The Lemon Twigs & The Stones - Academy 2, Manchester (30/5/26)

Approaching the Manchester University Students Union we are met by two queues, one short and one much longer. The longer queue is full of young moshers and emo kids whilst the shorter queue has more older people and the younger ones are dressed in corduroy jackets, flares, flowery shirts etc. It is easy to work out which queue is for The Lemon Twigs as although they were formed in the 2010s, they are a band out of time, whose sound owes a debt to the late '60s and early '70s. A prolific bunch, they are back in Manchester promoting their seventh album (and third in four years) 'Look For Your Mind!'.

It's a ballsy move calling your band The Stones when you know that another famous band are often referred by that name. It takes supreme confidence. Unfortunately, that confidence is misplaced as their sound is a bit confused, unsure of what it wants to be. They start off the set as uptempo power pop with a quirky edge. The bassist Vanessa exudes punk rock cool with a neat selection of Pixies style basslines whilst frontman Jay is eccentric and adds a psychedelic edge with his keys. However, it's a bit crazy and doesn't come together as cohesively as it could. The use of harmonica adds a country element but it doesn't really help matters as each extra component or style they add just makes it zanier and less coherent. This is all a shame as they seem pretty competent musicians. Towards the end of the set they hit upon a pounding rock and roll groove which is great but these moments are few and far between. When they're not being wacky, they give off a slight Neil Young vibe but most of the time it's a mediocre mismatch of styles.

The Lemon Twigs open with 'My Golden Years' and those glorious vocal harmonies catch the attention straight away. 'I've Got A Broken Heart' has more attitude than the studio recording but still has a mammoth chorus. The D'Addario brothers have a great repertoire of jumps, injecting a good deal of energy into the performance. The driving chorus and sun drenched melodies of 'The One' are fantastic. This is timeless music of a particular time, and the brilliant 'I Just Can't Get Over Losing You' sounds like a long lost classic from 1966. '2 or 3' follows and at this point it's hit after hit. These songs rely upon the vocal harmonies and melodies and the band nail each one.

The band switch instruments for the glorious Crosby, Stills & Nash flavoured 'Any Time Of Day' which shows how multi-talented they are. 'Friday (I'm Gonna Love You)' is a Monkees style thrashabout whilst the Beach Boys surf rock of 'Bring You Down' is a fantastic injection of energy. The little touches of falsetto add something extra to each song they're used in. 'Ghost Run Free's dynamic chorus is unbelievable. The Tremeloes meets 'Pet Sounds' ballad 'In The Eyes Of The Girl' features some lovely harmonies. The influence of The Who is all over the new album and tracks such as 'Look For Your Mind' and 'Fire And Gold' have an injection of that band's power. The glam rock stomp of 'Rock On (Over And Over)' closes the regular set.

Brian D'Addario comes out alone for the encore, playing an acoustic 'Joy' and the magical 'Corner Of My Eye' which sees a large portion of the crowd singing along. The rest of the band join him for a cover of The Move's 'I Can Hear The Grass Grow'. The 'Pet Sounds' influenced 'How Can I Love Her More?' is emotionally draining but the band aren't finished there as they find time to throw in a cover of Love's 'No Matter What You Do'. The Lemon Twigs may not be a household name but I find myself recommending them to anyone with a passing interest in '60s pop and tonight is another fine example of why I stake any credibility I have on them.

The Lemon Twigs ****

The Stones **

We Lost The Sea, Overhead, The Albatross & Dimscua - Academy 2, Manchester (24/5/26)

A variation of this review can be found on rockflesh.com.

Tonight is the Manchester show of what Gavin McInally of the 2 Promoters, 1 Pod podcast is calling the tour of year, bringing together three acts that they rave about on the podcast. He is also putting his money where his mouth is too as he is the promoter of tonight's show which has been upgraded from the much smaller Academy 3.

The rise of Dimscua is an amazing story. Originally formed by a group of friends a few years ago, it became an outlet for grief following the death of the guitarist's daughter. Their self-released album was raved about on the podcast and a few hundred listeners on Spotify grew to ten thousand and resulted in spots at Arctangent and Damnation festivals.

