Louder Than War Live - Academy Venues, Manchester (14/3/26)

John Robb is a fairly well known figure in these parts when it comes to music. As a musician with The Membranes and Goldblade and as a journalist for Sounds, Melody Maker and several broadsheets, he has been in and around the Manchester music scene for over forty years. Louder Than War is the music magazine he founded and contributes to, and today sees them host their first festival, set within the various venues found in the Manchester University Student's Union.

The Dirt are the first band I manage to catch in the Academy 3. They open with a spoken word section led by Jack Horner (formerly known as Leon The Pig Farmer) which is wordy and clever, coming across like an angrier John Cooper Clarke. When the music starts, it is garage style psych rock that rides simple, repetitive guitar lines provided by his wife Saciko whilst Jack continues with his highly politicised spoken word delivery. He is righteous and furious at the state of the world, sitting somewhere between the aforementioned Cooper Clarke and Jason Williamson of Sleaford Mods. They cover similar territory to Benefits who will be playing later on. 'Bed Of Nails' is swirling psych noise backed with a drum machine whilst Jack spits forth his ire. 'Chaos' is a bit sluggish and lumbering but the dirty groove of 'Rage Of Ages' is much better. This is an outfit which exists as an outlet for the ideas, lyrics and anger of the frontman and his vocal delivery is consistently excellent. A good start to the day.

Manchester's The Empty Page are a female fronted, grungy alt rock band. The opening track has a distinct Veruca Salt feel and the guitar work from Giz is pretty good. 'You're Tame' rides a Pixies bassline that is very 'Debaser'. A new track marries Sleeper style pop with a harder edge. The singer/bassist Kel sounds great, with a nice throaty edge to her voice which is reminiscent of Courtney Love in places. When she really opens up and hits the top of her range, it also reminds me of Björk at her most unhinged. She also exudes much more confidence than when I last saw them a year ago, which helps to elevate the performance. New track 'A Feminine Ending' is a bit of a slow burner but the controlled yet wild guitar solo courtesy of Giz is excellent. The set is dedicated to Mötörhead's Phil Campbell, which seemed a bit odd at the time but made sense later when I learned of his passing. A more impressive showing than the last time I saw them.

House Of All have a direct lineage to The Fall and you can definitely tell. They are made up of former members of The Fall so, unsurprisingly, they sound pretty similar. Musically, it is pretty loose post-punk and Martin Bramah's vocals have a shouty Mark E Smith quality to them. I was never the biggest Fall fan so liking House Of All was always going to be a bit of an ask for me so I decide to go and check out The DSM IV in Club Academy instead.

My first impression of The DSM IV is that they look really cool. The waiflike synth player is lost in the music as he rocks back and forth behind his bank of electronics whilst the guitarist is all goth punk chic. The singer Guy McKnight looks like he could be the long lost third member of Sparks. They remind me of The Human League although the beats are harder and there is more guitar. Guy has the look of Paul Rudd and has such a theatrical manner that you could imagine them as a spoof band in a Judd Apatow movie. Don't mistake them for a joke band though as they are really good at what they do. The hooks are big and draw you in like colourful fishing flies lure in trout. The guitar and synths combine beautifully, neither overpowering the other. The guitars sit more in the background but augment the sound and make it sound powerful and dangerous. The final track has a tribal Joy Division feel although the synths give it an accessible edge. Soundwise, they also sound like they would fit in on 'The Lost Boys' soundtrack as there is a certain gothic sexiness to them. Great stuff.

Masked psych rockers Evil Blizzard are up next in the larger Academy 2. The opening 'Off With Their Heads' has a nice motorik groove. Some of the masks worn by the band are horrific, the bassist looks particularly grotesque. They are hypnotic and generate a fair bit of power but with two bassists and two guitarists, you would expect them to. 'Hello' is like a psychedelic Public Image Ltd. with plenty of swirling guitars. 'Rotting In The Belly Of The Whale' is a psych take on '80s metal and is quite dramatic. They are a versatile band covering a number of different genres although everything is painted in psychedelic tones. They are really good but I end up cutting their set short so I can get a good spot for The Sick Man Of Europe.

The Sick Man Of Europe's debut album was one of the unsung gems last year but live they are something else. Opening with 'Obsolete's monstrous motorik groove, it sounds intense due to the combination of the electronic pulse and the heavy, coruscating guitars. It is an incredible start. The driving, heavy synth pop of the second track is equally good. The singer starts off fairly low key and gets off more animated as the set goes on, deciding to spend the majority of it on the floor with the crowd. This is dark Joy Division-esque post-punk plied with a relentless krautrock spirit. The rhythm section is tight as hell but it needs to be for tracks such as 'Profane Not Profound' to work as well as they do. The dark bounce of 'Transactional' is compelling and the violent guitar punctuations are particularly intense. Incredible.

