Culture, Music, News

Spacey Jane @ O2 Ritz review – Aussie rockstars bring feel-good festival vibes to Manchester  

0 469

Featured image: Charlie Hardy 


Australian indie rock outfit Spacey Jane made a glorious return to Manchester off the back of their successful 2022 sophomore album, Here Comes Everybody – and it seemed every person sporting a mullet in the city had come down to watch the show. 

‘Lunchtime’ opened the gig and right from the get-go it’s obvious, even to the newest of Spacey Jane fans, that they’re a group who care very deeply for their craft.

Lead-singer Caleb Harper expressed their collective gratitude to be back in Manchester, comparing the difference between the last time they were in the city playing to a crowd of 400 versus tonight’s completely sold-out O2 Ritz.

Harper’s thanks were met with huge whoops and cheers before they launched into next hit, ‘Skin’.

Their set was filled with fast-paced bangers, combining much older tracks like 2017’s ‘Thrills’ with the more recent ‘Lots of Nothing’.

The bass was so loud it vibrated right through your bones. A quintessential indie gig full of rowdy lads in bucket hats, the crowd echoed the infectious energy beamed from the stage courtesy of guitarist Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu – who spent the better half of the set flinging himself about the stage in true rockstar fashion.

Spacey Jane have the stage presence of a group that have been going for decades and they know exactly how to keep their audience happy.

With their discography chockablock full of summer-ready feel good tunes, the beautiful O2 Ritz even feels too small at times. They’re a band meant for festival stages and huge outdoor spaces in summer evenings, it becomes easy to forget that we’re still deep in a relatively cold classic English winter.

They rounded off an impeccable set with ‘Hardlight’ and ‘Booster Seat’. With pints flying and the mosh pits non-stop, it’s almost as if they were just getting started rather than closing in on a bustling Wednesday evening of fun in one of Manchester’s finest venues. 

About the author / 

Minty Slater Mearns

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More News Stories:

  • Lights Up cycling film to premiere at The Savoy for International Women’s Day

    Featured image: Isabelle Dargue A powerful new film documenting Manchester’s Lights Up movement will premiere at The Savoy Cinema on 9 March as part of International Women’s Day celebrations. Lights Up is a free, community-led event organised by Bee Pedal Ready and Station South in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, We Are Cycling UK, MCRActive,…

  • Manchester illustrator Stanley Chow to play free DJ set in Chorlton

    Featured image: David Lindsay Manchester illustrator Stanley Chow will return to the decks for a special guest vinyl DJ set at The Garden Bar in Chorlton later this month. Chow, known for his distinctive geometric minimalist portraits of figures from Manchester and wider pop culture, is returning to his roots with an exclusive free DJ…

  • A Mural for Mani – Manchester music legend to be immortalised with mural in his hometown

    Following the passing of iconic Stone Roses and Primal Scream Bassist Gary ‘Mani’ Mountfield, there have been growing calls for him to be immortalised in a way that reflects both his cultural impact and the deep affection shared between the musician and his home city. GRIT Studios has answered the calls from fans, announcing plans…

  • London Fashion Week A/W 2026: The new designers shaping tomorrow

    Featured image: Evie Peattie  Often overshadowed in popular narratives by the heritage houses of Paris or Milan, London’s fashion ecosystem has long traded on creative freedom. As London Fashion Week prepares for its 42nd year, running from the 19 to 23 February, the British capital is poised to reaffirm its reputation not simply as a…