My word, that was a hell of a month for Mancunian gigs, wasn't it?
We should probably caveat that. It's more accurate to say it was a hell of a month for Mancunian gigs which didn't finish.
Most recently, fans at the Arena were left disappointed after Sam Smith abandoned their show after just four numbers due to vocal issues. We've also had The View ending their Deaf Institute in proper rock 'n' roll chaos - with a full-on fistfight.
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Now, the Manchester Evening News are no fans of violence, and we always want to see fans get their money's worth and artists complete the show. However, there has been a silver lining in both of these shows.
The wall-to-wall coverage of Sam Smith's show was perhaps unsurprising, given how big of a name theirs is. But The View - who most will have remembered for some mid-noughties hits - almost certainly would have not got the airtime without the on-stage scrap.
And, in some ways, that evening has served as a reminder as to why we love going to small shows. You never know what's going to happen.
Sure, The View's actions were far from ideal for fans, but it will have made for a real 'I was there' moment for the few hundred inside. And, more often than not, the surprise you get isn't a series of punches, but a series of brilliant songs. Maruja are a prime example of that - in a few months they've gone from Yes' basement to selling out its bigger Pink Room.
It's the same for the Dream Machine, and Avalon Emerson & The Charm. You never know what you'll get - but more often than not, it's excellent.
Here are the gigs which made Manchester sway and swing in May 2023.
Dream Machine - Yes (The Basement) - May 6
The Dream Machine's gig came as part of their Thank God! It’s the Dream Machine tour, following its release on April 28. Supported by Liverpool-based band Idyllic, a 60s psychedelic inspired group, the Nottingham-based group kicked things off with 'I Still Believe (In Jim Jones)', before rattling through tracks Baby Run, Wild One, Lola, In The Morning, OM Kring and more.
But it took 'Children, My England' to really get fans going, and that's something which shows the trajectory the group are on. Only starting out in 2021, they’ve already gained support from Steve Lamacq, Radcliffe & Maconie and Chris Hawkins on BBC Radio 6 Music, John Kennedy on Radio X, Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London, Dave Monks on BBC Introducing in Merseyside and plays across Amazing Radio.
And, having recently supported Wigan-based indie rock band The Lathums, we think The Dream Machine are definitely one to watch out for in the future.
Black Country, New Road - New Century - May 9
In their current incarnation, their music has hardly seen the light of day. A handful of performances and a live album released just six weeks before they played in Manchester - yet, somehow, everyone seems to know the lyrics.
The six members that remain in Black Country, New Road have found the sweet spot between doing something new that's not too different from what came before. Former frontman Isaac Wood - who departed from the band due to his mental health days before their second album Ants from Up There was released - is a distinctive part of the British band's sound, which is probably why the rest of the group decided to no longer play their old material.
Brimming with talent, the set features a flute, saxophone, drums, violin, accordion, keys and guitars - electric, acoustic and bass, the last of which is played with a bow at points - while each member takes turns singing. Somehow, they've maintained the magic, albeit with more folk and less Klezmer, while sounding just as dramatic.
In some ways, the story-telling throughout the set - literally marked by chapters in one song - makes this recent reincarnation of the band sound a bit like a rock opera for fans of Black Country, New Road. But far from imitation, the remaining members of the band are truly owning the next chapter in their story - and it gives you goosebumps.
Osees - Albert Hall - May 18
Since forming in 1997 as the brainchild of Los Angeles underground legend John Dwyer, Osees have taken many twists and turns. They’ve changed their name no fewer than six times, reshuffled their lineup regularly, and released 26 studio albums that take furious punk rock down just about every experimental avenue imaginable. It has been a wild and frenetic ride, the colourful nature of which means that you’d never quite want to rule anything out in Osees’ world.
One thing highly unlikely to ever happen, though, is anything approaching a mellow Osees show. By now, long-term fans, as well as those who saw them here last May or in 2019, know precisely what to expect; ninety minutes or so of absolutely incendiary punk energy. True to past form, the five-piece fire straight into proceedings almost immediately after they finish setting up and just before their advertised 9pm stage time, with their choice of Pink Floyd cover perfectly summing up what we’re in for - ‘Interstellar Overdrive’.
Over the course of the next hour and a half, Dwyer is a snarling, shredding ball of garage rock energy, leading his men through an absolutely relentless set that seldom sees them come up for air. Dual drummers Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone spend much of the evening locked in a battle for who can rattle the kit the loudest as Dwyer seamlessly leads the group through psychedelic grooves and punk rock freak-outs, inspiring a mosh pit that is open throughout.
Dwyer’s riffs are searing enough to make this a pure, no-frills exercise in rock and roll intensity, completing a triumphant Albert Hall hat-trick for Osees. Within hours of wrapping up the show, they’ve announced studio album number 27, Intercepted Message. They never stop.
