REVIEWS

Graham Coxon - A+E

At this point in his career, it’s probably fair to say that Graham Coxon isn’t just known as being ‘the guitarist from Blur’ anymore. Having consistently released a new record every couple of years since the late nineties, his back catalogue is now more extensive than the Britpop legends. After an extended break of three years (gasp!), during which the aforementioned group have done reunion tours and that, he returns with his eighth record, A+E.
The Avengers

Well, it’s here. It’s finally here. After four years of waiting, arguably one of the most significant comic book movies ever made has finally hit the big screens. It’s what everything has been building up to and now it’s here. Built up enough tension yet? Good.
Well Wisher - Summer Gangs

Well Wisher saved last summer. Or, at least, when I was living in a shithole student flat for a few months whilst looking for a job and waiting to move somewhere else, the only thing that stopped me going absolutely insane were killer Manchester shows, and Well Wisher seemed to crop up at a surprising amount of them in some capacity or other.
Damien Hirst Exhibition @ The Tate Modern

Damien Hirst, where to start? As we all know, he’s a very strange and interesting man - an artist of our own time, doing weird and wonderful things with his weird and wonderful brain. He is originally from Bristol, one of the biggest creative and cultural hotspots in the country, where a fair few bizarre minds have been born, nurtured and fed, and then allowed to wander off, unsupervised, and change the world as we know it (Derren Brown, Banksy and The Wurzels but to name a few, not to mention Nick Park, creator of the beloved Wallace and Gromit).

FEATURES

The Blood Bag Project

I've heard many ways of raising money for charity: jumping out of a plane, a pie in the face, or selling a few cakes… The Blood Bag Projects takes it to a whole new level of creativity and involvement of communities, and I love it.
Gigs In Pictures: ManchFESTer II

ManchFESTer II, the crowning achievement of the Kieran Kelly empire, was an awesome two-day music festival at Kraak Gallery in Manchester, on the 16th and 17th of March, 2012. The first night featured some great cover sets, whilst the second day included a vast majority of the UK's best punk rock bands. Look at all the pictures. LOOK AT THEM.
Ever Hear A Postman Whistle?

Ever Hear A Postman Whistle? Is a short stop motion film from talented filmmaker Bexie Bush, put together in only one month and featuring some of the finest improvised dialogue from two pensioners you’ll probably ever hear. Read the interview with Bexie and take a look at the short film in all its glory.
The ZFL Sessions #6: Speedboat Salesmen

For the sixth ZFL session, Manchester's finest two-piece emo band (probably) braved the cold and the brutalist architecture to record acoustic renditions of some of their newest songs outside Huddersfield Uni one night. It's D.I.Y. as all hell. We asked them a bunch of stupid questions, too. Are you ready for it? I bet you aren't.

MEDIA

NGOD - Better Man

If ever there were a band so filled with talent that it actually makes you a little depressed about your distinct lack of any, then NGOD are that band. Just to remind us of how good they are, they've done a new song, with a bloody slick looking video to boot. It's a right cracker, and the Bradford chaps are sounding bigger and better than ever. So check it out.
Good Tunes On Zest (Episode 3)

Good Tunes started life as a devastatingly hip university radio show, presented by four very popular and handsome young chaps. Now, the show once described by Rob Samuels as 'listenable' is back, exclusively on Zest For Life. This week, the chaps recant tales from last weekends ManchFESTer, prat around with a laptop, do cat impressions as people pass by the window and tell Matt to shut up... again.
Jose Vanders - The Rumination Video

We all love Jose Vanders and her softly spoken pop songs at Zest. Her music is stunning - sweetly crafted songs of equal parts beauty and twee. Check out her new video for The Rumination, which features Jose knocking about with Huxley the spaniel, and blocking traffic. Cracking vid, cracking song.
Good Tunes On Zest (Episode 2)

Good Tunes started life as a devastatingly hip university radio show, presented by four very popular and handsome young chaps. Now, the show once described by Rob Samuels as 'listenable' is back, exclusively on Zest For Life. This week, Rob and Rob discuss Manchfester, professionalism, and much more while Matt mouths off a lot.

BLOGS

Jessi Cole - On The Road

After resisting decades of attempts at cinematization, one of the longest awaited film adaptations is due for release this Spring. Based on the novel by Jack Kerouac, On The Road depicts hitchhiking beatnik Sal Paradise and his tumultuous adventures as he travels across America.
Rob Evans - Aaand we're back. Again.

Alright, yeah, I know we technically “relaunched” back in October, and have had at least one other minor relaunch since, but gimme a minute, yeah? Because this one is actually going to be a bit different.
Rob Samuels - Poor Boy

I’m poor. The thing about being poor is that you can’t fucking buy anything, and the big kick to the pants that comes from being a povo is that I can’t afford to go to gigs or buy music.
Matt Waring - Obligatory Oscars Summary

Given that my role on this here website is that of Film Editor, I feel that I should probably say something about the Oscars. Because in the world of films they’re fairly important aren’t they?