The headliner's equipment means that Dimscua are all confined to the front of the stage, the drummer included. The steady build of opener 'Elder Bairn' gradually gets heavier and heavier. This is post-metal in the vein of Cult Of Luna or Amenra but the real skill is how they mix shimmering post-rock guitar lines in with it to add some real beauty to balance the weight. There is some awful feedback a couple of times during the opener but it doesn't derail them or lessen the impact. 'Dust Eater' follows a similar pattern, with clean guitar lines which are then joined by the other instruments, building in magnitude until it erupts in a blinding, white hot intensity. They create a hypnotic groove but it's the frequent use of melodic guitars which makes them special. Alex Rowlands' harsh roar acts as a further counterweight to the melody.

They only have four songs so their 'Dust Eater' album is played in its entirety. 'Existence (Futility)' is punishing from the start with its choppy, tempestuous riff. The band rock back and forth in unison and the crowd mirrors them. Alex seems much more confident and commands the audience better than he did at Damnation. The gentle guitar and spoken vocals on 'On Being And Nothingness' give way to a tremendously heavy climax. Post-metal is a relatively simple genre as it tends to follow a pattern which builds to a climax but it isn't that easy to get right as often the journey doesn't take you where you want it to. However, Dimscua make it look like childs play and they are greeted like conquering heroes by the growing crowd as they leave the stage.

Overhead, The Albatross open with 'Your Last Breath', with its gentle guitars, twinkling electronics and strings. They are playing with a stand in drummer Ryan and his drumming seems more jazz influenced, meaning it initially lacks the power it normally has but after a couple of minutes it feels more natural and the intuitive nature of the drumming becomes a real benefit as the set progresses. The way they pull on your emotions is their key strength and the spoken word section is delivered with passion and is devastating. The bassist is always active on stage but tonight he is matched by the guitarists who all seem really up for it. They are incredibly forward thinking and progressive and the end result is something akin to Radiohead if they were a post-rock band. The 'begging the pain to stay' refrain of 'At Sea' is shattering. The pounding rhythm and stream of consciousness rapped delivery of 'Hibakusha' is really powerful, and the rhythmic throb of the climax is incredible. The visuals don't have the same impact as usual as they are projected onto a sheet way back from where they are playing and look tiny as a result. Even the Hiroshima/Enola Gay footage doesn't have the same impact.

The lyrics are incredibly raw and vulnerable as shown on 'I've Got A Few Years Left'. The main singer Luke Daly takes centre stage for this and the almost breakbeat section is stunning. The bhangra flavoured 'This Is Like Love' is mind blowing. Established electronic acts like 808 State or Orbital would kill for a song like this. All these songs are anthems of loss and are incredibly moving but the closing 'Paul Lynch' is something else, and the final singalong (aided by the lyrics on screen) is unbelievably cathartic. I've seen them better but Overhead, The Albatross are still a pretty astonishing band.

Any notions that We Lost The Sea will have trouble following that are immediately dispelled as guitarist Mark Owen appears on stage alone and plays the simple, repeating guitar motif of opener 'If They Had Hearts'. Even with just a single instrument, it is clear that there is more weight than the studio recordings and it is magnetic. The rest of the band appear and the layers they add create extra depth and make something simple seem wildly progressive and expansive. They are extremely cinematic; the opening section of 'A Dance With Death' plays out like the soundtrack to the denouement of a thriller where the major plot twist is about to be revealed. It is incredibly dramatic and is only enhanced by the moody stage lighting. They generate volume and power in similar way to Mogwai in a live setting and they are easily the heaviest of the three bands tonight which is a major surprise, although that is probably to be expected with three guitarists. The records are captivating but they do not suggest anything near this level of potency and the crowd are responding by moving in a way I didn't expect. The pounding beat in the middle of 'Everything Here Is Black And Blinding' is rousing and even gets people dancing.

