Manchester Merch Market - Various Venues, Manchester (25/5/25)

Merch prices have been a hot topic of discussion within the music world for the last few years. It isn't unusual to go to an arena show and for t-shirts to be priced at £40 to £50 (although the worst I've seen was at an Alicia Keys show three years ago where t-shirts were priced at £90 so maybe pop fans have it much worse than us rock fans). Even smaller bands playing 1000 to 1500 capacity venues will have shirts at £30 which seems pretty standard these days. Why merch is so expensive is probably dependent on a number of factors including rising production costs of both manufacturing and touring. One thing that doesn't help is when venues insist on a cut of merch sales (which can be up to 30%) which inevitably drives prices up so that bands don't make a loss on merch. Some bands have been quite outspoken on this and some bands have gone so far as to refuse to sell merch in certain venues, which is a lose-lose situation all round. One person who has been quite vocal in his criticism of this practice is The Charlatans' Tim Burgess. In part response to this, he has organised Manchester's first Merch Market spread across a number of venues where bands can come and sell their merch themselves whilst keeping all the proceeds themselves. Ironically, one of the venues being used is the O2 Ritz when O2 venues are usually one of the worst culprits for this although, to be fair, I've always found merch prices at the Ritz to be ok so maybe they don't demand a cut. He has got some decent sized bands involved such as The Charlatans (duh), New Order, Ride, Doves, Inspiral Carpets, ACR and Bis as well as lots of smaller bands. Some band members are helping to man their own stalls so wandering around, you'll find plenty of musicians such as Tim Burgess, Clint Boon, Mark Gardner, Manda Rin and others.

We start off at the Ritz where the bigger bands and brands are. It seems quite busy which is encouraging. My wife and I manage to spend £100 at The Charlatans stall where I buy two of Tim's Listening Party books which he kindly signs for me. I also buy a Doves hat. I don't even like Doves, I just liked the hat! It's one of those days where you just want to contribute and make it a success, and I think I giot a bit carried away. I also pick up a few things from the Bands FC stall. Gorilla is really busy and filled with smaller, mostly local bands that still have a bit of a following such as MIlltown Brothers, Pins, Deja Vega and Riding The Low. I have a bit of a chat with the Deja Vega guys and buy a mug off them. Dogbowl and Brickhouse Social play host to the smallest bands and I do wonder how much merch these smaller bands have sold and whether it was worthwhile for them.

There are also bands playing throughout the day across various venues too. My wife and I are sat upstairs in the bar of Mother Marys when Cloudburst start playing. It is sort of an open plan place so I can clearly hear them even though I can't see them. They play indie rock with a lo fi garage feel. Some of the material is punchy and dynamic whilst the rest is much more generic. They play a pretty fun cover of Happy Mondays' 'Kinky Afro' though.

Sea Fever are playing in the Ritz. There is a mixture of people watching them and people browsing the stalls. They play forward thinking indie with electronic influences. The first full song I catch has a Portishead feel, only the beats don't hit quite as hard. Most of the other tracks are more New Order influenced. They are really good at what they do. The two singer's voices combine together nicely although taken individually, Beth Cassidy's voice is divisive. High pitched and distinctive, I liked it but my wife didn't. Iwan Gronow has a strong voice which is much more palatable, being reminiscent of Marc Almond. 'Go To Ground' closes the set and again has a strong New Order feel. Impressive.

The tunnel opposite The Ritz has also been taken over by the event and has been renamed The Tunnel Of Love.The late Terry Hall's piano is on display here and a number of guests appear to play it. There are also bands playing short sets too and The Folk Drama are one of the bands I manage to catch here. They are a folk/indie duo from Glasgow. When the guy takes lead vocals, they have a kinda Dylan feel although his voice is more Jake Bugg. Some of the female led material is more country-tinged. Imagine a more rural Beautiful South/ Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott. Worth keeping an eye on.

Unfortunately, United are playing at home today which always makes it difficult for us to get home because of the traffic before and after the match so we make the decision to leave whilst the game is still playing so we can get home with no issues. Unfortunately, this means I miss Tim Burgess, Deja Vega and Milltown Brothers, all of whom I wanted to see. All in all, it was a fun day which had quite a lot of people in some of the venues. It probably won't make any difference to whether venues continue to take a cut of merch but it keeps the conversation going and hopefully, it's given some bands the opportunity to shift some of their stock of merch without a venue taking a cut. Here's hoping it becomes an annual event.

