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SET THE CONTROLS...
05 February 2010
Sound Control is open and after packed launches for a variety of club nights the live music gets going this weekend, with local talent tonight (5th) and The Drums (fresh from their NME show) tomorrow (6th). February's line-ups follow.

PIGEONS FLY OFF ROUND THE COUNTRY
04 February 2010
Sophie’s Pigeons
Red Deer Club are gearing up for their annual package tour, travelling the country with Sophie's Pigeons and Panda Su, along with extra support Stealing Sheep at the Manchester date at Retro next Friday (12th Feb) and Liverpool on the 18th.

YET MORE NEW DATES ANNOUNCED
02 February 2010
Delphic
Yes we know Delphic seem to feature in about half the articles here right now, but they keep doing more stuff. This time it's additional dates on the March tour, with Stoke and Wigan not too far to travel if you missed out on Sankeys tickets.

FRIDAY "FRIENDS OF MANCHESTER" ACADEMY 3 GIG POSTPONED
28 January 2010
The Answering Machine
The Friday event has been postponed due to bereavement - news on rescheduling to follow early next week so hang onto tickets for now. This will NOT affect the main all-day Saturday event, for which a few tickets are still available.

TWISTED WHEEL GET THEIR FAC RIGHT
27 January 2010
Twisted Wheel
New Twisted Wheel Manchester Date Added To Tour – FAC 251 (The Factory) February 26th

MANCHESTER ICONS BACK ON
27 January 2010
John Cooper Clarke
Word from Ruby Lounge is that John Cooper Clarke has now recovered from the illness which caused his gig with Frank Sidebottom to be postponed twice in late '09 - the date's now back on for Sunday 21st February, with all original tickets valid.

IN CONVERSATION
26 January 2010
The Fall
Close Up At The Green Room is a series of exclusive opportunities to get up close and personal with artists discussing their life and work with Dave Haslam. Kevin Rowland and Mark E Smith appear at the first two events in March.

MODERN ENGLISH IS HERE
26 January 2010
1913
Modern English Music, which describes itself as Manchester's new digital and interactive record label for the 21st Century, launches officially next Wed, 3 Feb, at Cord with signings 1913, Thallie, Micky P Kerr and Call Me Animal playing live.

SET YOUR ALARM CLOCK NOW...
26 January 2010
The Courteeners
Not long ago The Courteeners sold out the 10000 capacity GMex in five days. On 16th February there's a rare chance to see them at the rather more intimate Ruby Lounge. The catch? You have to get up very early this Saturday to bag tickets...

DINGO RETRO
26 January 2010
Cyril Snear
We've not come across the promoter Dingo Barracks before but they have a great name and a brilliant line-up at Retro Bar tomorrow (Wed 27th) - Cyril Snear, Arficeden, Tonnica and From The Kites Of San Quentin, all for four quid.

FRIENDS OF MANCHESTER - WHAT, WHERE, WHEN
26 January 2010
Friends Of Manchester Festival is this Saturday - there are still a few tickets left at £12.50 (it'll be £15 on the door if not sold out) - and we've got the running order here for you in a nice printable form.

BACK TO THE TOP
25 January 2010
The Woodentops
80s indie guitar legends and dancefloor innovators the Woodentops are back, with only two UK dates including Manchester Deaf Institute on Saturday 6th March, following a London one the night before. Here's why you should go...

HOT VOLTAGE
21 January 2010
Hot Club de Paris
High Voltage veterans Hot Club De Paris retrun to play the recently relaunched night - now at Deaf Institute - on Monday 15th February. Support comes from Trojan Horse and Spokes.

A DIFFERENT STYLE OF PAINTER
20 January 2010
riverrun
Not content with leading his own band and playing in other peoples', Daniel Land releases his debut album as solo ambient/abstract side project "riverrun" on 1st March - but there's a special edition only available for pre-orders. Details here.

MANCHESTER'S NEWEST POP STARS ON THE ROAD AGAIN
19 January 2010
Delphic
With "Acolyte" crashing into the top ten and their current UK tour pretty much sold out everywhere, Delphic have announced another 8 live dates in March; Manchester's is at Sankeys on the 17th, tickets onsale Friday.

FRIENDS OF MANCHESTER UPDATE - LAST CHANCE FOR TENNER TICKETS
18 January 2010
Run Toto Run
This week's your last chance to buy £10 tickets for the Friends Of Manchester festival (30 Jan, Kro & Jabez Clegg). There are now over 70 acts on the bill - check out the full list here, as well as the new video from one of our favourite acts on the bill.

MANCHESTER'S QUEER NOISE
18 January 2010
(hooker)
Saturday 23rd January 2010 at The Deaf Institute finds a one-off celebration of gay music in Manchester.

STANDING IN THE WAY OF CONTROL
18 January 2010
SOUND CONTROL launch a brand new 3 floor Indie clubnight, called fittingly, CONTROL on Jan 26th - there's an open invite for bands to play pre-club - details within >>

WINTER / SPRING JAZZ AT BAND ON THE WALL
18 January 2010
Acoustic Ladyland
Band on The Wall is back with a new Winter/Spring season of acclaimed international jazz artists warming up the stage.

ARFICEDEN TAKE ON JANUARY
18 January 2010
Arficeden
Arficeden further their attempts at re-formatting the region's musical landscapes with a raft of new material and a new set for their upcoming January tour

WOTGODFORGOT SPRING OFFENSIVE
17 January 2010
Wotgodforgot is back for 2010 with a tasty schedule including Finnish spaceheads JOENSUU1685, local noisemasters KONG and Californian experimentalists Xiu Xiu - and it all kicks off tomorrow (Monday 18/1) with Bird Names at Retro Bar.

