Hey! We’re back on the ball at long last – email and bandwidth troubles now seem to have been dealt with – so let’s just recap on what’s happened this month, shall we?

UPDATE: Hold the front page, prog-metal fans! Rumour reaches us that the mighty Beecher may be getting back together 4 years after splitting. The band, formed in Manchester in 2001, enjoyed relative success across Europe – touring with the likes of Killswitch Engage and Norma Jean – but many fans stated that they called it a day far too soon.

Whisperings have been heard of a reunion via Earache Records, the label responsible for their second album, and all we can see in the way of them getting back together is a £39 Easyjet flight from Belgium for vocalist Ed Godby. Here’s hoping.

Elsewhere, Manchester lost a musical legend at the end of last month. Chris Sievey, the man behind the fibreglass head of Frank Sidebottom, lost his brief battle with cancer and sadly passed away on June 21st. A musician in his own right with punk-pop act The Freshies in the 70s, he also set up a label that pre-dated Factory Records and others of its ilk amongst other achievements.

He will be best remembered for his TV and public appearances as Frank though. On the local news, having his own bizarre talk show and gigging up and down the country. A true hard-working funnyman. He was given a special send-off at Castlefield on July 8th, with proceeds going to the costs of his funeral after he was found to have died penniless. RIP Chris.

Time for the short-and-snappy news bites now, so get set…

• Local prog-rockers Trojan Horse are setting out on a tour of the north-west in August. Prog’s making a comeback, haven’t you heard? Event details here.
• In The City 2010 is beckoning from the near future. My, it’s come around quick again. Anyway, we’ll have more info soon, but here’s what you need to know for now. Bands can apply to be a part of the renowned new music event here (deadline Friday August 6th), and there’s still 48 hours to apply to be a Marketing & Event intern, so float your CV off here.
• Damon Gough, aka Badly Drawn Boy, is touring in October. Dates and details here.
• The almost forgotten Cherry Ghost are back and headlining Academy 2 in October.
• Everything Everything’s much-hyped debut album is finally going to see the light of day come August 30th. It’s called ‘Man Alive’ and you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll be worth the wait.
• Equally as exciting, Hurts have their next single ‘Wonderful Life’ re-released on August 23rd followed by their first full-length ‘Happiness’ on September 6th. Tracklisting can be found here. They also play The Ritz on October 5th.
• Indie youths The Heartbreaks release their second single ‘I Didn’t Think It Would Hurt To Think Of You’ on August 2nd. High Voltage are promoting an accompanying launch gig on Thursday 5th at the Deaf Institute.
• Performance are as back for good as Robbie, as new single ‘The Unconsoled’ shows. Out on August 9th via Too Much Information Records; watch the great video below.
• And while we’re on the topic of news of new releases, it’d be rude not to mention Oceansize. The post-rock quintet have new album ‘Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up’ ready to drop on September 6th. They’ll play Academy 2 on November 15th as part of the tour.

That’s all I can think of at the minute, but there’s enough reasons for you to save the pennies. Pretty busy autumn by the looks of things.

Expect more regular news bursts as of now, and don’t forget to inbox us with anything relevant to these pages.

Performance – ‘The Unconsoled’

Whether you want to review some gigs, rant about a recent event, showcase some art, fashion or film, or just have somewhere to voice your opinions, get in touch at editor@secondcityuk.com

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What?! No one covered my paternity leave of absence while I was over in Peru saving the polar bears? Oh… right, no one bought that excuse? Well, I’ve already explained here why there’s been a total lack of posts since the start of March, but sadly that still leaves me with the arduous task of compiling a concise run-down of what’s been happening in Manchester’s music-related world over the past two months.

Alright, bear with me on this one.. No, no I was lying about the polar bears. It was a j.. oh, just listen.

