Dot To Dot Festival, Manchester, 22nd May 2015 8/10

Dot to Dot is a vast festival, with over 200 acts, which means each person's experiences will vary wildly. This time, I decided to eschew the head liners at Manchester Cathedral, and remain in the Northern Quarter for some of the smaller venues; below are photos of my top five.

1) Hinds 9/10
Formerly known as Deers, this youthful Madrid band exuded joy and happiness through their garage rock, and created an incredibly enthusiastic atmosphere amidst the crowd. This was an amazingly invigorating experience.

2) Best Coast 8/10

Bethany Costentino’s humour wasn't always comprehended by the crowd at this late stage in the evening, but I was struck by her vocal ability, and the precise sound tight sound of the band, which belies their slacker persona.

3) PINS 8/10

PINS is perhaps the most outstanding young Manchester band, and the only disappointment here was the that they’d only just got into the groove when their set was cut, after 30 minutes on stage. They would have justified a higher place on the billing, and a much longer set, but Dot to Dot was a great introduction to those who hadn't already caught them supporting Sleater-Kinney.

4) Honeyblood 8/10

Dot to Dot was one of the final events at the much loved, gritty Manchester venue The Roadhouse, and it was absolutely packed for the low-fi Glaswegian duo, who exuded raw energy. Singer and guitarist Stina Tweeddale was ferocious: it will give me a new perspective on their début album.

5) White 7.5/10
Another Scottish band, White's energy and stagecraft were a revelation when I saw them last month supporting Will Butler. Their performance at Dot to Dot demonstrated this impact once again, but sadly the audience was far sparser than they deserved. Happily, there were reports of a much larger, dancing crowd in Bristol the following night; Mancunians didn't fully appreciatewhat they were missing.

Lau, Manchester Dancehouse Theatre, 17th May 2015 9/10

At its best, live music can transport you to another place. Issues with the venue meant that one of my favourite live bands, Alabama Shakes, had failed to do this the evening before. Instead, it was the more nuanced stains of Celtic music that succeeded in soothing the strains of the world. Aided by a hushed venue, with photography strictly banned, I was entranced by the ethereal singing of Glaswegian support act Siobhan Wilson. She brings the influences of classical composition and time spent in France to her songs, but it was the emotional directness of her soprano vocals, self accompanied by acoustic guitar that I found so touching. Lau, by contrast, is all about the interplay of three musicians who've played together for years and can sense each other's feeling intuitively. They share a sensitivity with their compatriot Siobhan: a song like Ghosts, speaking of the memories of generations of migrants, creates such a delicate atmosphere.

For all their debt to traditional music, Lau is unafraid to look outward, not just in singing about immigration, but advocating threatened creatures in Save The Bees and displaying a banner on stage proclaiming ' I Love the NHS'. In an interview, Martin Green explained that they didn't make a decision to play a particular genre of music: “We all started playing as children, so there were no lightbulb moments of ‘my God I just have to take up the accordion'. I was playing the accordion before I knew any better.” Scottish folk may influence the instrumentation, but it's merely a starting point for their music, which goes on an imaginative journey. The thematic development of material, most notably in The Bell That Never Rang recalls classical music. Kris Drever's distinctive sounding vocals do not appear until ten minutes into the song, and instrumental passages are often at the emotional core. On the the new album of that title, the trio are joined by the Elysian String Quartet; alas they are not touring with Lau. The deep symbolism was still apparent: the salmon pulled from the river represents a close friend who died suddenly with the moving line: “Nobody knows when you’ll go, And no one thinks to tell you”.

