MOJO Bar - Music for the people

Walking towards the MEN Arena on a cold, wet Monday evening, it was becoming more and more apparent that we were going to be, at best, half the average age of the audience for this event, showcasing two of the world’s most influential and respected songwriters. But, with their combined age of 132, was this [...]

My Gig going continues to increase to the point where I am attending more gigs than buying albums, it is bringing into sharper focus a problem suffered by the not 100% committed music fan. The new or unheard material problem. A recent Metronomy gig left my speechless at its euphoric quality (I knew 1 song), [...]

The Strokes are a firm favourite of mine but I have never managed to catch them live, so to be going to observe this hugely awaited homecoming gig hadn’t quite sunk in until we got to the arena. As soon as I sat down the worry and apprehension kicked in, (this always happens to me [...]

Let us first address the name. It’s rotten. Only marginally  better than Dogs Die in Hot Cars but not by much. Let’s face it though, U2, Coldplay and Elbow are amongst the worst names in Western Europe but they eventually transcended their chosen monikers. It is as it is. We are packed here into the [...]

Tribute Bands, hmmmm. I’d seen covers bands before but had never experienced a fully fledged tribute act. Oh sure, I’d been tempted before, haven’t we all. Buy Jovi for the sheer joy of the name and equally so, Slack Babbath. We approached the Lowry Theatre in Salford with a mixture of regular pre gig excitement [...]

After finally getting annoyed enough by Stephen Patrick Morrissey to terminate The Smiths at the height of their powers in 1987, Johnny Marr has roamed the planet looking for a suitable berth for both he and his jangling axe to call home. He became guitarist for hire, lending his talents to Talking Heads, The The, Billy [...]