The Folk Drama ****

Sea Fever ****

Cloudburst ***

The Golden Dregs & Dove Ellis - Yes Pink Room, Manchester (23/5/25)

Dove Ellis is a gentle singer-songwriter from Ireland. His vocals have a Thom Yorke feel whilst the material reminds me of Jeff Buckley's 'Grace'. Dove has a strong voice with an impressive range. His falsetto is delightful and quite moving. The Gillian Welch cover fits in well with his own material as he puts his own stamp on it. He plays two songs on the piano and the material is in the same kind of territory as Anohni & The Johnsons' 'I Am A Bird Now' although his voice is completely different. The final track is played on the acoustic guitar and this gives it more of a country or folk feel. Captivating.

The Golden Dregs open their set with just piano and Benjamin Woods' vocals for 'How It Starts'. The deep vocals are striking and sound more gothic than the records. He sounds more like Pete Steele than the usual reference points of Waits, Cave or Lanegan and it's almost comical. The rest of the band join them onstage for 'In The Headlights He' and something doesn't seem right. The vocals don't possess the world weary grit that they should and the drums sound a bit leaden too. 'The Company Of Strangers' doesn't fare much better. These are great songs but they don't seem to be landing and they don't have the same impact as the studio versions. Ben says that he has a bit of a cold so that possibly explains the vocals. 'Big Ideas' is better as the backing vocals help to elevate it. The americana of 'Imagining France' is good but the drumming still seems a bit stilted. 'American Airlines' is where they really start to channel Mark Lanegan or Tom Waits. A warm sounding 'Linoleum' is excellent. One song sees them going all Lloyd Cole & The Commotions. The funky bassline and basic drumming of 'Sundown Lake' is rather offputting. 'Weight Of It All' misses the horn stabs of the studio version.When it all gets stripped back to just a single instrument and vocals it is much more successful. They close with a more traditional country number but it still isn't gelling as it should. Considering their latest album 'Godspeed' is a current contender for my album of the year, I am pretty disappointed.

The Golden Dregs ***

Dove Ellis ****

Mammal Hands - Band On The Wall, Manchester (22/5/25)

Tonight is part of the Manchester Jazz Festival. It's been running for almost thirty years but this is the first event I've ever been to. I wasn't sure what to expect but it seems like it is just one band with no support then you can go on to the next show afterwards if you fancy.

Mammal Hands start off with a delicate piano motif before the keys are played a little more forcefully and the saxophone comes in. The pace is quite slow and there is a lot of space between the notes. The drums sound like rolling thunder in this introduction. When the band get into their flow it is like Gogo Penguin with saxophone replacing the double bass. It is beautiful and evocative. Songs often flow from one into another with the drums keeping the beat before the other instruments join in. The piano has a classical feel whilst the saxophone has an '80s smooth jazz vibe but it all comes together to create a cinematic, almost post-rock form of jazz, and the drumming is the glue that binds it all together. The ethnic drumming of 'Kudu' makes it feel a bit more freeform. A new track sees effects pedals transforming the sax into something that sounds like a bagpipe before reverting to its usual sound and combining with intricate piano riffs to build to a noisy climax. The frantic chase sequence keys of regular set closer 'The Spinner' are offset by the calm sax whilst the drumming gets increasingly urgent. Excellent.

Mammal Hands ****

Dinosaur Jr. & Naima Bock - Albert Hall, Manchester (18/5/25)

Dinosaur Jr. return to Manchester to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their 'Without A Sound' album by playing it in full. It really doesn't feel that long. I remember hearing the lead single 'Feel The Pain' on Radio One's Evening Session and loving it so much that I immediately bought it on cassette single.

Former Goat Girl Naima Bock opens up the show. It's quite a folky start with just her voice and a minimal amount of bass guitar. When the other instruments and voices join in it reinforces the folk feel, bringing Fairport Convention to mind. Subsequent tracks have more of a folk rock feel, fusing whimsical British folk with Americana. It's all quite relaxing, with a gentle, rolling groove. Naima's voice has a beguiling, slightly haunting quality which reminds me of Joan As Policewoman. Some of the guitar playing is so laid back it's amost horizontal. Two members of her band switch between playing keys and guitar but no matter who is playing what, it is quite sparse and laid back. It is impressive nonetheless.

