To Georgia' feel but seems a bit flat compared to his other material. The final track weaves in a lengthy tale about the time he went to the Grammys and draws a deserved ovation at the end.

The first couple of minutes of Dave Hause's set do not bode well. His vocals seem muffled and it all seems a little lethargic. However, as soon as the band ups the tempo the venue crackles with energy and rarely lets up. His is the typical punk rock singer/songwriter sound which brings to mind Bruce Springsteen and The Gaslight Anthem. Even The Loved Ones' songs he plays don't stray from this template. Dave's vocals are excellent and the harmonies between him and his brother are even better. 'We Could Be Kings' is magical and prompts a huge singalong. Even with just guitars and piano, passion and spirit ripple through these songs and creates joy in both the band and the audience. 'Pedal Down' has a slightly darker edge. 'Please Be Here' has more of a country feel and the vocal harmonies raise it into Everly Brothers territory. It's THAT good. Tim Hause gets his own time to shine, taking lead vocals for a couple of songs, including his own 'High Hopes'. 'Sandy Sheets' with its accordion accompaniment is glorious. Even Green Day's 'Dilemma' is transformed. 'Hanalei' is captivating, the accordion adding extra depth. A rousing 'Autism Vaccine Blues' gets the crowd involved. Will Hoge joins the band for an encore of Tom Petty's 'Learning To Fly'. Church organ elevates final number 'Damn Personal' to spiritual levels. Triumphant.

Dave Hause ****

Will Hause ****

Cornelia Jakobs & Hi Sienna - Deaf Institute, Manchester (2/2/24)

2022 was the year that the Eurovision Song Contest captured the imagination of the UK. For the first time in years, the UK seemed to have a song and artist which could do pretty well, and the country really got behind Sam Ryder. However, I wasn't supporting him. I wanted him to do well but I was really willing Sweden's Cornelia Jakobs to win. Every year, there is usually one entry which I become completely obsessed with and Cornelia's 'Hold Me Closer' was that year's favourite. It's a powerful ballad, superbly sung which has poignant, bittersweet lyrics about a break up. I particularly loved the line 'You say it isn't me but when does that ever help'. Following 'Voila', 'Sound Of Silence', 'Je Ne Sais Quoi' and 'Birds' in previous years, I was wanting this entry to win. It wasn't just the song which captured my imagination, Cornelia did too. The qualifiers press conference after her semi-final showed her personality. She was mischievous, as she was insisting the host picked her draw position for her (which he really didn't want to do, fearing accusations of bias) and at one point she leapt on him and wrapped her legs around his waist. It was funny and way more interesting than the usual press conferences.

Local band Hi Sienna open up. The female fronted band start off with indie pop/rock with a distinct 90s feel. The vocals are almost inaudible which detracts from the impact a little, but the first song has a cool bassline which reminds me of The Manic's 'La Tristesse Durera'. After this things take an altogether funkier turn, with tracks such as 'Enter Disco' having a Daft Punk meets Nile Rodgers disco feel. Another track is Chic style soulful funk while a new track, possibly called 'Pickleback', sounds like a funky version of N-Trance's 'Set You Free' and is pretty good. Most of the songs are pretty good but I just wish I could hear the vocals more. The last two tracks aren't as effective. One is too tribal and the other is too atmospheric, and both seem counter productive as they don't play to their funky strengths.

Cornelia Jakobs opens with the sophisticated atmospheric pop of 'Weight Of The World'. Cornelia sounds great and the song features some great 'Sigur Ros' style guitar. The pop rock of 'The Weekend' is hugely reminiscent of Ida Maria and her raspy voice is quite similar too. 'Hanging On' has a 90s alt pop edge, think Natalie Imbruglia meets Alanis Morrissette. The bass backing track of 'Fine' overpowers the vocals and delicate guitars. Her vocals seem quite muffled during the climax too. 'Rise' is more uptempo Ida Maria style pop rock. Her best songs are the power ballads which build to a powerful climax, as demonstrated by the excellent 'Need You Now'. 'Hold Me Closer' is fabulous and provokes a mass singalong. A new track 'Disturb You' closes the regular set and is promising although the attempted singalong doesn't quite ignite and seems a little trite. Encore 'Bloody Mind' is fantastic and the climax has a real post rock feel reminiscent of the incredible Nordic Giants. The final track 'It Takes A Fool To Remain Sane' is uptempo enough to send the crowd home happy.

