Gallery
Psych Insight: Live, Henge, Electrowerkz, London, 26.2.16
As a band Henge are well named, a unit that is strangely archaic and yet solid; a band whose music batters through to your very soul. On the evidence of its self-titled debut album Henge is also a band that is pretty difficult to categorise being just about ‘post’ everything that you might throw at …
Say Psych: Live Review, Cavalier Song, Electrowerkz, London 26.2.16
Cavalier Song are a band that are new to me this year, but one that I really rate. The band’s debut album, Blezard (read the review here) is a stark and spacious record that has its moments of noise and chaos, but leaves you with the overall impression of dark tranquility. Seeing Cavalier Song for …
LIVE: The Used, Debut Album Show, Leeds O2 Academy, 20/2/16
This tour is set to be a pretty special one for the Used. In fact, it’s pretty special in terms of tours, period; how often does one band play two nights consecutively in the same venue in each city? In the case of the Used, they’re playing the entirety of their debut self-titled album on …
Live: Tonight Alive – Manchester Ritz, 19.02.16
As the opening lyrics to To Be Free; “Don’t come looking for me, I don’t want to be found, I just want to be free” reverberated around the beautiful Manchester Ritz, Tonight Alive take to the stage to a welcoming roar of a crowd that haven’t seen their return to this city in a year …
Live Review: Lisbon / Feral Mantra / The Wired at The Rocking Chair, Sheffield, 18/02/16
Lisbon are the kind of band it’s very easy to get excited about. They’re enthusiastic about their music, whether it’s finessing new material in the studio, getting the tech just right ahead of a gig, or playing one of their fun-drenched, sweat-soaked gigs to a highly appreciative audience. They’re also incredibly savvy when it comes …
Live Review: Mayday Parade, Leeds University Stylus, 6.2.16
Tonight in the University Stylus is a bill that provides Leeds’ Saturday night crowd with several different strains of emo, depending on your taste. Beautiful Bodies are up first, feeling almost like they’re stuck in 2009. However their set is vibrant and pop-fuelled, and its undeniably fun with frontwoman Alicia Solombrino throwing shapes and spending …
Live Review: Fun Lovin Criminals Leeds 4.2.2016
The Fun Lovin Criminals burst onto the scene 20 years ago. A cock sure, smooth talking, trio that liked a toot and more than a few shots of tequila. With no regard for genres or boundaries,the self-professed Kings of New York took us a little bit by surprise, providing a welcome alternative to the over …
Live Review: Escape The Fate, Manchester Club Academy, 28.1.16
If there is any band that have seen their fair share of problems, it’s Escape The Fate- prison stays, betrayals, drug problems and more line-up changes than are worth thinking about. Yet here they are heading out on the Hate Me tour, in celebration of their fifth album of the same name, and they’re doing …
Live: Cancer Bats and Support, Manchester Academy 3, 23/2/16
What better way to spend a Saturday evening than in a tiny venue with four bands from varying ends of the metal spectrum? Cancer Bats and co. have definitely set out to create havoc on their Destroy The United Kingdom tour, and they deliver no less. First band Incite bring the party with their groovy, …
Feature: Best of 2015: Backseat Mafia staffers pick their favourite gig photos from 2015
Before we start looking forward to 2016 and all that they may bring, Backseat Mafia’s live photographers have been taking a look back at the gigs we covered in 2015 and choosing their own personal favourite photos… STEVE BARNES – DESPERATE JOURNALIST One of our bands of the year, caught them at Crystal Bar during …