There is no frontman to stir up the crowd but it doesn't really matter as each member is lost in their own playing, standing on the risers when the moment takes them and it is captivating. The heartfelt melodic playing in the middle of tracks such as 'A Beautiful Collapse' and 'A Gallant Gentleman' adds different textures and completely pulls on your emotions which is no mean feat for an instrumental band. These are all lengthy compositions but each song flies by. 'Bogatyri' has a Lynchian dark, brooding atmosphere which builds to a euphoric crescendo before the band leave the stage.

The encore is audacious as they choose to play the twenty seven minute long 'Blood Will Have Blood'. It has multiple highlights and never gets boring. There are sweeping, almost galloping sections which are exhilarating and they have a stadium rock sensibility in these moments which shows what they could be if they didn't write twenty minute plus songs, not that they care about such things. The peaks they are able to reach with their music are incredible. Liam Knowles from Hidden Mothers joins the band onstage for the unbelievably heavy post-metal of early track 'Balaklava Cold' which garners an ecstatic reaction from the crowd. It may not be the tour of the year but it will certainly be a contender. Absolutely amazing.

We Lost The Sea *****

Overhead, The Albatross ****

Dimscua ****

The Cabs & Binge - Night & Day Cafe, Manchester (13/5/26)

On one of the most prominent streets in Manchester's Northern Quarter, the Night & Day Cafe is still a lowkey, unassuming place despite its history and reputation. A cafe bar during the day, it is transformed into an intimate live music venue in the evening and tonight takes on extra significance as it plays host to only the second show The Cabs have played outside of their native Japan, having played London the previous evening.

It is an evening some thought they would never see, as The Cabs originally disbanded in 2013 before reuniting last year. There is a decent turnout too but it seems to be mostly casual observers curious to see what the fuss is about rather than hardcore emo/math rock fans (although there are some of those too).

Local masked duo Binge open up the show. They start off with some doomy chords before speeding off down the Lightning Bolt noise rock avenue. It is super heavy and they create one hell of a groove with some dynamic drumming and a colossal guitar tone. There are some math rock moments but generally this is an all out, relentless assault on the senses. The sound is dense and progressive and you can't help but be sucked in by the percussive brilliance of it. That percussive beat is provided by the incredible Mark Heron who impresses not only with the variety of his beats but also with the unbelievable amount of stamina he has. One track is frantic mathcore which has a nice jazzy interlude that allows you to catch your breath before it becomes chaotic and intense again. Absolutely brilliant.

The Cabs start off with the emo tinged mathrock of 'Anschluss' which starts off summery and builds to something more dynamic with touches of chaotic screamo. 'Nigastu No Heitei' is math rock with some complex noodling but the rhythm section keeps it tight and focused. The interplay between the clean and screamed vocals is great and the crowd greets each track like returning heroes. 'Leland' has lovely vocal melodies and some controlled yet chaotic guitar playing. They manage to be both challenging yet accessible at the same time.

The guitarist Kunimitsu tries to address the crowd and express his gratitude but he struggles a bit with the language so he leaves it to the drummer Itta instead but they seem genuinely happy to be here. The drumming is intuitive and combined with Yoshikatsu's bass playing provides a solid bass for Kunimitsu to go wild. Yoshikatsu's clean vocals have a sing song quality to them and prove to be quite emotional. There are quite a few time changes and twists and turns where they abruptly stop one passage and immediately veer down another path but it still sounds natural and it totally works. The band have been missed, and the announcement of the intention to release new material is greeted by a rapturous reception. One of those new tracks is spiky and dynamic, with much more of an screamo feel, and it bodes well for any upcoming release. 'Camn Aven' has technical guitar playing reminiscent of Minus The Bear and the moving chorus is terrific. Looking out at the crowd, you get the impression that some have been waiting forever for this and The Cabs don't disappoint.

The Cabs ****

Binge *****

Mind Enterprises, Rhumba Club & Toast Club - Prospekt Skatepark, Manchester (8/5/26)

Tonight, a skate park under the Mancunian Way is transformed into a heaving, sweaty club, and not just because two of the acts have club in their name but mainly because the Italo-House act Mind Enterprises are in town promoting their upcoming album 'Negroni Love'.