Cornelia Jakobs ****

Hi Sienna ***

Jazz Sabbath - Band On The Wall, Manchester (30/1/24)

Jazz Sabbath, as the gag goes, were formed in '67 but had all their songs stolen off them by another band with a similar name. They play a short film before the band take the stage where various musicians say how influential they were. Unfortunately, I have the grand piano lid in front of the screen so I can't tell who the talking heads are (although I later discover that Rick Astley is one of the featured celebrities).

The band take to the stage led by main man Milton Keanes (who is actually Adam Wakeman, made up so that he appears much older). They open with a light and airy 'Snowblind', which is played freely and is pretty easy on the ear. The songs are the complete opposite of the source material, being light and tranquil rather than heavy and intense, although a few numbers are unrecognisable. Milton's piano playing is phenomenal whilst the other two players are effortless. 'N.I.B.'s opening motif is playful but this is the launchpad for some wild improvisation. 'Rat Salad' is carried along by the rhythm section, with neat double bass runs and jazzy splash drumming allowing Milton to riff loosely with the piano over the top. It is a pretty extensive version which also includes the drum solo. Once you think it is done, it suddenly kicks back into life again which is great because I love false finishes in songs. Milton rather hilariously introduces their 'ballad' 'Children Of The Grave' which swings during the verse and is bluesy during the chorus. There is a short intermission before the second half opens with a dramatic 'Black Sabbath' which starts off classically and then gets jazzier. A playful 'Fairies Wear Boots' played in the style of Chick Corea is excellent. 'Changes' is introduced as being 'originally written for five accordions' and is genuinely touching. Milton is absolutely hilarious and the show is part stand up/part concert. Adam gamely stays in character throughout, although he does joke at one point that he doesn't know how long he'll be able to keep it up. 'Iron Man' is beautiful to start off with before it is transformed into an almighty jam. Milton also sneaks in cheeky nods to 'Smoke On The Water', 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Black Night' which is funny. The band finish with 'Paranoid' and we are assured 'that it is 'not the poxy three minute version'. It starts off elegantly before settling into a bluesy rhythm. Highly recommended.

Jazz Sabbath ****

Depeche Mode - AO Arena, Manchester (29/1/24)

I saw Depeche Mode's '101' documentary at a friend's house a number of years ago. It would have been late on a Friday night and we had probably been out for food before going back to his with some of my other friends. The film, which was revolutionary at the time, follows a bunch of fans who had won a competition to see the band. It has live performances from the band's US tour but mainly it focuses on the fans travelling to the shows. We missed the first fifteen minutes where it explains this and introduces the characters so we spent the rest of the night wondering what was going on, who these people are and where Depeche Mode were? Whenever I think of Depeche Mode, my mind always goes back to that confusing night.

Nadine Shah opens up tonight but we miss the majority of her set. However, for the song and a half we see, she sounds pretty impressive.

Depcche Mode enter the stage to layers and layers of modulating synths, which have the same effect as an electronic Sunn0))) and really builds the anticipation. They open with new song 'My Cosmos Is Mine' which has a Youth (Killing Joke) style  bassline and sounds like mid-90s Killing Joke. An impressive start. 'Walking In My Shoes' is darkly powerful and the crowd receive it ecstatically. A mesmerising 'It's No Good' is bizarrely accompanied by images of donkeys! 'In Your Room' initially slows the pace down before crashing in with a loud, dynamic chorus. 'Everything Counts' is glorious and Dave Gahan and Martin Gore look like they're having an absolute blast. At this point, the bangers seemingly never stop as 'Precious' follows. Dave's rich voice still has the power to resonate throughout arenas. However, it is also apparent that he can't really reach the higher notes anymore and he therefore controls how he sings some of the songs. Martin, on the other hand, sounds as good as ever, as he demonstrates on his solo spot singing 'Strangelove'and 'Somebody' accompanied by just a piano. New track 'Ghosts Again' sounds like classic 80s Depeche Mode. The industrial stomp of 'I Feel You' is insistent whilst 'A Pain That I'm Used To' gets incredibly heavy during the climax. The symphonic electronica of 'Black Celebration' is incredible whilst 'John The Revelator' has more than a hint of Duran Duran but is still excellent. The pure electronic pop perfection of 'Enjoy The Silence' closes the regular set in epic fashion. Encore 'Waiting For The Night' sees Dave and Martin duetting together and this highlights that together they are more than the sum of their parts. It is delicate and emotional, even though the big screen seems to playing up a little. 'Just Can't Get Enough' starts a huge party through the entire arena. 'Personal Jesus' closes the show and its industrial rockabilly is crushing. Absolutely fantastic.

Depeche Mode *****