Featured image and gallery: Kaitlyn Brockley
It’s a cold winter’s night, but not in Club Academy. A crowd huddles in the dingy basement venue, warmth radiating from the throng gathered underneath the hue of fluorescent lighting. Opening the night is Miso Extra: an exciting upcoming rapper, producer and vocalist, inspired by everything from UKG and R&B to traditional pop.
Her smooth breathy vocals melt into ambient swelling synths, reminiscent of early bedroom-pop Clairo and Billie Eilish, providing a perfect tonic to a blistering Thursday night. Miso Extra is clearly destined for The Warehouse Project with her mellow, hip-hop drum patterns and trancey rhythms that run in circles like a daydream. Miso twirls on the stage, dancing under the fluorescent lights, while the crowd dances with each other.
Rejjie Snow soon follows to a screaming crowd, smoke shrouding him like a shield. It cannot hide his cheeky grin as he surveys the Manchester crowd, and the front row that beams and clamour his name.
There is a sense of vulnerability of him standing on the stage alone, just him and a backing track. But this doesn’t seem to affect him – he immediately launches into ‘Obrigado’, before following with fan-favourite ‘Egyptian Luvr’. Surface level, his music is smooth, mellow, laidback, but dig deeper and the lyrics tell us more: the post-chorus of ‘Karen’ calls out “blonde hair, blue eyes… Privilege in denial” whereas ‘Bye Polar’ detail his mental turmoil, contrasting with chirpy major chords.
‘Peace to the World’ is the shining moment of the set, a treat from his latest album, reminiscent of Childish Gambino and featuring what appears to be an elevator music sample. ‘Poofy Leaves’ echoes early Kanye, whereas ‘Rio de Janeiro’ pairs a bossa nova beat with warm, ambient synths. The night finishes with the encore tracks ‘Acid Trip’, a quintessential lo-fi hip-hop hit with a rolling bassline, and ‘Sunny California’, closing the set with a sliding guitar solo and waves of applause.
Featured image and gallery: Lucy Elson-Whittaker Fcukers headline a sold-out show at Manchester’s New Century Hall, in support of their long-awaited debut album, ‘ö’. Opening the night are Sydney-based Sleepazoid, whose hazy, atmospheric sound offers a sharp contrast to the headliners’ explosive energy. Their set feels cinematic and dream-like, serving as both a striking opener…
Featured image and gallery: Sub Khan Hailing from Manchester and playing a sold-out show at Manchester’s Lion’s Den, with an imminent EP on the way, aAh! speaks to Fred Farrell (vocals) and Danny Atherton (bass) of Dr Dr. Did you start the band during Covid times? Is that where it all originated? F: It was…
Featured image: Gary Walker Neo-blues soul artist Yellow Days, the stage name of Haslemere’s George van den Broek, returns to Manchester with his seventh album, Rock And A Hard Place, and a live show that proves just how far he has come. Before he steps out, London-based act Brian Nasty warms the room up nicely,…
Featured image and gallery: Sally Stretch The Royston Club perform alongside Overpass and Permanent (Joy) at a sold-out O2 Victoria Warehouse. Welsh indie rock band The Royston Club, school friends who began playing together in 2017, now headline O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester. Touring second album Songs For The Spine, they generate an energetic sold-out…
Leave a reply