Gigs & Nightlife

Khruangbin at the O2 Apollo Manchester – a masterclass on how to be really, really cool

The trio from Texas display their psychedelic new album A La Sala in full at the Manchester leg of their European tour.

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall - 19th November 2024

Khruangbin, meaning ‘airplane’ in Thai, is a rather fitting name for a group who take their fans on a voyage across genres and styles through their funky, melodic tones.

Their second night in Manchester was no exception, as the first snow of the season began to fall outside the audience was psychedelically transported to sun-soaked places with Khruangbin’s celestial and enchanting melodies.

The set was laid back and minimal, featuring three arched windows and a white staircase that the band members travelled up and down smoothly throughout.

It’s fair to say that bassist, Laura Lee Ochoa, might just be one of the coolest people we’ve ever laid our eyes on.

Khruangbin in Manchester
Khruangbin in Manchester. (Credit: The Manc Group)

Sporting sequin black trousers that twinkled under the stage lights and a matching sequin headband, we’ve already started planning our Christmas party looks accordingly.

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Accompanied by guitarist Mark Speer, both were of course wearing their iconic chunky black fringed wigs that shimmied side to side with every key change and with every understated, choreographed movement.

The first half of the evening was dedicated to their latest album, A La Sala. It’s a chilled album that features Ochoa’s soft vocals drifting over soothing drum work and ambient guitar.

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With every track, the colour scheme of the windows behind them changed and Ochoa pinpointed each bass line with a point of the toe, a dip in her step, a quick turn of the head. The entire audience were left completely mesmerised, united in a syncopated head bop from the start.

Khruangbin’s psychedelic tones left us in a magical trance, and so the second half which featured more funky tracks from the trio was very much welcomed.

Playing fan favourites such as ‘White Gloves and People Everywhere (Still Alive)’, the audience couldn’t help but throw a few shapes and so did Ochoa and Speer.

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@milliem142 Khruangbin Manchester 🌟 #khruangbin #manchester #gig #concerts ♬ original sound – Millie

Their choreography was so carefully considered and in synch, even their sips of water were in perfect harmony.

Encore songs ‘Evan Finds the Third Room’ and ‘Maria Tambien’ showed off quintessential guitar-driven Khruangbin melodies, providing the perfect end to their final night in Manchester.

Seeing Khruangbin live is a very unique experience, let alone in a venue like the O2 Apollo; I entered with an amateur knowledge of their songs and left eager to deep-dive into their vast catalogue.

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Featured Images – Press image (supplied)/The Manc Group

Gigs & Nightlife

The Pogues announce Manchester gig on first tour since death of frontman Shane MacGowan

Danny Jones Danny Jones The Pogues announce first tour since the death of Shane MacGowan

The Pogues have announced their first UK tour since the death of former frontman, Shane MacGowan, with Manchester one of just half a dozen cities chosen.

Nearly a full year on from his death at just 65, the Anglo-Irish favourites best known for their eternal Christmas classic, ‘Fairytale of New York’, are gearing up for their first outing since their iconic lead singer’s passing as a celebration of his life and their seminal second album.

It’s been 13 years since their last headline tour shortly before their split and it will be 40 years since the release of Rum Sodomy and the Lash by the time they hit the road along with special guests.

Safe to say it’ll be an emotional series of shows for everyone involved.

Revealing just six shows here in the UK, the long-standing band are set to play their sophomore release in full as well as a selection of their greatest hits.

The tour will feature remaining original members James Fearnley, Jem Finer, and Peter Richard ‘Spider’ Stacy, as well as a series of support that are yet to be confirmed.

Speaking on the upcoming dates, The Pogues said: “After the uproarious bash which was the 40th anniversary of our first record, Red Roses for Me, in 2024, we wanted to do it again, but with Rum Sodomy & the Lash.”

The music veterans are remaining tight-lipped about who they’re bringing along but they have promised their selections have been “thoughtfully chosen”.

With MacGowan, lead guitarist Philip Chevron (2013), bassist Darryl Hunt (2022) and long-time collaborator Kirsty MacColl (2000) now having passed away, the band will be roping in plenty of help on vocals and instrumentation.

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Even though the gigs themselves will be coming at the of next spring, you can rest assured you’ll get to hear your beloved festive ballad.

Kicking off the tour in Leeds, The Pogues will play their first Manchester show in over a decade – and without Shane MacGowan front and centre – at the O2 Apollo on Wednesday, 7 May 2025.

General admission will be available from 9:30am on Friday, 22 November but you can access pre-sale by registering via their website by 5pm this Tuesday (19 November).

Get ready to grab your tickets HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)/Mordac (via Flickr)

Gigs & Nightlife

Rizzle Kicks announce massive Manchester comeback show at Castlefield Bowl

Danny Jones Danny Jones Rizzle Kicks Castlefield Bowl tickets

In case you missed it, Rizzle Kicks are BACK and they’re making their return to Manchester in a big way with a massive outdoor show at Castlefield Bowl.

Named as the latest artists to join the Sound of the City (SOTC) lineup for 2025, with only a few acts having been named thus far, the British pop duo will be playing a huge sun-soaked set next summer.

The 2010s hit-makers were a regular presence in the UK charts for a good few years, releasing just two albums in 2011 and 2013 before slipping into a somewhat unannounced hiatus to work on other things.

Jordan Stephens and Harley ‘Sylvester’ Alexander-Sule have both enjoyed multiple other music projects separate from the group, as well as getting into presenting, podcasting, acting and more, so they’ve been plenty busy while they’ve been away. But now they’re back with new music on the horizon too.

Confirming their SOTC festival gig on Monday, 18 November, Rizzle Kicks said on socials: “We told you that more shows are coming and we’re so buzzing to announce that we’ll be playing Castlefield Bowl this July [2025]. This is going to be a big one and we’d love to see you all there.”

The announcement also comes not long after the pair revealed their third studio album is on the way almost 12 years on from their sophomore record, Roaring 20s.

Speaking on their return to the music scene and the upcoming release, Jordan said: “We allude to the fact that we acted off the cultural encouragement and the reality of the time. I think now we’d like to believe that we’ve distanced ourselves from those just through experience.”

The new Rizzle Kicks sound touches on sobriety and paternity, “not just with Harley becoming a father and all the growth that comes with that role, but also in a larger sense as we get older we feel a responsibility to share our wins and our failures”, added the 32-year-old.

Entitled Competition is for Losers, the new studio LP is set to release on 14 February next year just before their official tour gets fully underway in March. Stephens and Sule played their first show together in nearly a decade at KOKO in Camden earlier this month and are eager to get back to business as usual.

Their other Manchester date, which was already announced, is set to take place on 19 March at the O2 Ritz and sold out – along with all the other shows – in just 15 minutes. Wow.

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For those fans dying to be at their Castlefield Bowl gig on Friday, 11 July, you can pre-order Competition is for Losers to access pre-sale from 10am this Thursday.

General admission tickets will be available from the same time on Friday (22 November).

Issuing a call-out to the die-hard Rizzkle Kickers, lovingly referred to by the band as the #tunesquad, they said: “You already know the drill, tickets are going to go fast. LET’S DO THIS.”

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

It’s not the only one we’re looking forward to at the Bowl either.

Hacienda Classical announces record-breaking show at Castlefield Bowl next summer

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Blacksocks (press Images supplied)

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