THE BEST THINGS TO DO ON SATURDAY UP NORTH!

There's a LOAD of awesome things going on this weekend, particularly Saturday 3rd March. Here's a summary and you can take your pick...

Manchester: AUSTIN LUCAS is playing at The Star & Garter on Saturday 3rd March with support from Emma Hallows and Crywank. More info HERE. Gig is going from 7pm till 10pm, which does leave time to go to...

Manchester: WELL WEEZER & REFUSE TO LOSE. This should be very good, Well Wisher are playing a cover set as WEEZER just before the Refuse To Lose clubnight, 10pm - 3am. Dead cheap entry and drinks, RTL is always a top night.

Manchester: Also happening is the TNS ALL DAYER at Kraak Gallery! This has 11 bands playing from midday until midnight including Stand Out Riot, Beat The Read Light, The Kirkz and Sounds of Swami.

Leeds: And finally (to my knowledge) for those not in Manchester, there's a super duper gig happening at Milo's Bar in Leeds featuring THROWING STUFF, PUDGE, WEGROWBEARDS, BEASTS, THE FACTS and SAME OLD STEVE. It's three quid in and will obviously be a bloody good night, that's where we'll be!

INTERVIEW: Chicken (Dead To Me)

Interview is a bit of an overstatement. I tried to bring back the series of "60 Second Interviews" that happened when I first started Moving North, but that didn't work. So it's more like two minutes long, don't listen if you want some in-depth Q&A's. Here's me asking really quick, closed and irrelevant questions to the lovely Chicken from Dead To Me.

VIDEO: Apologies, I Have None - Clapton Pond

Apologies, I Have None have released another video from their upcoming debut album 'London' this times it is the song Clapton Pond and the video was shot by the incredibly talented JG Harding with Sam Russo as the main character. It's great.



Now learn the words and singalong when they play manchFESTer.

manchFESTer set times...

From the top:

ANDREW CREAM was meant to play manchFESTer 1.5 but got super super ill the day before and couldn't make it. Providing his immune system is better, he'll be playing at 1.15pm, so get down early!

SPEAK OUT are up next. It's their FIRST SHOW EVER so put your pints down, get yourselves X'd up and get stomping for some banging youth crew righteous jams, they'll be on at 2pm sharp!.

Then THROWING STUFF try and emulate the ridiculous set we played at manchFESTer 1.5 which included dropkicks, blood, glass and Ben almost breaking my guitar and shoulder. Come watch us at 2:20pm.


After the glass is cleaned up, my favourite dude Jordy will be playing as A Great Notion to keep things going with his acoustic jams to drink and sing to. Catch them at 2:55pm.


Then SUNDAY LEAGUE return to Manchester from Byker Grove with their "Extra dramatic jamz™", after watching them at Boozy Du 2 I immediately knew I wanted them for manchFESTer. Come see why at 3:40pm.


Finally!!! I've tried to put WELL WISHER on loads of times but there's always been something ruining it, mainly blaming Sean for living in London. Either way, one of the best bands to watch live hands down and they're playing at 4:25pm.


Last band before the break is the almighty ONSIND! Consistently releasing some of the best acoustic music, dual vocals work brilliantly and it's impossible not to sing a long a smile when they play at 5:10pm.


***THERE'S A ONE HOUR BREAK AT manchFESTer 2 FOR PEOPLE TO GET SOME FOOD AND GENERALLY CHILL FOR A BIT. BUUUUT, WE'VE ARRANGED TO KEEP THE PARTY GOING WITH AN ACOUSTIC IN-STORE AT V REVOLUTION FEATURING THE AMAZING PJ BOND AND BAD IDEAS***


GREAT CYNICS kick off the party again at 6:45pm. I'm pretty sure this is the first time we've had the pleasure of putting them on since the name change and full band arrangement, which is absolutely crazy thinking about it when I see them so often around here.

After GC we've got another Manchester favourite, it's only SAM RUSSO isn't it! No words needed, he's playing at 7:30pm.


VANILLA POD kick it old school, first date of a UK tour that's well overdue. Get ready to be surrounded by idiots at 8:15pm.


Long-awaited return of CALVINBALL comes at 9:00pm. Headlined manchFESTer 1.5 and haven't played much since then, might even have some new songs ready!

Our favourite Londoner's APOLOGIES, I HAVE NONE come back to Manchester on their album release tour. Their debut album "London" gets released on the 21st March but I'm sure they'll be some streams popping up for y'all to learn some words by manchFESTer. They're playing at 9:45pm.