Toast Club start off as proggy yacht rock on their opening track 'Lift Explained'. The guitar and keyboard interplay is impressive and the whole package is pretty infectious. They are a young band but seem very much to be a band out of time and place as they sound like they could have been massive in the West Coast of America in the '80s. I'm reminded of everyone from Huey Lewis to Boston although there is a Thundercat style hyperfunk element underpinning many of the tracks which makes them feel quite dancey. Fortunately, they don't dick around as much as him. In fact, even though most of the songs are lengthy jams, they are still focused and efficient. 'Mean Girl' is summery '80 rock made for driving down the highway with the top down in blazing sunshine, and it brings the arcade game Outrun to mind. The falsetto vocals aren't quite in tune but being largely instrumental, they are used quite sparingly anyway. 'Toast Punters' is a drum 'n' bass meets prog rock version of the 'Ghostbusters' theme and is enormous fun which sums up their set as a whole.

Rhumba Club is the brainchild of the Jersey-born, London-based Tom Falle. The opening 'Odyssey' is housey synth-pop with a strong chorus and excellent vocals. 'Beach Lizard' is extremely camp electronica and is great fun whilst the synth freakout in the middle of the poppy 'Perfect Queen' is fantastic. He describes his music as a dance take on '70s porn soundtracks but I'm not sure I agree although however you describe it, it is brilliant. All of his songs have great choruses, particularly 'Talk Me Into it'. Tom's powerful, soulful voice really cuts through on the chorus of the Erasure-esque 'The Rhumba Club Is Waiting For Me' which is buoyant and uplifting yet still has darker undertones. There is an '80s pop edge to the synth sound but this is still modern dance music which would be equally at home in an Ibiza superclub or a gay bar. Great fun.

It has completely filled up by the time the headliners appear. Mind Enterprises come on stage looking cool as fuck, Andrea in an '80s style suit and Roberto in retro sportswear. The beat starts and bodies start to move and it gets louder and more intense as they ease into 'S.H.A.K.E.' with its deep house grooves and eighties synths, and the mixture of the two elements isn't that far removed from Daft Punk. 'Idol' has an electro funk bassline with a jaunty synth melody over the top and, like much of what they play, is uplifting. One thumping house track blends into another and it is glorious. The deep disco of 'Tuttosport' with its sample of Italian football results is incredible. 'Burn It's electro pop is amazing and this blends into the euphoric 'La Vita Di Mare'. Every song is utterly infectious, especially the superb 'Girls & Boys' which is a mixture of house and retro Euro pop. I'm having a ball as they drop one banger after another, from the tribal techno funk of 'Ballare' to the titanic singalong choruses of 'Rosanero' and 'Tacchini'. 'Tacchini' sees Andrea take off his jacket so they are both wearing Sergio Tacchini tennis shirts. The whistling robotic stomp of 'Find You' is cracking whilst 'Misty Jungle' is so good it almost causes an out of body experience. The version of 'Monogamy' they play harks back to the early days of house with a real S'Express feel. The deep electronic bounce of 'Another World' sends the already rocking crowd wild. As an encore, they play a rousing cover of Umberto Tozzi's (and later popularised by Laura Brannigan) 'Gloria'. The closing 'Americano' sees both members of the band drinking americanos behind their banks of electronics. Exhilarating.

Mind Enterprises *****

Rhumba Club ****

Toast Club ****

Dragged Into Sunlight, Vacuous & Plague Pit - Club Academy, Manchester (30/4/26)

When it comes to music, I'm like Galactus, the devourer of worlds in the Marvel comics, I always want more. Music has the ability to entertain, amaze, inspire and move you but once I've found something that does any or all of those, I'm not satsified as I will then try and find the next artist, song or album which also does that. It is a neverending quest. Live music is no different. Live music often ampliies those feelings and deciding which to go to has an element of FOMO to it. I'm afraid of missing something which could blow my mind or change my life. One of my biggest FOMO moments was at Damnation 2024 when Dragged Into Sunlight played their seminal 'Hatred For Mankind' in full . Unfortunately, they clashed with the band I was most looking forward to, the German funeral doomers Ahab. I really enjoyed Ahab but after hearing the rave reviews from people who had watched Dragged Into Sunlight, it felt like I had made the wrong choice and I had a serious case of buyers remorse. Tonight I finally get to see them as they return to Manchester in a short run of shows which also includes an appearance at Incineration Festival.

