Apollo
Reviewed Events
Alice Cooper at Manchester Apollo, Wed 16 May
The lights dim and strobes kick in, and a strange fat blob on top a plinth slides to the front of the stage with it's small arms flailing informing the audience that "the free world is over and what's left is run by megalomanic Alice Cooper". Cue massive audience pop. "Get out while you still can!" I look around»
Pennywise, Sick Of It All, Lagwagon, Catch22 at Manchester Apollo, Thu 31 May
Having missed all of CapDown’s set it was up to BoySetsFire to open up my evening. Mixing pummeling hardcore with slower, more emotional moments, BSF are a fearsome live band. With tracks that are at the same time aggressive, passionate and melodic, this is a band fast becoming one of the world’s leading hardcor»
Manic Street Preachers at Manchester Apollo, Sun 08 Jul
I know it's late, but hey, I've only just got my PC fixed... anyway, Manics Mancehster way back in MArch. This is what I wrote at the time. Here's a quick review. Set list was FOUND THAT SOUL MOTORCYCLE EMPTINESS MASSES AGAINST THE CLASSES SO WHY SO SAD KEVIN CARTER OCEAN SPRAY YOU STOLE THE SUN»
Elvis Costello at Manchester Apollo, Tue 10 Sep
Fuck! Elvis lives. Making middle age seem like a healthy proposition this Elvis is as wired and fantastic as ever- mule whipping a stripped down mean as fuck band into splenetic tight power garage rock riffola. The sole survivor of punk's parallel Stiff records power pop scene that also featured Ian Dury and Nic»
The Darkness at Manchester Apollo, Sun 23 Feb
Whereas it used to be the case that Justin Hawkins would appear on stage clothed and then remove said garments, he has learnt better of his ways. Tonight appearing in a black and white striped leotard that unmasks his super-lean frame, he has no need for extra exposure. It’s just right. He feels comfor»
Massive Attack at Manchester Apollo, Fri 11 Apr
Redolent with the mastery of sonic manipulation, the barren barracuda-beat Bristolians flit onto the Apollo stage through a dryhumping carrion crowd, heavy-lidded through improper synapse-scraggling; and the theatre breathes in deeply, inhaling the tonal torpor, exhaling in serpentine sympathy. Slowly and s»
Ash at Manchester Apollo, Thu 08 May
‘Greatest Hits’ albums. ‘Singles Collections’. Everyone knows that more often than not they signal the start of a downward spiral for your favourite band. Obviously I bought last year’s Intergalactic Sonic 7s, but I filed it away in my CD rack with the rest of my Ash records, breathed a deep sigh and said»
Radiohead at Manchester Apollo, Thu 22 May
In a pub rammed full of seemingly well-adjusted 18-30
year-olds, a typically scally ticket tout stands psuedo-bartering with a Radiohead fan:
"I’ll give you £25 for it – face value"
"Nah, it’s alright"
"Right, £30, that’s the best I can do”
"No, I can get more for it, I’d want more like £»
Queens of The Stone Age at Manchester Apollo, Fri 20 Jun
I have exasperated the Pure Rock purveyed by Queens of the Stone Age countless times before. It is not, will not and can not be conceded for anything: not more sales; not more wacky shows; not more nothing. Now there is little left to convince you of - everyone’s seen the desert monsters i»
Clinic, The Flaming Lips, Steve Burns at Manchester Apollo, Tue 28 Oct
The Flaming Lips are, as they proclaim, the greatest show on earth. Or at least the greatest you’ll fit in a venue the size of the Apollo. Glitter, confetti, those omnipresent life-sized dancing soft toys; and that’s just within perfectly sweet opener ‘Race For The Prize’. Adam Anon investigates...»
Jane's Addiction, The Star Spangles, Stellastarr* at Manchester Apollo, Sun 02 Nov
So it’s the tour all the goth-gypsy-hippies have been waiting for. You see all the freaks out tonight waiting to see their rubber-clad idols of piercèd nipples and straining pectorals: the girl with the bejewelled lips and the roses shoved all the way down her panties; the dwarf wearing nothing but a bed of tattoos and more lusciously piercèd nipples; the late-to-arrive-on-the-freak-scene student who clutches his 30-minute beer tenaciously.»
Yellowcard at Manchester Apollo, Sat 29 May
Yellowcard are yet another college-emo-rock that have drifted over the ocean after a few years of toiling a gruelling home circuit and you can’t really find too much wrong with it. You gotta ask yourself if that’s good enough.»
Lostprophets at Manchester Apollo, Sat 20 Nov
This is the new temple for the disaffected youth. Metal just ain’t as cool with the kids any more because Slipknot foolishly took off their masks. And they’re American. And everyone knows that ain’t cool. Lostprophets aren’t metal.»
The Cribs, Kaiser Chiefs, Maximo Park at Manchester Apollo, Sat 15 Oct
Tonight feels like an end of term celebration rather than the first night of a tour. If anyone had predicted the rise and rise of these three bands this time last year to platinum album status ('Employment') and being regular fixtures in the top ten I'm sure most people would have been calling for the psychiatrist to pass on a few wise words...»
Less Than Jake, The Living End, The Dropkick Murphys at Apollo, Manchester, Mon 13 Nov
Less than jake were headlining this event and to be quite honest they should have been on first, thier musical capabilities were f»
Arcade Fire at Manchester Apollo, Thu 08 Mar
Arcade Fire aren't a band who seem worried about living up to any expectations we might have, and perhaps that's just why they consistently manage to surpass them...»
The Hives at Manchester Apollo, Sat 24 Nov
No matter how big The Hives have become and how many Tesco clubcard points you can earn by picking up their new album with a packet of bran flakes, there’s something eternally compelling about their energy and commitment on stage»
Caribou, Battles at Apollo, Manchester, Sat 04 Jun
A night that had the makings of a classic got stuck somewhere in the making.»
Fleet Foxes at Apollo, Manchester, Tue 28 Jun
As people pour out into refreshingly cool streets, there's the very real sense that part three of this story can't come soon enough.»
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