First off, if the start of the new year hadn’t already brought about some brash changes and additions to the city’s nightlife, then spring followed by handing us the news that everyone’s favourite rock joint, Jilly’s Rockworld, was to close its doors at long last. After 30 years under different owners and guises, the 7-room haven for goths, punks, moshers and pretty much anyone keen on throwing the horns salute has fallen victim to this mother of a recession. Dwindling trade and high rent worked against the institution, with its next door venue The Music Box suffering the same fate in the process. The spirit of Jilly’s is set to carry on though, and their resident DJs can already be seen booking regular slots and nights in other clubs. But the main question is whether they will still feel compelled to play Disturbed. Oh sure, why not.

Let’s take the gloss off that fresh coat of black varnish news with some colourful cheer and Happiness. Yes, despite the doom and gloom of current times, and Manchester’s renowned connection with grey skies and rain (summer’s over already, kids – you’ve had your 4 days of sun for the year), the latest music and club venue to open on our turf is called Happiness. It’s actually continuing the name on from the cafe already there, but we like it in any case. Without having been down to investigate thus far (it only opened last weekend), here’s what we do know: 1) it’s from some of the original team behind hip Fallowfield hang-outs Ram & Shackle and Red Rum 2) it has the rather novel location of being actually within the bridge on Oxford Road between the universities (see picture above) and 3) it’s a 300-capacity bar/cafe/restaurant during the day, live music and club venue at night – complete with a sprung dancefloor. There’s a whole host more info over here – http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111672222188232. If you’ve already checked the place out, why not let us know what you make of it?

Onto releases and label news now, and new collective Love & Disaster are putting the finishing touches to their second release, the ‘Algebra’ EP from Airship. The young quartet make anthemic indie-pop that you’re going to love. We’ve got a promo copy and it’s awesome (lengthier review coming soon). Mark May 10th down as the day to purchase.

Another of our favourite local-formed bands have their debut album ready and waiting. The ever-confusing Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam already count several respected DJs as fans and you may well have heard their charming, breezy instrumentals on the radio or soundtracking adverts. If you haven’t, well, you can listen to the entire ‘Life Stream’ album ahead of its May 3rd release via their Myspace here. And then you can get yourself a ticket to their seated launch party at The King’s Arms in Salford on the 9th. Support comes from the giant sounds of Revere.

Somebody asked me the other day as to what exactly happened to Gideon Conn. Did his escalator of equal parts quirkiness and talent stutter and stall? Had he gone as far as he could with his potentially marketable genre coalition dubbed ‘folk-hop’? Well, Elbow and I Am Kloot didn’t think so, as they signed him to their Skinny Dog label and are preparing the release of his debut full-length ‘New Bop Sounds’. Having done the rounds on the circuit for the past few years, Conn now looks set to get a break further afield thanks to the wise and travelled heads of Guy Garvey and co. Expect that album in July, but head to http://www.myspace.com/gideonconn to download a free song, ‘Wildfire’.

Moving on again, and while we’re still getting new content for you here at SC, why not have a browse of these fab sites?

Manchester Scenewipe is, in their own words, “a video channel devoted to highlighting one of the world’s greatest music scenes: Manchester”. Quite so. But how do you do provide such a channel to reach that imposed acclaim? Well, you get some super duper equipment, arrange a variety of fresh local talent and more-established touring acts passing through, and film them performing exclusive versions of their songs in peculiar locations. Fancy watching Sophie’s Pigeons play in a posh piano store (before being booted out), or Frightened Rabbit singing down by the canal? There’s already a good vat of content on there, and more seems to be flowing in each week. So long, MTV. http://www.manchesterscenewipe.co.uk/

We mentioned their recent foray back into hosting exciting gigs in February, and they’ve not stopped since. High Voltage, as a fanzine, label, night and as a whole have just turned the ripe age of 7. And they threw a big bash at Islington Mill to celebrate. They’ve got a whole load more gigs on the way which we’ll preview in due course. In the meantime, check out their recently-revamped site. http://highvoltage.org.uk/

If, like me, you missed National Record Store Day and feel a bit guilty/happy that you didn’t spend what you were saving for your summer jollies, then there’s time to make amends of some sort. Or blow another load. Whichever. The second Deaf Institute Record Fair takes place on Saturday 29th May, 10am-4pm. Entry is free and reports from the first event would suggest this is worth popping along to. Cheap stall rates are available too.