Dinosaur Jr. open with the classic 'Feel The Pain', the melodic, catchy verses mixing effortlessly with some incendiary guitar playing from J Mascis. The country tinged alt rock of 'I Don't Think So' is as familiar as an old shirt which you've forgotten about but when you try it on, it still fits well, looks good on and is extremely comfortable. The songs seem to be played with more urgency than the record. Some of these songs have not been played in a long time and roadies are frequently bringing out boards with the lyrics and a huge light so that J can read them. You wouldn't be able to tell otherwise as they are a very tight band despite the loose nature of the material. The rhythm section of Murph and Lou Barlow are taut and dynamic whilst J's guitar playing is fire throughout. 'Grab It' perfectly marries the slacker aesthetic with their punk background and is excellent. The guitar solo shows off J at his best. Songs such as 'Even You' sound much heavier live. The low slung riffs of 'Get Out Of This' are great and J's guitar solo is truly jaw dropping. Wow! The punchy 'On The Brink', with its country style noodling, is cool. A delicate 'Seemed Like The Thing To Do' with just J on vocals and guitar is magical. 'Little Fury Things' kicks off the non-album part of the set in fine style. A buoyant 'Start Choppin' is followed by the equally bouncy 'Freak Scene'. The overdriven riffing of 'Gargoyle' is amazing and Lou Barlow looks cool as fuck as he rocks out. They close the show with their amazing cover of The Cure's 'Just Like Heaven'. Excellent.

Dinosaur Jr. *****

Naima Bock ****

The Flaming Lips - Apollo, Manchester (4/5/25)

The Flaming Lips bring their 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' show to Manchester for the second time in just over two years. I'm not really complaining though as it is a great album.

The stage is a cluttered mess before the show starts but as the band take to the stage the piles of pink plastic are inflated and transformed into 'Yoshimi's titular pink robots. 'Fight Test's psych pop take on Cat Stevens' 'Father And Son' is an excellent start. 'One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21' has much more of a driving beat than the studio version yet manages to retain its heart. 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1' is absolutely glorious. 'Yoshimi, Pt. 2' is pretty chaotic, with giant balloons and streamers joining the robots and lasers. 'Yoshimi' is such a profound album and 'In The Morning Of The Magicians' is the first time tonight that I'm really moved, with the 'What is love and what is hate? And why does it matter?' refrain really touching a chord with me. The weird carnival psych of 'Are You A Hypnotist??' is elevated by an incredible chorus. 'Do You Realize??' is an emotional tour de force. It is uplifting yet devastating, and makes you grateful for what and who you have in your life but still makes you question your place in the universe. This is followed by the equally emotional 'All We Have Is Now'. The triumphant fanfare of 'Approaching Pavonis Mons By Balloon (Utopia Planitia)' closes the album set.

The band take a short break while the crew clear up the stage. To be honest, I need a break too after something so emotionally intense. The dumb as rocks 'She Don't Use Jelly' opens the second half of the show in a real fun way. Of course, it is 'The Soft Bulletin' material I really want to hear and 'The Spark That Bled' is fantastic. 'Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung' is thrilling and sounds absolutely massive. The climax with frontman Wayne Coyne swinging a light around his head in otherwise darkness is very atmospheric. A country tinged 'Waiting For Superman' is terrific. 'The Golden Path' is essentially a dancefloor heavy, sunny psych take on 'Where The Streets Have No Name' which sees the band joined by a crew member wearing the shittest sun costume you've ever seen. Giant aliens also join the party and it's just stoopid fun, like Flaming Lips have always been. Deep cut 'Riding To Work In The Year 2025 (Your Invisible Now)' is excellent, 'The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)' is powerful and energetic, and sadly, as relevant as ever, The staging for the song is ludicrous, with Wayne holding a giant pair of lips while two eyeballs dance behind him. A cover of Daniel Johnston's 'True Love Will Find You In The End' is incredibly moving and features some splendid slide guitar. The closing 'Race For The Prize' is euphoric. Their gigantic balloon says 'Fuck yeah, Manchester' and I couldn't agree more. They have the amazing ability to make you feel so happy yet so sad at the same time. Awesome.