Maruja - Yes (The Pink Room) - May 19
Maruja have gone from debut headline show in the Yes basement to selling out the venue’s bigger Pink Room in a matter of months - and they’re quickly establishing themselves as Manchester’s most interesting emerging band. One of the few artists to be able to genuinely claim they’re genre-hopping, the for piece combine element of post-punk, rap, and jazz to arrive at a point which is close to Post-Brexit New Wave, but is a lot more aggressive than most in that sphere.
It’s full throttle or nothing - and this music demands that approach. It’s raw, engaging, and snarling. It also makes for a hell of a show.
The May 19 gig left nothing on the table. The sax had been weaponised as an extra bass drum by bar the first bar, singer Harry Wilkinson's shirt was off by the second song, and the crowd were moshing by the third chorus. The only question for Maruja now is how they convert a brilliant musical idea into a sustainable recording effort.
GoGo Penguin - New Century - May 23
Uplifting would be an understatement. GoGo Penguin make you feel like you're skipping on clouds, excited about whatever adventure lies ahead.
But somehow, the Mercury Prize-nominated band say their latest album, Everything Is Going To Be Ok, was written during a time of great personal difficulty. First formed in Manchester more than a decade ago, the instrumental trio now have a new drummer who features on the album which was released in April and sounds as optimistic and infinitely inspiring as ever.
Together with a perfect performance on the grand piano, keyboards and synths, a mesmerising masterclass on the double bass - and on the bass guitar at times - takes centre stage as the band bring the audience with them on an exciting journey. Its easy for the mind wander during a lyric-less set, but its impossible not to feel positive throughout such an awesome performance.
Avalon Emerson & The Charm - Yes (Basement) - May 23
‘We started playing together in February… this is our eighth show… I had to learn how to sing’. This reviewer spent the vast majority of Avalon Emerson & The Charm’s set picking her jaw off the floor.
An acclaimed techno producer and Berghain DJ by trade, Emerson has floated over from club anthems to making a dreampop album, 2023’s & The Charm. And it’s exactly that – featherlight on tracks like Spotify Release Radar favourite ‘Sandrail Silhouette’; endlessly charming with jangly synths on ‘Karaoke Song’; with an undeniable pop energy driving the record through to its nearly nine-minute crescendo, ‘A Dam Will Always Divide’.
Avalon and her band The Charm, which includes guitarist Hunter Lombard and electric cellist Keivon Hobeheidar, might have only been together for a handful of performances but their presence is as easy and quietly confident as old friends who have been dancing together on warm summer eves for years. The packed venue turned into a playful night in the basement as those lucky enough to snag a ticket to the sold out show joyfully bopped through glittering riffs and Emerson’s echoing vocals.
There is a soft, sunlit glow around this group. It’s loving, inviting, and ‘warm like bathwater’ – as Avalon whispers on the shimmering ‘Astrology Poisoning’.
‘We’re working on more’, she promises before appearing after the show to gratefully thank audience members for coming along. Thank God, I am utterly entranced.
Maggie Lindemann - Manchester Academy - May 24
Maggie Lindemann has well and truly left her bubblegum-pop roots behind - a transition not many can pull off, but one which was cemented during her Manchester gig at Club Academy.
Tracks from EP Paranoia and debut album Suckerpunch made up the setlist, with heavier songs - including the thrashy ‘How Could You Do This To Me’ going down an absolute storm.
It had been a good few months since I’d last seen Maggie in Manchester, supporting PVRIS at their Academy 2 show. The American has come on in leaps and bounds since then - sounding stronger vocally and completely owning the stage.
‘Girl Next Door’ was the stand-out track of the night for me, showcasing Maggie’s vocal versatility. The added drums breakdown gave the track a slightly funkier live sound, which I really enjoyed.
The singer often commented in disbelief on how loud the crowd was. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any louder, she burst into ‘She Knows It’ - arguably the most popular song from Suckerpunch - and in that moment I knew I’d regret forgetting my ear plugs.
Caroline Polachek - Albert Hall - May 30
You almost couldn’t hear Caroline Polachek as she kicked off The Spiraling Tour’s final night with ‘Welcome To My Island’. The crowd was deafeningly loud - and it was no wonder; this moment had been almost a year in the making.
Caroline hasn't had much luck with Manchester. A cancelled Parklife appearance and two rearranged tour dates meant this was the fourth time fans had tried to catch her live. Three songs in, she cracked a joke and thanked them for finally joining her.
Swirling and stretching across the stage, Caroline was a joy to watch. At times it felt like theatre, with beautiful lighting and background projections complementing the performance. The crawling bassline of 'Crude Drawings Of An Angel' slowed down the set nicely, while bouncy ‘Bunny Is A Rider’ and operatic ‘Pretty In Possible’, from latest album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You were vocally and visually stunning.
Caroline’s soaring riffs and runs would be challenging even for the most-skilled vocalists - yet for her, they were buttery smooth and soulful. It was equally as fun to hear the audience’s attempts at the high notes, too.
And if their cheers were anything to go by, it’s safe to say Caroline was worth the wait.
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