Lastly, I figured this was worth a mention, despite applications closing earlier this week. “UnConvention presents a unique opportunity for creative types to get involved in an ambitious plan to record, produce and release an album in 12 hours in a mill in Macclesfield”. It’s part of the Unknown Pleasures event that is celebrating the life of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis 30 years on from his death. An alternative spin-off from In The City, this project seeks to offer 300 young creatives the priceless experience of being a part of a speedily-produced album. It’s very forward-thinking in our view and looks set to be a fine day of interaction and learning within the industry. More info – http://www.unconventionhub.org/

Obviously a hell of a lot more has happened since I last spouted garbage on here, but that’s about all that comes to mind/inbox at the minute. As usual, send us anything you think we should know about and leave your thoughts below. It’s time for well-earned brew after that hefty outburst. I’ll go put the kettle on while you watch Airship’s new video. But if you have sugar in your tea, you can get your coat.

Airship ‘Algebra’ from Love & Disaster on Vimeo.

Well, well, well… look what the cat dragged in. Us.

Yes, after a self-imposed sabbatical of almost two months, SC is back (again) and ready to roll. Again it’s been out of my hands, but this period has seen priorities change, family matters arise and ultimately the never-ending circle of earning enough to get by.

Things seem to be in order now in those respects, allowing me at least a proportion of the time I’d like to put into this site. It’s always pleased me to be able to promote things that deserve attention, see a band deem your journalism as accurate and quote-worthy and to produce something that serves a purpose effectively. Stats, feedback and figures have shown that the relatively small amount of content currently on the pages was ticking those three boxes to a surprising extent, so motivation to carry on was never lacking. It’s forever a matter of those two restraining factors; time and money.

Anyway, onwards and upwards like an angled-trajectory rocket. Read the latest news for a recap of local events in March and April. Check out the new Festivals section with lots of information and line-ups on each and every festival Manchester has to offer in a jam-packed summer. Stay tuned for lots more reviews and interviews – we’ve got a rather sizable stockpile of CDs to get through. And I’ll hopefully be getting things into gear with a few more components of the site. All in good time, eh?

Thanks for checking back/landing here for the first time. Contact details are at the side if you want to send us anything or get involved. We’re happy to hear from anyone – celebrity mistresses included.

DA

Ok, so we touched briefly on the fact that festival season is fast approaching last week. And as far as Manchester festivals go, arguably one of the best and most consistent actually lies within neighbouring Salford. Sounds From The Other City (yes, Salford is a separate city), will be 5 years old when Chapel Street is filled with eclectic acts and music-lovers alike. 12-hours of the newest acts around (previous bands of note include The Ting Tings and Marina & The Diamonds), hosted by Manchester promoters such as Lamb & Wolf, WotGodForgot, Mind On Fire, etc. Covering new venues such as Islington Mill and St. Philip’s Church, this year is set to be bigger than ever, with a 3am license being applied for to ensure the party doesn’t stop until it really has to. Wristband tickets enabling full access are available now at £15, and will almost certainly sell out before the event. We’ll do a proper preview when full details start getting announced, but head to the official site for more info. http://www.soundsfromtheothercity.com

Across to the other end of Manchester now, as we enter Fallowfield and, more specifically, Platt Fields Park. One of the region’s largest outdoor event areas, the park will be the site of a two-day mini festival this summer after inital details were revealed this week. Tickets have already gone on sale for June 11th, when Ian Brown will headline the 100th anniversary celebrations of the venue. Support comes from The Whip, Bad Lieutenant, A Certain Ratio and DJ sets from Unkle, Mike Pickering and Peter Hook (whose book you can buy with a complimentary piece of old Hacienda bar for the small fee of £600 – what recession?!). Further details TBA, including announcements of a second day of festivities. http://thewarehouseproject.com/ianbrown

The NME Radar Tour has always been a bit hit and miss in our opinion. The ‘hottest new bands’, maybe. But generally only one each year goes on to hit the heights expected. This year, however, sees two of Manchester’s most talked about acts in recent times. The silent coolness of Hurts, who only performed their first ever gig little over a week ago, and pitch-shifting genre-dodgers Everything Everything go on the road with kooky-but-catchy Darwin Deez. Be at Manchester Academy 3 on the 28th – tickets on sale at 9am Friday! Buy here.

