Gallery
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 …
Live: Shed Seven / Inspiral Carpets – Leeds 22.12.15 / Sheffield 10.12.15
Seeing Shed 7 has become as big a part of Christmas as turkey and sprouts. Every second year the boys take their show out on the road, and treat us to a set full of their greatest hits. We caught them at Sheffield and again at Leeds for the final night of the tour. (All …
Live Review: Big Scary – The Lexington, 8 December 2015 plus Gallery
After impressing audiences throughout Europe supporting Courtney Barnett, Big Scary brought their funky indie pop to The Lexington on the last of two debut headline shows in London. The Australian duo of Tom Iansek (vocals, keyboards, guitar) and Jo Syme (drums, vocals) are joined on stage by a bassist/saxophonist to reflect the layers of sound …
Live: The Story So Far, Turnstile, Drug Church – Leeds University Stylus, 12/12/15
Drug Church aren’t the stereotypical choice for The Story So Far support, the crowd seem less than unsure until vocalist Patrick Kindlon says “If you’re unsure whether this is cool or not, I can asure you it is.” If that doesn’t indicate this is a love it or hate it band then what does. While …