Yet, Lau embody the spirit of jazz in their improvisatory performance style. There is no drummer, and I found the music most thrilling when the rhythm was provided by the virtuoso fiddle player Aidan O'Rouke. Thanks to Martin Green, there is also strong bass energy: he multi tasks, controlling the electronics alongside stunning accordion playing. The innovation in their progressive folk is so refreshing, though in songs like Throwing Pennies I thought the volume of Martin's samples was intrusive: on the album, they're more subtlety integrated into the mix. With this minor exception, the sound, and lighting was excellent. The venue added to the theatrical atmosphere: there was no lack of drama, despite the economy of forces. It was a cerebral experience, a delight for the introvert: outward interaction with the audience was limited to Martin's humorous interjections, and a rare cheer from the audience towards the end.

Lau's invention is inspried by the open spaces of the Scottish Isles. Torsa, an early highlight in the 90 minute set, evokes the landscape of an island south of Oban that Aidan knew as a child; whilst Kris was born in Orkney and has now migrated even further north to Shetland. They're steeped in Scottish culture, yet transcend geographical boundaries: a song like the closing Far From Portland evoking a universal tenderness and aching beauty. A sense of traditional culture doesn't preclude complex layers of sound, just as beauty doesn't imply a lack of dynamics. Their virtuosity can be exhilarating, the volume of the trio thunderous one moment, delicate the next. Lau also sends a message about collaboration: far from being dominated by a lead vocalist, their appeal is in the thrilling interplay. This collective spirit embodies the fact that in remote communities, interdependence is a essential to survival; too often in urbanised society the need for co-operation is overlooked. Yet, Lau is forward thinking as well as nostalgic in providing a window on a world of alternative values, informed by our connection to the natural environment and the need for mutual bonds. Even if you're not naturally drawn towards Celtic folk trios, I urge to explore their music, and performances.

Alabama Shakes, Manchester Apollo, 16th May 2015 8/10

Even for those of a progressive outlook, change can be problematic. My first, and only previous live encounter with Alabama Shakes in 2012 was a revelation, largely due to the incredible charisma of Brittany Howard. It's taken three years to release a second album, and as long for the band to return to Manchester. It may have been tempting to consolidate the popular success of Boys and Girls and produce another retro Muscle Shoals soul record, but instead they took a far more adventurous path. Sound and Colour draws on wider influences, extending as far as grunge, heavy rock and punk. I welcome this change of direction, but some in the audience seemed to be challenged by a set understandably heavy on new songs. The level of background noise was less surprising during the highly creditable support act Slow Club, and the choice of Songhoy Blues to open for them in Birmingham was more logical. However, it's staggering that so many continued to talk through such a mesmerising act as Alabama Shakes. This noise obscured some of the light and shade in Brittany's performance: the impact of more extrovert moments is enhanced by her subtlety in dialling back the tension.

For me, it was not the new music I had difficulty accepting last night, but the inevitable move to a large venue following the explosion in their profile. It would be churlish to begrudge this deserved success: Brittany expressed gratitude to her fans last night, stating she can remember when nobody took any notice. She also exclaimed in an interview: 'Man, we met the President? We’re from a small town in Alabama, and that doesn’t happen.' Yet, experience of being directly in front of Brittany whist she sings is a world away from viewing the stage from afar, as is being amongst music lovers compared to some for whom the act is a backdrop to a social experience. Brittany's vocals were also drowned out by the drums from my seating position at the front of the balcony, close to the PA speakers. This shortcoming was ironic, considering my joy on discovering that Sound and Colour's production was far superior to the one dimensional sound of their first album.

Yet, Brittany's skill at dealing with a heckler who'd learned to imitate her howl was masterly, particularly as his intervention was initially amusing, but soon became tiresome. Her performance is still utterly, astonishingly committed, and incredibly emotional. She stretches her voice, at times to a falsetto to rival Prince's, with a unforgettable ferocity. Alabama Shakes now performs as a nine piece, with three gospel backing singers and two keyboard players, yet Brittany absolutely remains at the heart of the performance. She expresses a charismatic, religious zeal in those vocals, which during songs such as the funky Don't Want To Fight almost break down. Yet, I particularly appreciated the more dreamy, psychedelic moments, as in Gemini which closed the main set. This gave a necessary contrast from the frenetic melodrama of songs such as The Greatest. I did regret the omission of older favourites such as Hold On, though the unbuttoned Hang Loose and the rousing Rise to The Sun from the first LP were compensation. Shoegaze also provided a bridge in style between the old and new.