Bright young Manchester label, Love & Disaster, have just announced details of their next release. Following hot on the tail of their Volume 1 compilation, they’ll be putting out a new EP from Airship on limited 10″ vinyl, CD and digital. May 10th is the date for your diaries, but you can catch them live this month on tour with Frightened Rabbit and The Joy Formidable. http://www.loveanddisaster.co.uk/

And speaking of Love & Disaster, they’re responsible for this brand new video for May68’s ‘My Ways’ single out on March 15th via Hit Club.

MAY68 – ‘My Ways’

News has snowballed as this week has gone on, so here’s a slightly belated round-up…

Representing Rusholme for live music, Cafe Saki has recently had its license revoked. However, word has reached us from promoters Underachievers Please Try Harder that this is being appealed and everything for the time being, remains as it were. Having tackled many of the causes of the noise complaints that forced the situation, they are confident in the decision being overturned. Regardless, all events already booked in will run as normal until at least July. As a starting base for several of our city’s great promoters, and offering free hire on a weekday, Saki remains a great venue for emerging nights and DIY gigs. Contact via: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000661680887

The Answering Machine’s Academy gig on January 29th that was cancelled due to a family bereavement has been rearranged and will now take place on Thursday March 18th at Jabez Clegg. Original tickets remain valid, but more are now available at £7. Ages 14+ welcome, and now with two rooms of DJs and live music, including fellow bands The Mandigans, Der Die Das and Slow Readers Club. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=310119440632

Disco-popsters May68 release their single ‘My Ways’ via Hit Club on March 15th, and details have just been announced of their launch party. Hosted by the 5 years-not-out Up The Racket, the band will perform a set at midnight of one of their chaotic indie/electro jamborees at Retro Bar on Saturday March 27th. Advance tickets are available now priced at £4. http://www.seetickets.com/see/price.asp?code=458537

It’s still the bitter cold winter season sadly, but we’re warmed at the mere thought of all those summer festivals. And last year saw Manchester itself hold quite a few separate affairs. One of the newcomers was Hungry Pigeon. Featuring 150 bands, live art, poetry, short films, exhibitions and busking across 20 Northern Quarter venues, it was the only Manchester representative at the UK Festival Awards. So of course it was always going to return in 2010 (28th-30th May to be exact). Early bird tickets are on sale now, and if you want to get involved as either an artist, band, a NQ business or someone after work experience, they’d like to hear from you. http://www.hungrypigeon.com/

Genre-terrorists Sonic Boom Six return home on April 18th as part of their latest UK tour. Coinciding with the release of compilation ‘Rude Awakening’, the hip-hop punks will play at Club Academy with their new line-up following the departure of guitarist Ben Childs. Tour support comes from Knock Out (USA). Tickets on sale now priced £8. http://www.manchesteracademy.net/

Modern ska-fuelled MC troop Kid British have just announced they’ll be playing at Fac251 (The Factory) on Friday 23rd April. In addition, the full version of their debut album has been confirmed to hit shelves in August (first half is out now), and they’ll be releasing a double A-side single for the World Cup in June. ‘Winner/Let’s Have A Party’ will also feature as lead tracks on EA Sport’s latest football game, FIFA World Cup 2010.

And finally, another date just confirmed – Delphic have announced 5 new UK gigs with support from fellow Mancs, Everything Everything. Before you ask: May 21st at The Ritz. Tickets on sale tomorrow at 9am.

