The Kraak Gallery, the Northern Quarter’s short-lived but widely approved-of underground music venue, is hosting a photography exhibition next month, featuring photographs of people like Will Oldham:
Steve Gullick has photographed for NME and Melody Maker as well as his own publications Careless Talk Costs Lives and Loose Lips Sink Ships – and has impeccable taste, with Nirvana, Bjork, Beck, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Neil Young and Nick Cave among the familiar names that will feature.
The Photography of Steve Gullick runs from 12-27 March at the Kraak Gallery (11 Stevenson Square, behind Hula Bar). It’s open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-6pm. What’s more, Steve’s band The Tenebrous Liar play the opening party at the Bay Horse on 11 March (£2, 8pm), and he’ll be giving a guided tour of the exhibition at 3pm on the final day – email him directly to book a place.
Everyone’s favourite baritone-voiced Yorkshire funnyman, Richard Hawley, is doing an in-store set at Piccadilly Records on Oldham Street tomorrow. To get a ticket – of which there are only a few remaining – you need to go in and buy a copy of his new album, Truelove’s Gutter. He’ll sign it after his performance, from 4pm tomorrow.
And Piccadilly Records’ weekly newsletter also flags up an appeal that may be of interest to Manchester music history fans:
Manchester District Music Archive is currently seeking information, photos and artifacts relating to gay clubs and bars in Greater Manchester from the 1940s to the present day. They are planning a large-scale event in February 2010, hosted by writer Jon Savage, which will celebrate the history of gay music culture in Greater Manchester. This will be followed by an in-depth virtual exhibition on their website MDMArchive, so they need photos, flyers, tickets, posters, fanzines, membership cards – that kind of thing.
They are also looking to interview any regular attendees of gay clubs and bars over the years (across the whole of Greater Manchester), or anyone who has been a member of a musical group, such as a choir or band that had an LGBT focus.
If you can contribute, get in touch by emailing info@mdmarchive.co.uk.
We like local folkies Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam, despite their silly name. In fact, they don’t know it yet but we’re going to ask them to support Múm for us on 16 August. But before then, they’ve pulled together a great-looking bill at the Deaf Institute tonight:
One of the most exciting line-ups of Manchester artists in a long while. Celebrating the launch of Tim and the Sam Band’s single launch on Static Caravan, a very cool band… and a very cool label.
Opening the night is the jaw-dropping talent of Denis Jones, then there’s Liz Green, Humble Soul veteran and writer for some of the loveliest folk songs to come out of Manchester.
Spokes are the main support and having been working on material for their debut long player on Counter Records they promise to show what an exciting prospect they are too.
Doors open at 7pm, with Denis on at 8pm. It’s £7 in and there’s promise of a raffle, cakes and a DJ set by Pull Yourself Together.
While we’re busy trying to win tickets for Kraftwerk/Steve Reich next month and booking shows of our own, we thought we’d publish a list of upcoming gigs for the months ahead:
June
11 – Jonquil, Ish Marquez @ Kro Bar
18 – Acoustic Ladyland @ Mint Lounge
19 – The Wave Pictures @ The Deaf Institute
21 – The Thermals @ Ruby Lounge
22 – A Hawk and a Hacksaw @ Ruby Lounge
29 – M Ward @ Club Academy
29 – Deerhoof @ The Deaf Institute
July
2 – Kraftwerk and Steve Reich @ Manchester Velodrome
2 – Svarte Greiner @ Sacred Trinity
3 – Anthony & The Johnsons @ The Opera House
10 – Prima Donna @ The Palace Theatre
13 – St Vincent @ Night & Day
14 – Fever Ray @ Academy 2
15 – Prefuse 73 @ Ruby Lounge
18 – Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson @ The Palace Theatre
20 – Mark Kozelek @ St Philip’s Church, Salford
30 – Arbouretum @ Night & Day
August
3 – Final Fantasy @ RNCM
18 – Gang Gang Dance @ The Deaf Institute
24 – Bill Callahan @ The Deaf Institute
September
4 – Okkervil River @ Club Academy
14 – Sunset Rubdown @ The Deaf Institute
We don’t want you to meet something amazing, after all! For more information, just google. And if there’s anything good we’ve missed off (we’re sure there will be), please leave a comment.
Following on from its inaugural year in 2008, Un-convention returns in June to bring independent music debate and performance to the Sacred Trinity Church in Salford.
Last year’s event complemented the more mainstream In The City conference – but with its early summer slot this time around, the event is even more tempting. Here’s what’s on offer panels-wise (click on each for more information):
And the music programme isn’t bad either, with Everything Everything, The Loose Salute, Arthur Delaney, Magic Arm, Jake Flowers and I Am Kloot among the potential highlights.
Plenty of familiar names are signed up: Peter Hook, John Robb, Jay Taylor, Howard Monk from The Local… plus BBC DJ Tom Robinson is lending his support in the form of an Introducing show featuring 22 tracks from artists involved, and sessions with Kyte, Sisters of Transistors and Gallops.
Un-convention 2009 kicks off next Thursday, 4 June, and continues throughout Friday and Saturday. A full pass costs £40 and live music tickets cost £7.50 per night or £18 for all three nights. Check out the Un-convention site for more details, and follow the event on Twitter.
