The headliner for Saturday’s edition of HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER is ethereal Icelandic enigma MÚM.

Once the Garden Hall lights are dimmed, band members filter onto the stage one by one, picking up their respective instruments and contributing to the epic buildup of their intro track “The Land Between Solar Systems,” the entirety for which the drummer plays standing. Continue reading TOKYO HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER DAY 1 – MÚM →

A stark contrast from the previous three acts at HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER comes fourth act TEAM ME, a six-piece from Norway who absolutely burst with youthful exuberance and joy on stage. Team Me are no strangers to Tokyo, having toured here just over a year ago and enjoying a sold out concert at the 900-capacity Liquid Room, a real testament to the popularity of this band. Continue reading TOKYO HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER DAY 1 – TEAM ME →

Third on the lineup for HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER in Tokyo on the Saturday are London-based alt-rock stars THESE NEW PURITANS. The band’s live lineup features members Jack Barnett on lead guitar and vocals, his twin brother George on digital drums and loops and Thomas Hein on drums, plus live guest performers on trumpet, french horn and keys. In the absence of long-time member Sophie Sleigh-Johnson, the group now performs with fado singer Elisa Rodrigues, however for their Tokyo performance they mixed it up by instead inviting pop sensation Salyu to cover. Continue reading TOKYO HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER DAY 1 – THESE NEW PURITANS →

LA’s soulful R&B duo INC. are second to perform at HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER in Tokyo on the Saturday, standing out as a unique entity amongst an otherwise fairly consistent indie/alt-rock lineup. Since releasing their first album “no world” in January, brothers Andrew and Daniel Aged have received quite a bit of attention for their moody soul efforts, and yet remain surprisingly low-key online. Continue reading TOKYO HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER DAY 1 – INC. →

Danish atmospheric solo outfit INDIANS is the first act to grace the stage of HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER in Tokyo on the Saturday. The curtain is pulled back to reveal a solitary figure seated behind a keyboard on a table draped with black cloth. Dreamy keys ring out as he breaks into opening track “New” and the mood is instantly set. Continue reading TOKYO HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER DAY 1 – INDIANS →

BLACKEYE are back in the north of England. Having impressed at Zanzibar at Liverpool Sound City a few weeks earlier, the currently three-piece band were back to woo some new fans beyond the bounds of their home city of London. Fronted by the refreshingly forthright Chloe Little, Blackeye has pumped out some stunning recorded tracks online and some fun videos that ooze DIY energy – this is a band who have a knack of producing songs with great headbanging hooks. Continue reading BLACKEYE charm female fans in Manchester →

We’re here again at Salford’s Islington Mill, this time to check out Bolton band SECOND HAND WINGS and see where they’re at these days. We last spotted them at Manchester Pride supporting HEATHER PEACE in 2011, so it’s been some time and now they’re launching their debut album “Mountain City.” Giving Bolton shoppers a preview the day before at Bolton Marketplace, they’re celebrating the album release at this renowned venue. Continue reading SECOND HAND WINGS debut album launch →

Let’s make things clear from the get go – CHARLIE STRAIGHT is a band hailing from the Czech Republic, not a solo artist, but the name is appropriate because they really do become one entity onstage. Regardless of the size of the stage or crowd, they give their all, and here at London’s 333 Mother Bar on their first UK tour, having played at The Great Escape festival, they rise to the challenge of winning over a new crowd. Continue reading CHARLIE STRAIGHT hooks London →

We’re back in Manchester with the effervescent foursome BO NINGEN aka Taigen on vocals and bass, Kohhei and Yuki on guitar, and Mon-chan on drums. Having blown the roof off the venue at Liverpool Sound City earlier in the month, the Japanese ‘stick men’ are back in the north of England to enchant more people with their smashout performances. Continue reading BO NINGEN devastate Manchester →

Swedish synth-pop artist MOLLY NILSSON was in town and Salford’s renowned Islington Mill venue was preparing for a night of darkness only brightened with lights provided by visitors. However, Molly did bring something of her own: “I cheated – I brought a spotlight! But that’s life…” Continue reading Bringing Your Own Light with MOLLY NILSSON →

Brighton’s ESBEN AND THE WITCH are back in Manchester. Last we saw them here, they were casting spells in the peculiar Fuhrer Bunker. They’re in another evocative venue today – St Clement’s Church in Chorlton as part of the annual Chorlton Arts Festival. Continue reading ESBEN AND THE WITCH return to haunt Manchester →

CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN is a high-energy four-piece who deliver live and have proven to be solid recording artists. We meet them in Manchester’s Zoo and are immediately impressed by their politeness and charm. They ooze a confidence and sex appeal that has been much talked about, with lead singer Van McCann carrying a natural charisma rarely seen. They know what they want and they’re planning on getting it. Continue reading CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN steam up Zoo →

Our photographer SINEAD MARIE caught up with Japan’s BO NINGEN backstage at Manchester’s Zoo venue as part of DOT2DOT Festival, and who should we all bump into but the fabulously cool DEAP VALLY aka Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards all the way from LA. Continue reading BO NINGEN & DEAP VALLY chilling backstage in Manchester →

Welsh band PAPER AEROPLANES know how to put on a great show. Whatever format they choose, you’re guaranteed a memorable night.

Here at Manchester’s Deaf Institute, they’re headlining to a packed crowd on a Friday evening. Their last venture to the city was a much more intimate affair at the Castle in Northern Quarter, together with double-bassist John Parker. With the addition of cheery drummer Ryan (“Bryan Adams”) Aston, now making up the four-piece unit, they’re planning on delivering a full sound tonight. Continue reading PAPER AEROPLANES send Little Letters to Manchester →

French-born London-based SOPHIE DELILA is relaxing in the ground floor café of Manchester’s Soup Kitchen as we arrive. A graduate of Boston’s famed Berklee College of Music, home to Grammy-winning alumni including Paula Cole, Bruce Hornsby, Quincy Jones and Aimee Mann, among many others, she became known as a singer with the NOUVELLE VAGUE collective, has supported the likes of Lionel Richie, Jamiroquai and Mika, has dueted with France’s 2006 Nouvelle Star (American Idol equivalent) winner Christophe Willem on the brilliant “What Did I Do,” and is now preparing to release her “My Life Could Use A Remix” album. Continue reading SOPHIE DELILA – bound to rise →

Here at the recently refurbished East Village Arts Club in Liverpool which has since hosted the likes of Liverpool Sound City festival, Kate Nash and The Fall, we’re here to catch the Brazilian phenomenon that is CSS. The band otherwise known as Cansei de Ser Sexy (“I got tired of being sexy” in Portuguese) have produced some of the most memorable songs of the noughties, including the delicious “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above” and funky “Music is My Hot Hot Sex” both used on many a commercial, one by that tiny company named after a rather common fruit. Continue reading CSS get their move on in Liverpool →