Openers Plague Pit spend their set backlit by red light and largely shrouded in darkness. It looks very foreboding and suits their death infused hardcore perfectly well. They are crushing regardless of the tempo. There are some nice percussive touches from the drummer which make the beatdowns funky as well as devastatingly heavy. The vocals are harsh and abrasive but this dovetails well with some classic metal guitar work meaning it's not totally relentless. The fast parts are rampaging and don't let up while the mid paced sections are full of headbanging riffs. There is a nice balance of tempos and dynamics which keeps it interesting throughout. The band are fairly static but it hardly matters when they are this good musically.

It's a slow and doomy start for London's Vacuous before we're overwhelmed by a whirlwind of riffs and blastbeats. This is discordant, abyssal death metal which owes a lot to the likes of Portal but is as punchy and dynamic as classic Morbid Angel at the same time. Jo Chen has a colossal roar although the majority of the time he keeps it low and gutteral. It is crushing and the visceral guitars and vocals give them a really nasty edge. They keep up a pummeling pace throughout and the intensity of their attack is just breathtaking. Just when you think it is all unrelenting spite, they drop in 'Contraband', a more contemporary death metal number which has some catchy hooks although it is still heavy as hell. Michael and Ezra's guitar playing is great and provides just enough melody while Max Southall's drumming is fantastic and is what makes it feel so punishing. It often feels like being sucked into the eye of a tornado and it is pretty exhilarating.

Skull candalabras are placed on the stage (complete with synthetic flames) and the stage is bathed in an eerie yellow glow in anticipation of Dragged Into Sunlight. The lights are then shut off leaving the illusion of candlelight and a noise track plays building the atmosphere. Samples and doomy sludge riffs herald the beginning of 'Boiled Angel' before the band unleash their unholy groove. Playing 'Hatred For Mankind' in full again, it sounds and feels powerful as hell. The strobe lighting destroys my retinas whilst the relentless attack of 'Buried With Leeches' destroys my eardrums. Performing entirely with their backs to the audience, the band communicate with the unrivalled nastiness of those feculent riffs and the sheer power emanating from their speaker stacks. Filthier than a pox ridden scalpel and so heavy that it feels like the entire world is collapsing in on you, it feels like a ritual and the crowd are utterly enraptured.

Dragged Into Sunlight ****

Vacuous *****

Plague Pit ****

Katherine Priddy & Amelia Coburn - Stoller Hall, Manchester (29/4/26)

This is the first time I've been to Stoller Hall and it looks to be a lovely venue. From the snippets of conversations I can hear around me, other people seem similarly impressed. Part of the prestigious Chethams School of Music, it is tailor-made for live performances. There is also a quirky balcony which surrounds the stage including the back of it, meaning you could get an up close view of the back of the performer if you so wish.

There is a technical problem before Amelia Coburn even starts her set as the mic isn't working and this delays the start by a few minutes. The haunting opener 'When The Tide Rolls In' is traditional yet ethereal folk in the vein of the songs covered by Anais Mitchell on 'Child Ballads'. 'Nodding Dog' has loosely strummed guitar which sounds a bit sad and desperate but the vocals are pretty beguiling. 'Sleepy Town' is livelier and the vocals have an exotic feel whilst 'See Saw' has a childlike, nursery rhyme feel. 'Something Wild' has a dark romantic quality and is again quite traditional. Amelia comes across as amiable and likeable, and musically it is pretty good.

