Live From Manchester!

[Fez]

the bronx / winebago deal / ladyfinger
manchester roadhouse
18/10/2006

that was an absolute blinder of a show! the bronx totally blew us all away in the audience; it was loud, it was intense, the band's frontman matt was jumping in and out of the mosh pit and getting hoisted high over everyone's heads, the last song was such a frenzy someone took out the pa system attached to the ceiling with their foot! we couldn't have an encore after that, but it was such a solid set of punk mayhem no one cared and everyone headed through the empty beer cups and puddles of sweat to the door exhausted and feeling damn privelaged to have been there. come back soon guys!

support band: 'lady finger' poor vocal sound quality made it impossible for the crowd to get into the songs. not bad but needs to try harder

runners up: winibago deal high octane stuff i'll have to check out on cd sometime soon, good duo but lose a star for not having a bass player

headliners: the bronx so fun they should be illegal!

[Mike]

Glad you enjoyed yourself. I will try an write up the notes here in a bit!

[Fez]

what's everyone doing next tuesday night? if you have the time to spare, the money and no care for your personal saftey, would you join me in going to see the exploited at the music box? i wont lie; it'll be a brutal night because this band are the original punk skinheads, but they do have a good line in political anthems with songs including - 'let's start a war', 'hitler's in the chart's again' and the old ladies favourite 'treat you like shit'. tickets are cheap but have to be picked up from the venue on the night

alternatively, i'm also going to see the less dangerous but just as much fun punks dropkick murphys and less than jake at the apollo on monday 13th november. tickets are ?20-ish and you have to sit down because all the standing places have gone, but it should be a good night.

thirdly, will anyone go with me to jilly's on friday night? i don't want to have to go alone

[mr_e]

Glasses plus brutal night = glasses crushed = bad. Less Than Jake are tempting, although I hear the newer stuff is a bit shite, but I'm going to have to check my finances again, as I could really do with being in the black at some point this year. Which Friday night for Jilly's? I notice none of those gigs are on Friday, so are you coming over especially?

Edit: Less Than Jake are now sold out according to the Apollo website. Was listening to Exploited last night, they're damn good, but still worried...

[Fez]

the trick to avoiding being sucked into a mosh pit and beaten black and blue is to stay close to the walls or alternatively thump anyone in the face who gets too close - at an exploited gig they'll think your just getting into the spirit of things. seriously, i don't like the sounds of being moshed to death either, and i don't know the floor plan of the music box but if it's the same general layout as the roadhouse [cramped and sweaty] trouble can be avoided by standing to the far-side front of either end of the stage.

i'm surprised dropkick/jake has sold out because i'm pretty sure a new date was announced last week, and it's the second date i probably got a ticket too. either that or i'm imaging things which wouldn't be a surprise - i think i got my mine from ticketline if that helps.

as for jilly's i said after last time that i'd go again during the half-term break from school and this is it, hell, i may even go on tuesday after the gig if i've survived - i think it's cheapskates night and they don't come any cheaper than me!

[Mike]

Well you have really tried to sell it to me but I really must decline! I have to pay for the car repairs and therefore am coming about a little short this month. . . my own stupid fault it must be said.

Hope you have fun though.

[mr_e]

Hmm, Exploited aren't even listed on the Music Box website, what's that all about? Worknights are out for me unfortunately, which should technically exclude that Less Than Jake one as well. Ticketline appear to have general admission tickets available for LTJ, which is confusing the hell out of me, as I thought these weren't seated. Ugh. I need to eat, my brain is weak...