If the venue and the crowd meant that the reacquaintance with Alabama Shakes didn't quite meet my exalted expectations, it's still clear that the band hasn't forgotten their humble beginnings in Athens when Brittany was a postal worker. At times, the set did seem almost too slick and rehearsed, one more stop on a relentless world touring schedule. Yet, we were reminded of the authenticity when Brittany explained that Heartbreaker was about someone who'd spent too much time in prison; inevitably in the circumstances, an audience member shouted out that he'd also done so. Despite the grand production, Sound and Colour isn't about immediacy: its inventiveness demands careful acquaintance alone with the album. Despite this, Brittany has not just grown in confidence, but importantly also become musically more ambitious: I'm excited to see where that journey takes Alabama Shakes by the third album, without ever forgetting my astonishing first encounter.

Setlist

1. Don't Wanna Fight 
2. Rise to the Sun 
3. Dunes 
4. Future People 
5. Heartbreaker 
6. Over My Head 
7. Miss You 
8. The Greatest 
9. Shoegaze 
10. Hang Loose 
11. Gimme All Your Love 
12. Be Mine 
13. Gemini 

Encore

1. Joe 
2. Always Alright 
3. You Ain't Alone 

Brittany in Manchester in May 2012

Tobias Jesso Jr., Night & Day Cafe Manchester, 8th May 2015 8/10

Thankfully, this was an evening all about feelings, on a day when, in common with other progressives in the UK, I was in shock and dismay after a surprise election victory for the Conservatives. From my perspective, emotion did not appear to be a high priority for the millions of Brits who had just voted for a Government so lacking in compassion for the disadvantaged. Yet, they were at the heart of the incredibly sensitive support act, Flo Morrissey. Eschewing material priorities, the 20 year old from London left school to pursue a love of music, and her music has an emotional maturity which belies her age. Performing solo playing acoustic guitar, and at the end of the set piano, she's clearly drawn inspiration from the 60's folk tradition. Although, inexplicably, some in the venue continued to chatter, I was touched, and for the first time that day, managed to escape from the troubles of the world, through the healing power of music. Flo turned out to be a most apt opener.

Feelings are also at the heart of Tobias Jesso Jr.'s work. It would be easy to be distracted by the buzz around the Canadian: this show sold out early, and Pitchfork's Best New Music accolade has bestowed hipster credibility. The 70's influence behind his music has led Tobias to be bracketed with two other sensitive male performers with strong, recent album releases: Matthew E. White and Father John Misty. Goon was produced by JR White, who gave Tobias his break after he sent him demos almost by accident, after he made contact to commiserate over the demise of Girls. Yet, last night, the album's glossy production with horns was stripped away: this was a low key, solo gig in a small venue. Tobias is bringing a band to Manchester in November, when the sound of the album will be created more faithfully. Here though, the essence of his surprise success was given greater clarity.

Tobias' breakthrough has come in spite of his pianism. He started playing his sister's instrument in Vancouver just two years ago when his own guitar equipment was in storage in LA, and frankly his plodding chords have all the finesse of a beginner's. Some may have been relieved when, mid set, he arrived at the two songs with guitar, and others may have yearned for that band. Furthermore, his voice may be touchingly fragile, but frankly is limited in range. When Adele described How Could You Babe as 'fantastic' to her 22 million Twitter followers in January, she didn't have technical expertise in mind. Instead, she instinctively recognised his power to connect emotionally with an audience, the key to an act which considered objectively, shouldn't really work. The songwriting may be uneven at this stage, with sometimes facile lyrics, but there's a remarkably soulful tenderness, which connects directly with the heart.