Katherine Priddy plays a different style of folk, one with more contemporary influences. She also has a band backing her up this time and musically they often remind me of Richard Hawley. The opening 'Frightening Machines' could almost be a folk Radiohead and it is impossibly beautiful. 'Atlas' has a playful, fairground feel and the way Katherine's voice blends with the guitarist George's vocals is lovely. 'Matches' is darker traditional folk but is no less compelling or beautiful. 'A Boat On The River' is serene and calming, and the mournful violin adds extra depth. When other instruments are incorporated, they add extra textures such as on the jaunty 'Letters From A Travelling Man' which features some lovely mandolin. 'Euridice' is another dark song but is surprisingly peaceful.

The slinky 'Hurricane' sees latin flavoured bossanova mixed with a '60 spy film soundtrack and it adds an extra dimension to the set as it is different to the rest of her tracks. George and Katherine's duet 'I'm Always Willing' is utterly gorgeous and George's restrained guitar solo is excellent. 'Icarus' is another track inspired by Greek myths and it is moving and beautiful. Katherine's voice is a delight, the focal point of everything she plays and always compelling. It isn't static though, as it shifts from ethereal to something more grounded and earthy. 'Could This Be Enough?' is ghostly and magical while 'Indigo' is a terrifc way to close a spellbinding set.

Katherine Priddy ****

Amelia Coburn ***

Nubiyan Twist & O. - New Century Hall, Manchester (24/4/26)

Nubiyan Twist have been steadily building a following for their mix of soul, jazz, funk and Afrobeat but tonight feels like a huge step up for them in terms of the venue size.

O. open with the funky sax riffs of 'Slice' which builds to an almost techno crescendo reminiscent of Josh Wink. It feels like they play a lot of new tracks tonight as I can't quite identify the tracks (a problem I often have with instrumental music) yet they sound familiar at the same time as they warp their experimental jazz into multiple dance orientated genres in the same way they always have. One track has a breakbeat rhythm whilst another has a hip hop beat and Joe twists his baritone sax into something resembling scratching. Joe's use of pedals turns his sax into a myriad of voices which sound nothing like a saxophone; on the fourth song, it even resembles a lead guitar. Joe's skronking sax morphs into numerous shapes whilst Tash plays various genre rhythms; some garage here and some drum 'n' bass there alongside the hip hop beats and breakbeats, and her drumming is absolutely on point tonight. It doesn't quite seem the same atmosphere as when they play a small venue but they still make a lot of new friends tonight. The closing track is particularly impressive with some spacey breakbeat really rocking the place. A band as inventive as O. will always impress.

It has really filled up by the time Nubiyan Twist take to the stage. They have a cool intro with the percussionist and bandleader Tom Excell pretending to be an AI robot who has taken over but is jealous of live music. Smooth soulful jazz opens the show properly. The second track is jazz funk with a slight disco edge which isn't dissimilar to Jamiroquai and really gets the crowd grooving. The soulful flow of 'Red Herring' sees a guest dancer join them and he throws some seriously impressive, acrobatic shapes. The juddering African rhythms of 'Mlonje: Voices Joined' is too stuttering for my liking and while the bass solo is technically impressive, it doesn't really add much to the track and just comes across as pointless Thundercat-esque noodling. The lead vocals are excellent and add a classic soul edge to a number of tracks. When they're in party mode they're great, with a mixture of horns and African rhythms that get the crowd involved. One track is smooth soul with a funky bassline and dreamy keys. Their call to arms against AI, 'Chasing Shadows' is a smart slice of jazzy Afrobeat and Jonathan Enser's trumpet break midway through is great. 'Breeze' is much dubbier and the the smooth male vocals are lovely. Every member of the band gets their own opportunity to shine, with numerous solo slots throughout the set. 'Carry Me' is a feel good party track with a conscience. 'Pray For Me' is a joyful Afrobeat banger which closes the regular set. The encore begins with a neat serving of lovers rock with a great baritone sax solo. The heavy groove of 'Message' sees the return of the dancer and O., and Joe plays his section on the floor as the crowd parts for him. It is excellent and a fitting way to close out the show.

Nubiyan Twist ****

O. ****