[Fez]

the exploited / northern scum
manchester music box
25/10/2006

wargh!! that was kinda fun for a tuesday night out though there were several problems. the promotors hadn't sent out any flyers about the gig and as mr e has already pointed out it wasn't even advertised very well on the internerd either, so the crowd was disappointingly small and they were pratically giving tickets away at the door. that said the mosh pit was truly vicious with one guy being knocked down three or four times, staggering back to his feet barely conscious it seemed before throwing himself back into the fray.

the support band used up all their different ideas for tunes in the first five songs, so their fifteen-plus song set dragged on for an age or more but at the time i was still getting over something of a shock - ?2.85 for one can of strongbow! good god was it squeezed out of the apple that morning especially?

support: "northern scum" in desperate need of some new ideas regarding tunes and maybe someone should start by pointing out to the bassist he has more than just the e-string to pummell on. that said the first couple of numbers they played were mildly diverting if you like thrash / punk, but introducing one later song by referring to the new pope as a nazi was so pathetic and idiotic i was tempted to throw my expensive can of cider at the singer's head.

headliners: "the exploited" despite the failure of the promotor to do his job properly the band were tight and kept the classics coming thick and fast, though the obvious lack of crowd numbers did mean the atmosphere was always stifled and uneasy. could have been better but it wasn't the band's fault.

[Andy]

but introducing one later song by referring to the new pope as a nazi was so pathetic and idiotic i was tempted to throw my expensive can of cider at the singer's head.

that is when you know that creativity has hit a new low OR they needed a song-filler for the album.

[Fez]

there was a general air for most of the night that the crowd shared of being embarassed there wasn't more of us - after that intro a good number became embarassed the band had been let on we had to see it.

[Fez]

motorhead / clutch / crucified barbara
manchester apollo
05/11/2006

in what has become established as a harrison family tradition, father and son donned black t-shirts and headed to the apollo for a couple of hours worth of ear-shattering rock n' roll curtisy tonight of an international line-up. hell, even the between band music pumped over the pa system was worth listening to; 'system of a down' and something by the 'rollins band' kept me entertained and thinking of making more additions to my amazon wish list. anyway, on with the review...

'crucified barbara' quite possibly the best new hard rock band i've heard in years, these four swedish girls kicked some serious ass and enjoyed a warm response from the usually hostile manchester audience. think of them as a female metallica and you get a pretty decent idea of how good they were, and i wasn't the only one after the set heading for the merchandise stall for a copy of their album - which i'm glad to say is brilliant. watch out for them in future

'clutch' american rock with a twist of funk provided a solid set which unfortunately seemed to be a bit lost of some of the older members of the audience who were probably confused by the appearance of an electric organ on stage for a few songs. despite this, the band were tight and gave an interesting change of pace to the harder sound the other acts specialise in, and that isn't to say clutch played slowly they just had more of a funky feel supplied by some slick drumming. got to check out some of their albums soon

'motorhead' tearing through a set of old classics and the highlights from the celebrated last two albums motorhead did what they do best; set down a deafening attack of rock that would have been worth the admission price alone. a band that makes even new acts sound stale, motorhead are without doubt the best thing britain has ever given to the canon of music and long may that continue to be true. will i be going to see them next time they're in town? you can bet your arse on it!

[Mike]

Cherry (Tomatoes?) / Doctor Dog / The Magic Numbers
11 November 2006

Lizzie and I went to the above gig at the Manchester Apollo last night. It was a very interesting gig and I enjoyed myself immensely. I had to name the first band Cherry (Tomatoes) because I could not hear what they said their name was, it was Cherry blewenewth according to the microphone! Doctor Dog was fun, they had some weird facial hair and it seemed to be a band rule to either have, Mad Facial Hair or a Hat! I would rate them as follows:

Cherry (Tomatoes?)

Doctor Dog

The Magic Numbers


Saying that The Magic Numbers are well worth seeing. We were about 5 rows from the front of the stage, the view was excellent. A drunkard bopping about like a loon nearly took out a gal in front of me, a bloke in a black shirt and myself! Eventually his other half interceded and for about 30 mins after that he bounced up and down very quietly and sedately!

[mr_e]

Just had a quick Google, the first support act were Cherry Ghost, which is only going to be of relevance if you want to avoid them in future, really. Good to see the main act were on form, though.

[Fez]

john - do you remember me saying that during the interval at the exploited gig there was something really good being played over the sound system? i ordered 'out come the wolves' last week and guess what? turns out i liked rancid before i knew who they were

[Lizzie]

I really enjoyed the Magic Numbers - there was a good mix of songs from there old and new album and they were excellent live.



Dr Dog were also very good - although v hairy !!