Tobias also exudes authenticity. He released his first demos after a painful break-up, when he'd just found out his mother had cancer, and had been hit by a car whilst cycling. Hollywood in particular autobiographically describes a life falling apart, which many will have little difficulty identifying with. The on stage persona is also incredibly charming: he's a humble, gentle giant, all too aware of his limitations and seemingly still surprised that audiences continue to make the effort to see his act. That they do is in part due a timeless, John Lennon like gift for melody, but even more for an expressive, fragile magic in his vocals that conveys feelings so directly. Most of his songs are about heartbreak, but his personality was incredibly warm and humorous; it was a joy to observe him smiling warmly at an audience member stood beside me. Amidst such depressing world events, Tobias is a reminder of a deeper set of values which speak so much more profoundly of the human condition than the market ever can.

Setlist

• Bad Words
• True Love 
• Can We Still Be Friends 
• Cover 
• The Wait 
• Tell the Truth 
• Just a Dream 
• Can't Stop Thinking About You 
• Cover 
• Hollywood 
• Without You 
• How Could You Babe

Sounds From The Other City Festival, Salford, 4th May 2015 8/10

Sounds from the Other City Festival, held at venues around Manchester's near neighbour, the City of Salford, has become an essential annual fixture in my calendar. Promoters such as Now Wave are adept at presenting emerging new talent, and the mix of urban venues, from the beautiful to gritty, within walking distance makes it easy to explore. Most importantly though is its open mindedness. This attitude was exemplified this year by the presentation of a contemporary classical performance alongside other genres of music, a refreshing and long overdue bridging of the artificial divide between music labelled 'serious' and 'modern'.

1) PINS 9/10
PINS is arguably Manchester's most exciting recent band, emerging triumphantly from supporting Sleater-Kinney on their recent UK. After headlining SFTOC last year, they performed both a short acoustic set in the tiny New Oxford Pub and a collaboration with fellow Mancunian garage duo Brown Brogues in the beautiful St Philips church. The set had a celebratory spirit, and the live energy which makes PINs unmissable created a party atmopshere in this church of rock and roll.

2) Ex-Easter Island Head and BBC Philharmonic Ensemble 9/10
This experimental Liverpool group place electric guitars on their side and play them with mallets, as percussion instruments. They were joined by four amplified members of Manchester's BBC Philharmonic, on harp, violin, violin and saxophone / clarinet. The effect Ex-Easter Island Head's 25 minute composition was anything but dry and academic: layers of reverb created a gorgeously atmospheric soundscape; they're indebted to Steve Reich. If you're eager to explore accessible, tonal classical minimalism, I'd strongly recommend listening to John Luther Adams' orchestral piece Become Ocean. Including such music in a festival such cleanses the aural palette before listening to more raucous, concentrated forms of contemporary music, to the benefit of both genres, and signicantly, tickets for both of the performances ran out quickly.

3) Jupiter-C 8/10
The London based electronic duo of Ashiya Eastwood and David Kane made a compellingly eerie sound in Islington Mill's dark basement, not unlike Swans in mood; they drew me in completely to their dark world and made a strong start to my festival.

4) Normal Love 7/10
As a fan of noir pop band Veronica Falls, I was excited to hear Roxanne Clifford's very recent new project. The start of the set was impacted by sound problems, but a few songs in they found their groove; I particularly appreciated the rhythmic interplay between the drummer and Roxy.

5) Gengahr 7/10
There's a considerable amount of buzz around London based Gengahr, and I saw nothing to suggest they won't be a success, combining deft guitar work with a danceable quality which should appeal strongly to a festival demographic.

6) Jane Weaver 7/10
Liverpool's established folk artist performed, like PINS, in the grandeur of St Philips Church. Yet, with 2014's The Silver Globe, she's changed direction, embracing electronics. Given my admiration  for the new album, I was less engaged than I expected: coming towards the end of the day, fatigue might have played a part, and the set received a warm reception in the packed venue.

