When: 8.00pm on Friday 30 November
Where: The Phoenix, 1 Precinct Centre, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9RN

Akron/Family are a folk-influenced experimental rock band currently based in New York. Though each of the four members of the band can be relegated to loosely defined roles, all of them in fact play several instruments and sing.

Live, the band uses improvisation and four-part harmonies in prominence. On their self-titled debut record, field recordings of a creaking chair, thunderclaps and the white noise of a television find their way alongside psychedelic and electronic elements, guitars and a glockenspiel.

In addition to their solo debut in 2005, the band played behind Michael Gira on his Angels of Light project as well as splitting a full length CD with Angels of Light.

In 2006, the band released another album, Meek Warrior, which contained both more traditional folk music and a pair of throbbing electric guitar monsters in The Rider (Dolphin Song) and the epic Blessing Force, which ends with an exploration into free jazz.

This is Akron/Family’s first visit to Manchester after a breath-taking, stage-invading performance at All Tomorrow’s Parties earlier this year.

The band are supported by Brooklyn’s Phosphorescent, aka Matthew Houck, whose ‘indie-post-folk-country warmth’ was last felt in Manchester when he supported Castanets. He was covered in lightbulbs at the time.

Tickets £9 adv from WeGotTickets.com, Ticketline.co.uk, Piccadilly Box Office (St Anne’s Square) or on 0161 832 1111.