The Flaming Lips *****

Great Falls, Glassing & Lure In - Deaf Institute, Manchester (22/4/25)

'We Are All Going To Hell', the first track from Manchester's Lure In has a decent Helmet style riff. The second track has some really good J Mascis style guitar work. The singer is proper in your face but I can't argue too much as I was exactly the same when I was in a band. The hardcore punk parts are pretty standard. It's the other bits which are much more interesting, such as the 90s alt rock parts (which are reminiscent of Veruca Salt or maybe The Breeders). The hardcore parts are very Ebullition (or a million other bands I saw at the 1 In 12 weekends). It's all a bit messy. The Napalm Death influenced bursts are pretty decent and about as focused as they get.

Glassing's first track has some lovely post-rock guitar lines whilst the rhythm section provides a heavy throb. The second track is '90s metallic hardcore which reminds me of Converge mixed with Morning Again with a sprinkling of Starkweather on top. The excellent drummer is an absolute blur at times. The fourth track sees more of those gorgeous post-rock guitars, only they are played heavier and faster whilst the rhythm section is pummeling. The overall effect is crushing. Considering they are playing a style of music from the '90s, it feels fresh and inventive as the strong rhythmic pulse and interesting guitar work give them their own identity. The final track has a Cave In cosmic prog quality (think 'Until Your Heart Stops' meets 'Jupiter'). It's the singer's Birthday and after their set, the Great Falls guys bring him a Birthday cake whilst the crowd sings 'Happy Birthday' to him. Absolutely brilliant.

Great Falls are yet more '90s influenced metallic hardcore only this time it is in the vein of Deadguy or Kiss It Goodbye and is much more chaotic. Damien's bass playing is excellent, fluid yet aggressive and on a couple of occasions he just puts his head down and bulldozes through the crowd. They are heavy as hell, with an ugly gnarly guitar tone. They start off fairly low key but the set builds in momentum and they are really motoring by the time they are halfway through, and it is devastating. The final track 'Thrown Against The Waves' with its heavy, swaying bass and ringing guitar is hypnotic.

Great Falls ****

Glassing ****

Lure In ***

Heilung & Eivør - Apollo, Manchester (21/4/25)

Another O2 venue and another massive queue to get in which means that I miss most of Eivør's set but what I do see is pretty magical. It isn't dissimilar to tonight's headliners but they probably remind me of a more ambient Gåte. Eivør's vocals are strong yet haunting and they give the material an ethereal quality. They get a rapturous response from the audience although that isn't really a surprise. They have more electronic elements than the likes of Heilung or Wardruna and this gives them a more modern sound.

Heilung's opening ceremony sees a couple of band members purifying the stage. It should be a solemn occasion and a time for reflection so the whooping and hollering from the crowd is very irritating. All the performers gather in a circle and the shamen figure recites some lines which acts as a call and response both for the performers on stage and the crowd. It seems like a pagan version of the Nicene Creed which is apt because it feels very spiritual. The opener 'In Maidjan' is extremely tribal and when all the voices (there's about thirty in total) join in together it is awesome. 'Norupo' features haunting vocals from the horned Maria Franz and a pounding beat which sounds like the P.A.G.A.N. gathering in 'Dragnet'. 'Alfadhirhaiti' sees the warriors out in full force responding to the croaked vocals in a call to arms which results in an awesome wardance. The stage looks like a woodland grove and the whole performance feels like a midnight pagan ritual, the kind of thing that would have given Matthew Hopkins fits had he stumbled upon it. The atmospheric 'Asja' is incredible, enhanced by the choreographed movements of the warriors. The multi-part harmonies of 'Svanrand' are amazing. 'Urbani' has the feel of a Maori haka. 'Tenet' is haunting and mournful, with the female singers graceful movements adding to the spectacle. 'Othan's choral sensibilities give it the feel of Ulver's 'Kveldssanger'. 'Anoana' is haunting tribal folk which you feel in every atom of your body. 'Nikkal' sounds absolutely angelic. 'Hamrer Hippyer' is dramatic, epic and raucous, and it builds to an absolute frenzy. Another cleansing ceremony closes the show. This is not a gig. It is a ritual. It is a performance. It is a show. It is theatre. It is art. It is all the things which go beyond mere gigs and just music.

Heilung *****

Eivør ****