7) LA Priest 6/10
I suspect electronic artist Sam Dust of Late of the Pier is an introvert: sadly his set was marred by audience noise. He requested, without success, twice, for the chatter to be silenced. There's clearly a highly creative, adventurous mind at work here, and whilst his music his a late night quality, it suffered from the inebriation of revellers at this stage in the evening.

8) Groves 6/10
Another London band, Groves has psychedelic leanings; in the context of this festival, they didn't make a particularly strong impression on me, but they're just emerging, and I'd suggest deciding for yourself via their Soundcloud stream.

Calexico, Albert Hall Manchester, 30th April 2015 9/10

As I drove into Manchester city centre, I encountered an unwelcome symbol of intolerance in the form of a poster van with a xenophobic anti immigration slogan, attempting to engender fear in advance of next week's UK general election. Calexico's song Bullets and Rocks exposes the folly of erecting borders, whilst the entire evening was testament to the cultural richness which flows when movement of people and exchange ideas takes place. Formed in 1996, and based in Tuscon Arizon, Calexico takes their name from the Californian gateway to Mexico in arid desert country. Last week, Laura Marling projected an image of Joshua Tree behind the stage at this venue, but Calexico's connection with the south west American desert landscape is more deeply rooted. The effect was cinematic: so evocative that it transported my mind to a utopian sunny, enlightened place, where barriers of all types have been cast aside.

The recently released Edge of the Sun has had a positive critical reception, though for me, the 2013 live album Spiritoso truly captures their energy. Yet, the new album has reached out to explore music beyond Latin America, as far afield as Greece, to wholly beneficial effect. Occasionally, on record, their Americana pop might  verge on the polite, yet it's hard to imagine anyone who's encountered them on stage ever considering them bland. Seven musicians on stage visibly having fun, responding spontaneously to each other's playing are the antithesis of Public Service Broadcasting's pre-recorded show the previous night. The use of brass, with virtuoso mariachi trumpet playing brought a smile to my face, but the guitar work from Jairo Zavala was outstanding too. Accordion, vibraphone, and harmonica gave a rich palette to the sounds, and the influence of jazz brought New Orleans closer, though Spain and Portugal were rarely far away either. This was reinforced by the charisma of Jacob Valenzuela's Latino singing.

Judging by the response on Twitter, Calexico's cover of The Smiths' Bigmouth Strikes Again resonated particularly strongly with this audience. For me though, a stripped down rendition of Fortune Teller from Algiers was especially mesmerising. The resonant acoustic brought a mellifluous warmth to the acoustic instruments and to Joey Burn's vocals, who is a above all a storyteller. As if to maximise the number of songs in the two hour set, Joey spent little time talking, but his gratitude and love for the audience was evident. The closing track from Edge of the Sun, Follow The River, was so affecting, epitomising the sense of hope Calexico embodies: 'clouds will be breaking, soon you’ll escape them/Someday we’ll find our place in the sky'. Yet, the evening was not to close on a complacent note: instead there was an extraordinary cover of War Machine, a new song from Bill Fay, hymn like in its indictment of the violence of the industrial military complex.

The delivery of this sadly so relevant message was reinforced by Montreal's The Barr Brothers, who'd earlier delivered an outstanding, but all too short support set. Whereas I'd experienced Calexico on their last visit to Manchester in 2013, this was my first encounter with the rootsy Canadian quartet. Andrew and Brad Barr are joined by a keyboard player Andres Vial and harpist Sarah Page, who was invited to join the band after her playing was heard through the Barr's apartment wall. She's classically trained, but the bluesy intensity of the band live surprised me, and I loved the vocal harmonies and psychedelic leaning. Yet, the collaborative joy of Calexico's main set will remain in my mind for longest. I met a dedicated fan at the front of the queue who follows the band on tour as extensively as her job allows. In fact, Joey came to the rail before the show to consult her on the set list. I emerged into the night with a complete understanding of the desire to experience this soothing, uplifting, and inspiring act over and over again.