That’ll do, pig. That’ll do…

The Answering Machine – ‘Obviously Cold’

So do you want the good news or the bad news? Well… there is no good news this week. So here’s the bad instead.

Strike one! One of our favourite drinking holes and regular hosts of free and good-for-value music nights, The Tiger Lounge on Cooper Street has been temporarily shut down. We’ve no word yet on why exactly, or when/if they’re likely to reopen, but all upcoming gigs are set to be relocated. Tonight’s Crash Of Rhinos gig for instance is now at Satan’s Hollow. More info shall follow suit as soon as we find our detective’s hat and pet bloodhound.

Strike two! Manchester’s favourite groove-rockers The Freezing Fog have called it a day. No sooner had they released the barn-storming Challenger EP, the quintet decided to hang up their horns this past week after three and a half years of riffs, jams and singing about medieval adventures. Sure to be sadly missed, we wish them each the best of luck in their next musical guises. Missed out on The Fog entirely? Demist your specs and check your radself. http://www.myspace.com/thefreezingfog

Strike three! The pride of St. Peter’s Square, the iconic Central Library is set to undergo a phased shutdown ahead of intensive renovation work. The building, erected in 1934 and opened by King George V, will be part of a multi-million pound refurbishment of the area and complex to prevent ruination. With 22 miles of books held beyond those huge pillars, several million publications will be stored underground, including some in Cheshire salt mines, until the library reopens fully in 2013. Students and booklovers, fret ye not however. A temporary library will soon be available in Elliot House on Deansgate, and in 3 years time we will boast a state-of-the-art lending service like no other. The next few weeks may be your last chance to see the building in its current-day glory,  so what better excuse to pop down and get a book out? Important dates you need to know concerning the closure stages can be found here: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4580/central_library_temporary_closure/1

Strike four! (… wait, how does baseball work again?) Manchester’s very own TV station, Channel M sees its future looking very bleak. Already having had massive budget cuts this past year, the channel was snubbed by Trinity Mirror in their buy-out of many of Guardian Media Group’s publications – including the Manchester Evening News. The overall deal  featured more regional newspapers and totalled £44million, but with neither party seemingly keen on taking control of our own ‘M’TV,  the analogue, cable and Sky-accessed station may not last much longer. We’ll try and keep you posted. http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=45014&c=1

To end this rather sour dish of news bites, here’s Jo Rose performing on the last ever City Social on Channel M back in September. Catch him at Sound Control on Thursday.

Jo Rose – ‘King Of Your Blue Eyes’

The Chapel in Platt Fields Park is a 17th century… well, chapel. But in recent times it has been used to host some cracking events, gigs and nights. Last year it attracted a lot of attention from the police, but things seem to be more in order this time around. With its future in the balance until November, there is hope that the building can be adequately renovated to become a weekend music venue and community centre during the week. Before then however, The Chapel Experiment has kicked off; a series of nights from the likes of Illuminaughty, Micron, Bass Camp and Prostitutes & Policemen to name a few. Full listings can be found on the Facebook group page here.

The much-publicised launch of Fac251 – the new nightclub and live music venue owned by Peter Hook of New Order and Joy Division fame – finally happened this weekend. With both Friday and Saturday packed to the rafters of the old Factory Records HQ building, the snowballing hype seemingly came through to fruition. Hook’s new band The Light played a monster set of Manchester classics on the opening night and The Whip, May68 and The Drums (their 3rd Manchester performance that night!) got people dancing the next. We’re still yet to check the place out, but already the joint is dividing opinions.