Headliners ABOVE THEM on at 10:30pm, if they're still standing and not in the casino by then.

Above Them - Are we a danger to ourselves?

I think Above Them were the first band I ever properly interview for Moving North, and when I say "properly" I obviously mean; absolutely hammered at the Retro Bar recorded on my iPhone. I just went through the MN archives and found the old 8 minute interview, here you go:

LISTEN HERE:

That was all the way back in 2009 when they had just released their first record "Blueprint For A Better Time", they had three members and used to drink and gamble a lot.

Fast forward three years to the present day and Above Them (as a 4-piece courtesy of Adam Bilboa) are just about to release album #2 entitled "Are we a danger to ourselves?" and after countless nights hanging out with those guys I can answer their question. Yes, you are.

On first listen I was a little skeptical, I felt underwhelmed that it wasn't as immediate as the drumbeat kicking in to "For Those Who Paved The Way" and how the record seemed to start like every other record at the time (White Crosses/American Slang). I carried on listening again, and again, and it CLICKED. I had no idea why I was so against immediately loving the record in the first place but now whenever I start "A New Year", just from the drum intro I get excitable. And when the song fades out to just Oli guitar and vocal and builds up again, it's just fucking immense. Stand out tracks for me are "A New Year", "Temper Like A Hand Grenade" (big Keep Smiling vibe on this) and I absolutely love the start of "Step Back Release".

This record is an Above Them record, it's not Hundred Reasons crossed with Biffy Clyro at a Loved Ones in-store whilst suckling from the teat of Hot Water Music, it's an Above Them record.

Bloody hell, I can ramble so much when I need to be doing a dissertation can't I? Anyways, Above Them are some great guys with real talent, ahh go on then, headline manchFESTer.

PRE-ORDERS are available now:
For UK/EURO VINYL you can pre-order from Yo-Yo Records now!
For USA VINYL you can pre-order from Kiss Of Death Records now!
For UK CD/T-SHIRT you can pre-order from Specialist Subject Records now!

They've got THREE songs from the record streaming that you can listen too, but also if you pre-order the record with Specialist Subject and Kiss of Death you get an immediate mp3 download, so you could have the whole thing RIGHT NOW!

Bouncing Souls / The Menzingers / Red City Radio / Leagues Apart - 2nd May, Manchester

The guys at Mutiny have just announced that on May 2nd at MOHO, probably the best punk rock line-up to ever hit Manchester is happening.

Headlining the night are the legendary BOUNCING SOULS from New Jersey, these guys, playing MOHO is amazing enough, but when you see that THE MENZINGERS are main support?! The Menzingers have played Manchester twice so far, and this'll be the first time since their Epitaph debut "On The Impossible Past" has been released. As if two incredible punk rock bands from America wasn't enough, then you've got RED CITY RADIO, who released one of the best albums of last year "The Dangers of Standing Still", playing as well. To complete the line-up are LEAGUES APARTY, wow.

At a wild guess, I'd say that it's going to sell out, quick.

Crash Doubt Festival 2

The majority of the line-up is announced today. Follow @crashdoubtfest on Twitter to keep up to date. It's going to be big this year, outside stage, three proper stages overall, bands from all over the globe. Last year was probably the best weekend of the year that wasn't FEST 10. Can't wait.

manchFESTer tickets...

I've taken the advance tickets off-sale now, sold a ridiculous amount, thanks to everyone that got one in advance. FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T, YOU CAN STILL GET THEM ON THE DAY. Just turn up early (Doors from 1pm) and you can pay on the door (£8).

This is looking like it's going to be the biggest and best manchFESTer yet, any questions/queries just drop me a message kieranazk AT gmail DOT com

Don't forget the Pre-Fest on Friday night featuring Rancid, Hot Water Music, Limp Bizkit, The Replacements and Rise Against. 

VIDEO: Great Cynics - In The Valley

Great Cynics have launched a new website/video for their upcoming 3 track 7" "In The Valley". It's currently the "unofficial" video, but the last "unofficial" video (You're Alright) is one of the best so far, sums up the band/vibes perfectly. GC also recorded a song for a Samiam Tribute album and you can hear that by clicking HERE. Here's the video to "In The Valley" a re-recorded song that was released on a split CD/Tape with wegrowbeards when Great Cynics was still Cynics. Enjoy.

Oh yeah, the last scene is filmed at Cotterstock Lock, which is near where I live. I took GC there after they played in Peterborough and we had a rad time in the sun.