Setlist
Falling From the Sky
Across the Wire
Cumbia de Donde
Splitter
Two Silver Trees
Miles from the Sea
Coyoacán
Maybe on Monday
Moon Never Rises (with The Barr Brothers)
Sunken Waltz
World Undone
Esperanza
Fortune Teller
Bullets & Rocks
Beneath the City of Dreams
Alone Again Or  (Love cover)
Puerto

Encore 1:
The Black Light
Roll Tango
Bigmouth Strikes Again (The Smiths cover)
Güero canelo

Encore 2:
Follow the River
War Machine  (Bill Fay cover with The Barr Brothers)

Smoke Fairies (8.5/10), Public Service Broadcasting (3/10) Manchester Ritz 29th April 2015

Public Service Broadcasting lies at the opposite end of the emotional spectrum to Sharon Van Etten: far from being an intuitive response to feelings, their show is pre-determined in almost every detail. This extends as far as the talk between songs, which is recorded in advance. Only one song contained vocals: the others were accompanied by archive speech samples. This formed a rigid framework to which the live musicians conformed; hardly a formula for emotional engagement. Yet, the sold out venue was packed and PSB's 2015 album The Race For Space reached no.1 in the Indie Album Charts in the UK. This may be explained by nostalgia, as PSB skilfully combines archive footage with electronics, clever stage design and lighting. However, it wasn't as visually immersive as watching a film at a cinema, since the video projection screens and retro TVs on the side of the stage were tiny in context of this large ballroom.

An audio visual expert and a percussion, bass and flugelhorn player joined the two core members of PSB, multi instrumentalist J. Willgoose Esq. and live drummer Wigglesworth. They were dressed in the manner of a 1970's school teacher, the four band members sporting matching spectacles. Their musical influences are wide: electronica, trip hop, rock and in the song Gargarin ,funk, Yet, I found it relentless and wearing: the volume was excessive, and the driving beats become monotonous; the whole lacked humanity. The tone was set by the geeky humour epitomised by the IT Crowd sitcom: for me, more subtle works of art that truly illuminate the beauty of science, not jokey animations. The predominantly male audience seemed largely passive: there was little by way of conventional stagecraft to provide engagement, and instead they relied upon props such a model Sputknik satellite. Yet, there was one spark of musical interest for me: in the song Valentina, Katherine Blamire and Jessica Davies joined PSB on stage, contributing beautiful vocal harmonies in a tribute to the first woman in space.

Despite their role on The Race for Space, Smoke Fairies inhabit a completely district musical universe from the bombastic, pompous and calculating main act, bringing subtlety and atmosphere. This was my first experience of the duo from Sussex, and I was surprised by their live energy which was far from pastoral English folk in feel. The two school friends spent time in New Orleans, and the resultant blues influence is wholly beneficial, underpinning the importance of rhythm to their music. They may have supported Laura Marling in the US, but I found them closer in feel to Warpaint. Where PSB sounded relentless, Smoke Fairies slower tempi gave space to breathe, drawing you into an eerie, melancholy world. The lyrics are deep and introspective, whilst the musical influences extend beyond PJ Harvey far back in time to eerie medieval plainchant.

Their most recent, self titled full length album also embraces contemporary influences, making use of electronica, shifting their palette away from guitars towards keyboards. A highlight of the 45 minute set was its opening song, We've Seen Birds. Fortunately sound problems, not for the first time recently at this venue, didn't too seriously undermine the effect, as feedback and a hollow midrange are preferable to the affliction of inaudible vocals. Whereas there is a hint of blandness to some of their studio work, on stage the atmosphere felt almost sensual, thanks to the duo's extraordinary weaving, coupled vocals. The new album was released after a period of self-doubt, when they considered giving up the project, yet they've emerged revitalised as a live band I'm eager to experience in a headline show.