Such is the furore of the return of a Hacienda-esque establishment, blogs such as Fuc51 have been created and expressing their disgust at how Manchester ‘refuses to let go of the past’. While we do agree with some of the sentiments shared within, we’ll wait until we visit before casting judgment. Have you been this weekend? Feel free to get in touch with your experiences or views – editor@secondcityuk.com

When I don’t hit the pub after playing football on a Sunday evening, it’s quite nice to relax and unwind to the sounds of BBC Manchester Introducing with Sam Walker. Playing a mix of Manchester’s unsigned starlets and those yet to create a stir, it’s a great insight to what might come out of the city next. I’m listening to last night’s show as I type – gotta love the Beeb and their Listen Again feature. It features post-punks Optional Wallace in session, interviews with Educated Thugz and Modern English, as well as new tracks from May68 and This Morning Call. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00678k3/BBC_Radio_Manchester_Introducing_07_02_2010/

February is the new month of giving. Yeah, forget Christmas, this month contains Valentine’s Day, Pancake Day and my birthday – hint. I’ve already shared a wealth of free downloads for you so far in Feb, but here’s two more collections I’ve rounded up like an over-productive sheepdog. I will accept anonymously-sent cards, pancakes and/or a Coachella ticket in return.

• Owen Barratt, main frontman of With That Knife, is also an adept solo musician. Mixing a range of acoustic and electronica, I was quite taken aback upon my first listen a year or so ago, having been familiar with his louder approach in WTK. You can download his 7-track ‘Composition’ created for university module requirements in 2008 here. And after you do that, go listen to his new song ‘Sleep’ on Myspace.
• NASDAQ are somehow connected to prog-funksters FTSE 100, although I’ve not joined the dots yet. However, they are playing at Tiger Lounge on Monday 15th, and up until around then, you can download two of their songs for free. In their own words it “sounds a bit like Slint, Ghosts & Vodka and Kyuss all taking it in turns to cover Amon Duul II ‘Live In London’ without the vocals.” Click here for ‘Gates’, and here for ‘Dragon’s Den’.

And lastly, one for the New Romantics ahead of V-Day. Filming has begun this week for a feature-length drama about the early life of Boy George entitled ‘Worried About The Boy’. The Northern Quarter is the backdrop for the next month and locals have been drafted in as extras, with the core cast containing stars from Gavin & Stacey, The Hustle and The League Of Gentlemen. It’s being made by Manchester-based Red Productions, the team behind Clocking Off and Queer As Folk. http://www.redproductioncompany.com/

I’ll leave you with a video from the enchanting Jesca Hoop. Adopted by Manchester via California and endorsed by Tom Waits, she plays at The Deaf Institute on February 18th.

Jesca Hoop – ‘Money’

Well I spoke too soon when I said nothing much was happening of late. Here’s your second dose of news this week.

Firstly, for any aspiring young vocalists out there, there’s the opportunity to audition for a project between Island Records and 19 Entertainment. From the press release we got through:

“19 Entertainment and Universal Music are joining forces to create the next global music sensation. We are holding auditions for males, aged between 16-21 at Sunshine Studios, 52 Newton Street, Manchester, M1 1ED on Sunday 7th February, 11 AM. They should have a verse, and chorus of two contemporary pop songs prepared for their audition. No instruments.

Successful guys will be asked to attend secondary auditions in London on Monday 22nd February where they will compete for a place in the group and a recording contract with 19 Entertainment (Spice Girls), and Universal Music (Take That, Girls Aloud).”

http://ilovemusic.com/ for more information.

Next up, Warehouse Project have just announced their Easter Weekend line-ups. We attended a fair few of last year’s collection and it’s clear the underground juggernaut is continuing to grow and grow. April’s highlights include 2ManyDjs and Annie Mac (Thurs 1st), Roni Size & Dynamite MC, High Contrast and Shy FX (Fri 2nd), Carl Cox and Eric Prydz (Sat 3rd) and Dubfire (Sun 4th). For full line-ups, go to http://www.thewarehouseproject.com/line_ups.php

Some free music now that just escaped our monthly collection by a matter of days. Those of you owning the Love & Disaster Volume 1 compilation will already have the Everything Everything remix of Delphic’s ‘This Momentary’. But the two buddy bands switched sides and by signing up to EE’s mailing list, you can get Delphic’s remix of ‘MY KZ YR BF’. Do it! http://www.everything-everything.co.uk/