From one of last year's best finds to one of this year's, the hotly tipped Mouth Ulcers. They are a London based act who play gothic tinged post-punk. They don't have much of a stage presence yet but the songs are very strong, with robust, well-defined basslines and big hooks. 'A Perfect End' has a driving Grave Pleasures/Beastmilk feel. There are tons of photographers in the photography pit, highlighting how much hype there is around them. There is an air of cool about them and the guitarist particularly exudes it, coming across like an '80s New Wave Rizzo (from 'Grease'). There is a real potency and depth to their sound and the icy power of Grave Pleasures is often brought to mind. On one hand, it's hard to believe that they only have three tracks out (now four) and this is only their third gig as their sound is very complete and the songs are really strong. On the other hand, it isn't that hard to believe as the stagecraft isn't there yet and there isn't much engagement with the audience but I'm sure that will come in time.

Heavy Lungs draw the short straw of clashing with headliners Sea Power and the popular Benefits and as such, they are playing to the smallest crowd I've seen today. They explode into life with the energetic, intense hardcore of 'Cushion The Blow'. They seem wired tonight and 'All Gas No Brakes' has more of a groove than usual. They are a highly energetic band, with the bassist James Minchall stomping around the stage and windmilling his bass around whilst the singer Danny Nedelko has lots of crazy dance moves and a genuine disregard for his safety. I thought he was going to seriously hurt himself as he constantly rammed his shoulder into the safety barrier. 'Get Out' is high octane punk rock fun and Danny sings it hanging upside down from the ceiling. 'Yes Chef' is a short sharp shock which is proper in your face. The oddball punk rock of 'Cavier' is thrilling. The bass tone is really dense, giving weight to everything they play, and the bass heavy shuffle of 'Dancing Man' in particular is amazing. The bouncy post-punk bop of 'Mr. Famous' is great and the drummer's 'boring' backing vocals are pretty funny. The drummer is impressive with his powerhouse drumming whilst also singing backups. The angular noise punk of the closing '(A Bit Of A) Birthday' has more energy than a nuclear power plant. A great way to end the day.

For a first event, this was great. Sure, there could have been more people there but most of the sets had a decent amount of people in attendance. The event did a great job of showcasing the independent scene's underbelly and the bands I saw were consistently good. Hopefully, it will return next year.

Heavy Lungs ****

Mouth Ulcers ****

The Sick Man Of Europe *****

Evil Blizzard ****

The DSM IV ****

House Of All **

The Empty Page ****

The Dirt ****

The Frank And Walters & Jody And The Jerms - The Star & Garter, Manchester (7/3/26)

The Star & Garter is a legendary underground music venue in Manchester. It is a bit of a contradiction, a Manchester institution that has also managed to evade a lot of people. Unless you've been to an underground metal, punk, hardcore or indie show there or have been to one of the club nights there (the monthly Morrissey night is especially popular) then it probably hasn't even entered your consciousness but even if it has, chances are you've probably never been. I've always described it as my favourite place as so much of my life has been spent there. So many many memories, friendships and memorable gigs are tied in with that place. The legendary status of the pub obviously hasn't made it over to Ireland as Cork's indie veterans The Frank And Walters tweeted earlier today that they had got lost and ended up at the wrong Star & Garter in nearby Stockport.

Tonight is a little bit of a risk for me as I've decided to bring my wife here for the very first time, When my friends found out, their first reaction was 'what the fuck are you thinking?'. When we got here, I asked my wife what she thought of the place and she described it as a shithole. I proudly agreed as I pointed out all the things that haven't changed since the nineties.

The support act tonight is Oxford's Jody And The Jerms. They are a female fronted indie band and they are pretty average, to be honest. The bassline on the second song reminds me of late eighties or early nineties bands like The High or New Fast Automatic Daffodils. They are all roughly my age and it has the feel of a mid-life vanity project. The third track is poppy post-punk which is pleasant enough but that's all. 'Shiver' has a 'Babylon's Burning' style bassline but it is played much less intensely. The sound is a mixture of early nineties indie and late eighties alt pop. 'A Different Place' is Bananarama if they never made it and were stuck trawling tiny shithole venues in the eighties alternative scene. The vocals are full of character and aren't bad at all. They have a touch of Kirsty McColl about them and there are some nice folky vocal harmonies too. The vocals are probably their best feature. In contrast, the music is plodding and laboured. 'The Harder I Try' has a charming chorus but musically it's a bit leaden, and that sums up their set really.

