To say this was just another 'gig' would not do it justice, as the atmosphere inside The Ruby Lounge was nothing short of electric. Not just because we had all survived the predicted apocalypse or the fact that this was the last Friday before Christmas, but because tonight was a celebration of Manchester's brilliant underground music scene.
As the looming stench of anticipation and excitement overwhelmed the venue, a sea of Mancunian haircuts attached to Harrington jackets littered the floor, accompanied by their trusty cans of 'Red Stripe', all fired up and raring to go.
First up was 'Advent 3', who not only brought their own blend of northern punk to The Ruby Lounge, but they also brought along bursts of anarchy within their taut and explosive songwriting. With simple, yet effective riffs that are reminiscent of punk heroes 'The Dammed', this quartet can certainly produce one hell of a racket.
With such a charismatic and entertaining front man at the helm, his delivery is so intense and determined it results in pure punk excellence. Their ever progressive songwriting was evident in a couple of tracks too, eclipsing a sound that many a 'Happy Mondays' follower could identify with, pointing to a musical direction in which they should swagger into.
When the impending silhouette of 'Shaun Gilroy'arrived on stage, it quickly drew up a connection to 'Johnny Cash', not just because Shaun had arrived dressed head to toe in black, but mainly due to the brilliant songwriting qualities he possesses as well as his ability to connect instantly with an audience.
His songs are nimble, cleverly crafted and focus on the brief victories and instant downfalls that real life presents, all of which are packed with so much vigour it's impossible not to become a fan. Bringing his own Mancunian flare to the quickfire delivery and the troubadour qualities of 'Pete Doherty', it is clear why the folk of Manchester regard him so highly.
'The Watchmakers'
Clearly 'The Watchmakers' mystique certainly adds to their appeal. Having only released one demo "Before Questions Became", which incidentally sparked huge interest and promise, there is little wonder why there was a mass surge towards The Ruby Lounge stage. Well 'The Watchmakers' certainly didn't disappoint, by sustaining an expansive eastern induced guitar flavour as well as some spacious drum work throughout the core of their set, they easily blew the ever expectant crowd into an intoxicated psychedelic state.
With Richie's suppressed vocals being layered onto "Ride The Sands" and "Summer of Love" just perfectly, they instantly created an incessant 60's vibe that drew up a connection to 'The Velvet Underground' as well as modern day psychedelic pioneers 'Brian Jonestown Massacre'. By delivering so much from their debut demo, there were certainly doubts to whether 'The Watchmakers' can emulate such brilliance again, but judging by tonight's performance it's plain to see that these lads have quality and potential in abundance. Keep your eyes peeled and watch out for 'The Watchmakers' in 2013.
'The Tapestry'
Tonight's penultimate band 'The Tapestry', have recently witnessed a surge in attention around Manchester, not by being the latest parka cladded axe wielding gang in town, but instead by unleashing their self-proclaimed brand of "Dirty Garage Pop" in many of the cities music establishments. From the word go, 'The Tapestry' delivered a polished and energetic performance with their rousing boy/girl harmonies and melodic choruses, which instantly whipped up the crowd into a bouncing sing-a-long frenzy.
The dynamic glam rock drumming on "Rode Your Luck" as well as the spiky 'Television' inspired riff work on "Another Century" makes the quartet sound more New York than Newton Heath. Being at the forefront of the underground music scene in Manchester, 'The Tapestry' issue a fresh and invigorating recipe in providing the crowd with all recognised flavours they’ve come to know and love about indie music.
With The Ruby Lounge folk on such legal, and possibly illegal, highs after watching four of the freshest and most talented artists in Manchester, there needed to be something special to top it off. Step forward 'Danny Mahon', a veteran of the city's underground music scene, along with his trusty powerhouse acoustic guitar.
'Danny Mahon - Eric The King @ The Ruby Lounge'
The Mancunian piped piper followed by his adoring fans, paints a perfect 'kitchen sink' portrait of inner city life through his lyrics, which are not only raw and out spoken but they also carry a witty, tongue in cheek appeal'. Mahon also has the rousing capability of creating a joyous riot through the work of a lone acoustic guitar with songs like "Eric the King", "Resurrection" and "Odd Socks" quickly becoming mass sing-a-longs from the front to the back of the room.
Just as though we couldn't get anymore celebratory over local music, Mahon invites 'The Watchmakers' back on stage to perform an impressive rendition of 'All Across The Sands (The Stone Roses)', which, as you've already guessed by now, goes down an absolute treat. But this is what 'Danny Mahon' is about, no tricks or gimmicks, just pure and honest songwriting that puts a smile on people's faces, whilst, at the same time, celebrating his city's musical heritage, to which he is extremely proud to be apart.
As the house lights come on and the mass scramble to collect possessions that had been flung out of pockets begins, the overriding feeling is that tonight was more than just an end of year gig, but a focus on celebrating and embracing the brilliance and potential of the city's 'hidden' musical secrets. However, if these artists are currently classed as being 'hidden', judging by tonight’s performances it will not be long until they are all exposured to the rest of the general public, up and down this great land - top night!
Until next time,
Happy Christmas,
Until next time,
Happy Christmas,
BF x
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