And in addition, big chorus-lovers Mr Sportsman have just finished their debut EP and immediately made it available for nothing via Bandcamp. The Rusholme-formed indie-popsters sound pretty promising on first listen. We’ll get a review of Good Morning Virtue up over the weekend, but you can form your own opinion and not gamble any pennies right now. http://mrsportsman.bandcamp.com/

Riot Jazz, the collective that mix a brass band with hip-hop and MC acts, have just announced details of their 2nd birthday (has it really been two years?!). Since their launch in March 2008 at the Attic, they’ve put on a dozen nights and played at 9 festivals, including the popular Mad Ferret fests at Platt Fields and Soundwave in Croatia. Missed all of this? Well, on Friday 5th March, get yourself down to Moho Live for a monster line-up including J-Wow & Kalaf (Portugal/Angola), Manchester’s own Broke N’ English, the Riot Jazz Brass Band, United Vibrations, MC Chunky and DJs including Will Tramp and more. For early bird tickets, come hither! http://www.skiddle.com/events/11356343/

Ok, seriously now, that’s your lot. No more news until after the Superbowl.

It’s a short and belated news round-up this week. A combination of being ill and there not being all that much happening as February kicks off. Here’s some things of note…

Ever noticed how Manchester, and particularly places on the outskirts of the city centre are becoming vastly modernised? All the old buildings disappearing in favour of new forms of architecture that split opinion. Well, that’s urban regeneration for you. And it hasn’t escaped the attention of painter Jean Hobson. She’s put together an exhibition named Made In Manchester, which shows some of the buildings and areas before they were knocked down and redeveloped. Capturing their history with watercolours, graphite drawings and screenprints, Jean has preserved a selection of what the city used to look like before modernisation washed over the memories. You can see her work for free at City Inn on Auburn Street as of this week.

For those that enjoyed the marathon of music on Saturday at Jabez Clegg, Friends Of Manchester have released early bird tickets for next year’s FOM fest already – extra emphasis on the ‘early’. Available at just a fiver, you need to be ‘attending’ this event to be made aware of the details – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=312106193626

Want to get your hands on a pair of tickets to see Four Tet at Club Academy next month? Well, forward-thinking Manchester collective, Mind On Fire are running a little competition. Mosey on over there and enter. http://mindonfire.co.uk/

A bit more info on MOF while we’re at it. They do all sorts; put on gigs, club nights, cross-promote events and are generally a diverse hub of musical activity. Home to some of our most exciting and genre-defying bands, artists and DJs, their site is stocked with a wealth of free content. In addition, the MOF label should be back in activity in 2010 after releasing a compilation a sort while ago. Their next event looks quite special too – http://mindonfire.co.uk/EventPage-MountKimbie.html

You’re probably sick of hearing about them by now, but the seemingly-omnipotent Delphic have announced more tour dates. Catch them at Sankeys in Manchester on March 17th, or if you miss out on tickets for that, get yourself to Stoke (7th) or Wigan (10th). Here’s their new video for forthcoming single, ‘Halcyon’ – released March 15th.

People walking through town on Saturday morning may have been wondering just why there was a massive queue stretching around High Street. That was people waiting in line to get tickets for the quickly-announced NME Shockwaves gig for The Courteeners. Back in their home town after their 10,000 sell-out at Manchester Central before Christmas, Liam Fray & co. play a more intimate show at Ruby Lounge on February 16th. Obviously tickets are now all gone, although eBay may be harbouring some at daft amounts. Their new single ‘You Overdid It, Doll’ is out on Feb 15th.

And finally, we’re pretty happy to hear electro-popsters (We Are) Performance are soon to be back in action. Last seen at the back end of 2008 – if memory serves us right – the quartet were notoriously signed up to Polydor in 2005 but for a multitude of reasons never really hit the heights expected – often the industry doesn’t pan out the way it promises. Anyway, they’re back and have their second album somewhere in the wings. Catch them at the Deaf Institute on 26th February. Here’s a reminder of why they’re great.

(We Are) Performance – ‘Short Sharp Shock’