In what looks to be a promising year for Manchester’s thriving music scene, February kicks off with Liverpool’s Miles Kane – headlining the renowned venue O2 Ritz. Miles released his fifth studio album One Man Band in August 2023 to critical acclaim, yet tonight Miles does not stand alone. Alongside him stands a band of effortlessly cool musicians whose presence is not to be unnoticed.
Before Miles takes to stage, are Welsh breakthrough band ‘The Royston Club’. The five-piece are set to support the remainder of the UK tour as well as following Miles and the band across his European dates later this year. From the looks of the audience, the band are the perfect fit to excite the audience, asthe Ritz’s famous springy dance floor is now close to capacity with the balcony following suit.
Chants of ‘Royston, Royston, Royston’ echo between each song whenever the crowd find a rare moment of silence. When the first distorted chord of fan-favourite ‘I’m a Liar’ rings through the room fans eagerly clamber onto each other’s shoulders to get a better view of frontman Tom Faithful’s charismatic demeanour and expressive gestures.
Miles sets out to define the parameters for the upcoming hour – walking on stage to ‘Rock and Roll Star’. A potentially cliché choice, Miles establishes tough expectations to follow, however as the full power of the Manchester anthem kicks in the crowd welcomes this notion with enthusiasm.Kane kicks off with ‘Troubled Son’, the punchy first single from One Man Band. Despite playing most songs from this album, Miles doesn’t shy away from showcasing the breadth of his decade spanning discography, treating fans to an assortment of favourites.
Kane’s reputation as an indie-rock icon is solidified from the first note of ‘Inhaler’s’ infectious bassline. It is clear his riff-heavy debut is a song that has stood the test of time – despite being released nearly 15 years ago, the crowd still receive it with a newfound excitement gathering the most movement the room has seen all night. ‘Manchester, every time I play here you blow my mind” Miles confesses in between breaths.
Even after he unearths more of his expansive discography, it seems Miles isn’t ready to leave the stage just yet – nor do the crowd want him to. Showstopper ‘Come Closer’ ends seeing Kane appear to strut off stage, only to return seconds later to a football chant style rendition of the song’s melody. Proving the set is not quite over, the band return offering fans a satisfying finale – ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’ with an extended outro. If tonight’s performance is anything to go by, Miles Kane undoubtably remains unrelenting in his commanding stage performance of nostalgic indie-rock anthems.
By Lowri Simmons, Megan Hall, Imogen Lambert-Baker, Freya BarwellFeatured image: Siro Micheroli Manchester Metropolitan University is hosting the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign from 25 November to 10 December, featuring a packed programme that explores how poetry can challenge societal injustices and inspire activism. The 16-day programme will examine how poetry can create…
Featured image: Abi Daré by Edith Powell The largest conference for aspiring writers in the North returned to Manchester for its tenth anniversary, giving budding writers access to a busy day of panel talks and creative workshops. The National Creative Writing Industry Day (NCWID), hosted by Comma Press and the Manchester Writing School, featured two…
By Imogen Lambert-Baker, Freya Barwell, Lowri Simmons, Megan HallFeatured image: Laura Bates “I’ve seen policy makers change their positions on issues that they have been really entrenched on because of the power of people’s stories told in their own words,” says feminist activist and Everyday Sexism founder Laura Bates, reflecting on the power of personal…
By Immy BurgessFeatured image: Lorna Elizabeth aAh! speaks to 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Festival organisers Kim Moore and Frazer Heritage ahead of the launch. Manchester Metropolitan University is hosting the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence campaign, a powerful initiative running from 25th November – International Day for the Elimination…
Leave a reply