WOTGODFORGOT SPRING OFFENSIVE - SECOND WAVE
17 January 2010
Part two of the Wotgodforgot spring listing, as there was just too much exciting stuff on there for one page...

POP ART
13 January 2010
You may not recognise the name Steve Gullick, but he is the photographer behind some of the most iconic music photography of recent years. KRAAK hosts an exhibition of his work from March 12th - 25th, and there's a fundraiser gig on 26th February.

2010 STARTS HERE
13 January 2010
After an unexpectedly extended midwinter break Ruby Lounge reopens for business on Friday (15th) with the Lost & Found night postponed from last week. Here's the listings for the rest of January and beyond...

THIS SHOULD SCARE THE ORANGE PEOPLE
13 January 2010
Autechre
Warp Records' legendarily innovative electronic duo Autechre, who originate from Rochdale, have a new album out soon and a tour which kicks off in Manchester on 11th March at Pure in the Printworks.

J C CLARKE HASN'T BEEN KNIGHTED - HE SHOULD BE, BUT FOR NOW HERE'S SOME TOUR INFO
08 January 2010
John Cooper Clarke, the bard of Salford returns to the stage for a major UK Tour (some dates also include the magnificent Frank Sidebottom as a special guest)

TWISTED WHEEL TAKE ON 2010 WITH TOUR AND ALBUM
08 January 2010
Oldham’s Twisted Wheel are pleased to announce details of their first Headline Tour of 2010, 'hardest working band' accolades plus news of upcoming releases...

LOADS MORE FRIENDS!
22 December 2009
Hypnotic Welsh post-shoegazers Yucatan, hotly tipped young locals Janice Graham Band and Salford dirty blues merchants The Black Knights are among the new additions to a jam-packed Friends Of Manchester bill (30th Jan).

EDITORIAL: WHY I DID WHAT THEY TOLD ME
18 December 2009
This week I spent money on a download - which I don't normally do - of an ancient single I don't even like. Here's why.

FAUST COME FAUST SERVED (sorry...)
17 December 2009
Faust
We're giving you an early heads up on this one as we reckon it might sell out quite quickly: on 12th May 2010 original Krautrock legends Faust are coming to Ruby Lounge c/o Wotgodforgot and tickets are on sale this Monday (21/12)...

CHRISTMAS CRACKERS
16 December 2009
Politburo
MM has received notice from Leonard Skully PhD of the final Cabinet Of Curiosity of 2009. For the uninitiated, it's Manchester's most original and entertaining live club session, coming to Tiger Lounge tomorrow (Thu 17/12).

A DAY OUT WITH FRIENDS
07 December 2009
Following the success of 2009's event, Friends Of Manchester Festival returns to Kro and Jabez Clegg on 30th January with Dutch Uncles, The Witches, The Answering Machine and Plank! among early confirmations. Early bird tickets are onsale now for £10.

AIR CAV CHRISTMAS GIG: WIN TICKETS!
01 December 2009
Air Cav
Air Cav have announced details of a very special Christmas gig at Cross Street Unitarian Chapel on Saturday 19th December. Support comes from Driver Drive Faster (ex-Polytechnic) and MM has one pair of tickets to give away...

DELPHIC WELCOME THE NEW DECADE
30 November 2009
Delphic
Delphic release their third single and debut album at the beginning of January, and you can bag all sorts of special offers if you pre-order them. Here's what, and indeed how...

MM RECOMMENDS: A GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR ANY MANCUNIAN MUSIC FAN
28 November 2009
The Chameleons
Legendary Middleton band The Chameleons release a 25th anniversary edition of their second studio album "What Does Anything Mean? Basically" this week featuring a remastered version of the original album alongside a second CD of demo recordings.

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING SIGN ON THE DOTTED..
26 November 2009
Everything Everything
Everything Everything may now well have just about EVERYTHING...

OCEANSIZE - * MANCHESTER GIG CANCELLED* -
24 November 2009
Oceansize
MANCHESTER DATE CANCELLED UPDATE - Oceansize have a new EP of surprising dimensions and new textures and are also on tour - here are those essential details with their critical Mancunian visit taking place on Thursday the 26th November...

RUBY LOUNGE DECEMBER: JOSH, FRAZER AND A NYE HOUSE PARTY!
22 November 2009
Loads of great stuff coming up at Ruby Lounge in December starting with the brilliant Josh T Pearson on the 2nd running through to Lost And Found's New Years Eve House Party featuring a kitchen, bedrooms and garden shed (apparently) plus The Whip DJing.

BLOWOUT'S AUTUMN OF CONTENT
12 November 2009
Frazer King
Here are your indispensable gig listings for Blowout at the esteemed Chorlton Irish Club this November an December

MUSEUM SEEKS JOY DIVISION ARTEFACTS
10 November 2009
Joy Division
Macclesfield Museum is currently searching for interesting Joy Division artefacts for a proposed exhibition

MANCHESTER URBAN ARTISTS BUILD A MUSICAL FUTURE
10 November 2009
British Urban Collective youth-music project strikes a chord in Manchester...

RADAR RELEASE
06 November 2009
Beat The Radar
Beat the Radar's debut album TO THE CITY, FROM THE SEA is out on download from Monday, with an official launch gig at the Deaf Institute on the 13th and a shop release on the 30th..