'Tony Cochrane' seems like a fairly low key opener for The Frank And Walters but when they reach the chorus, a number of people join in and sing along. 'Stages' is more uptempo and the climax ratchets up the intensity. 'Trust In The Future' has a commercial pop rock feel like '90s U2 or The Stereophonics and the chorus is another belter. 'Landslide' and 'Plenty Times' are another couple of tracks which have a U2 influence and Paul Linehan soars vocally in a Bono-esque fashion on them but don't let that put you off as they are great and have considerable emotional power. The punchy 'Somewhere In The City' is heavier on the synths but is still a classy slice of indie pop. 'We Are The Young Men' sees lots of not so young men punching the air and singing along to the chorus. There is a real connection between the band and the audience, helped by the fact that they are pretty funny in between songs, especially the drummer Ashley. The guitarist Rory's work on 'Song For A Future Love' is excellent, I just wish I could hear it better. 'How Can I Exist' is pretty emotional and the soaring chorus is excellent. Kraftwerk's 'The Model' is given their own spin, and the stark European minimal electronica of the original is transformed into something much boozier and folkier. The Frank And Walters have always had a knack of writing great choruses but the incredible refrain of 'After All' (which was a top twenty hit back in the '90s) is probably their best. 'After All' causes the place to become unglued and the excellent 'Colours' keeps up the momentum. It's getting pretty hot in here now and Paul strips to the waist for a fantastic 'Fashion Crisis its New York'. The intensity of the set increases with the temperature. 'Walter's Trip' and 'This Is Not A Song' are both armed with killer choruses. 'We Are The Frank And Walters' is still a bit rubbish but it is so charming and memorable that they get away with it. The summery 'Indie Love song' is super catchy and closes the set in an excellent fashion. Fan favourite 'Michael' which often closes the show is absent though which is both surprising and disappointing but this is a minor quibble.

The Frank And Walters ****

Jody And The Jerms **

Mogwai & Forest Swords - Apollo, Manchester 27/2/26)

It only seems like five minutes since Mogwai last played in Manchester at the 6Music Festival. They released their latest album over a year ago and are still touring in support of it. What started off in the UK has also taken in Asia, Europe and North and South America and sees them back in the UK for another extensive tour and back in Manchester less than a year since they last played here.

Forest Swords start off with ambient field recordings. It is moderately interesting but after five minutes of not really going anywhere, that interest dissipates. The second track is similar but actually has a gentle throbbing beat to carry it along. The third track has a very deliberate beat but it at least has a bit of heft behind it. The dubby fourth track is where it starts to make sense. The zither on this track reminds me a little of Björk's 'All Is Full Of Love'. The beats gradually get louder, heavier and bassier as the set progresses. The sole flickering light behind him (for Forest Swords is the solo project of Matthew Barnes) is atmospheric but when you look up at the ceiling you see the patterns which they create. It's pretty cool but probably only for those is the first few rows like myself. There are spiritual vocals which are clipped and used in interesting ways but again, too much of it doesn't go anywhere. The parts with deep, heavy beats are great but there aren't enough of them for my liking. There's a compelling set in there somewhere but there is way too much faffing around. The increasing hum of chattering voices suggests that I'm not the only one who is struggling to engage. The closing track sounds like a closing theme to an eighties b-movie and is excellent but I feel like I'm more inclined to judge the set on the moments of inactivity rather than the moments that are good. 

Mogwai open with 'God Gets You Back'. The synths and vocoder laden vocals add some artificial beauty but it still possesses a power that the studio version doesn't have. I can already feel the vibrations through my feet. 'Hi Chaos' opens darkly but shimmering guitars shine through before we're back with the melancholy again, cycling between the two parts before building to a crushing crescendo. The distortion heavy climax and frantic drumming of 'Summer' is thrilling. Mogwai specialise in mixing the quiet and loud so the predominantly quiet tracks such as 'Pale Vegan Hip Pain' and 'Hunted By A Freak' lose some of their impact without that contrast. 'Mogwai Fear Satan' is impossibly loud from the start but when they slow it right down and turn the volume down, it is stunning but you need to brace yourself for when the distortion kicks in again. Mogwai change their set every evening so I feel especially blessed that we get three of their longest and heaviest songs tonight. 'Satan' is the first of the trio and this, 'Like Herod' and encore 'My Father, My King' clock in at roughly 45 minutes of pure noise. The beat of 'May Nothing But Happiness Come Through Your Door' ticks ominously like a malevolent mantelpiece clock. The crowd isn't particularly respectful during the the quieter passages as there is far too much chatting and hollering. The vocals and more conventional song structure of 'Ritchie Sacramento' stands out. The twinkling yet overdriven pop of 'Fanzine Made Of Flesh' is joyous. The stomping power of 'Remurdered' is immense anyway but when the electronics kick in it is a real wow moment. The final two tracks sees the intensity ratcheted up The screeching, swirling climax of regular set closer 'Like Herod' is colossal whilst the sprawling, epic encore 'My Father, My King' is monstrously heavy, and this final thirty minutes sends me home extremely satisfied.

Mogwai ****

Forest Swords **