This was Ravyn Lenae’s first rodeo at Gorilla and it’s safe to say she had the Manchester crowd hooked on her live set like ‘Candy’ (sorry).
Only two lines in and three puns deep but Ravyn’s performance was nothing to joke about, especially with her to-die-for vocals and killer live accompaniment.
Her most recent album and tour are both branded, Birds Eye, and while Gorilla may not be the most panoramic place in our beautiful city to overlook the Manchester skyline, the bubbly and engaging crowd sure painted a pretty well-rounded picture of the Mancunian hospitality.
The introduction to ‘Bad Idea’ feels like a spaceship descending to earth and it couldn’t be more fitting because let’s face it, an artist this good simply can’t be living on the same planet as us she’s simply out-of-this-world.
Similarly, the follow-up ‘1 of 1’ has an identical space-tech vibe with a static-filled opening and instrumental making it a perfect predecessor. These two tunes have impressive soundscapes with the live drums even more so helping to excite a sold-out venue.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ravyn Lenae wasn’t shy on stage, commanding the Gorilla stage.Lenae appreciating the roars of the Manchester crowd.Credit: Audio North/The Manc Group
Seven tracks into the setlist, Lenae knows how to keep Gorilla at her fingertips performing hits ‘M.I.A’, ‘The Night Song’ and ‘Candy’ back-to-back-to-back – easily the holy trinity of track runs on this tour.
Taken from her debut outing Hypnos, the afrobeats and lo-fi inspired ‘M.I.A’ doubles as a dancefloor filler and an instant crowd pleaser, ironically we were lost in the music.
ADVERTISEMENT
The middle of this three-track-run ‘The Night Song’ keeps spirits high and boosts our confidence as the 25-year-old has us singing, “Hair down, feeling alright/ Got my edges on tight, It’s a party tonight”.
Her sweet-named album track ‘Candy’ jet sets us to a tropical paradise with its reggae-fused rhythms, and after a full ten minutes of side-stepping and attempting to dance, the cold temperature outside didn’t even cross the crowd’s mind.
Besides being some of her best numbers, these three upbeat tunes take us through a small piece of her past three projects with each of the singles featuring on a different respective release from 2018 all the way up to present day.
ADVERTISEMENT
Nothing but love from Ravyn Lenae and her crew for the Mancs.Lost in music, Lenae and band at Gorilla, Manchester.Credit: The Manc Group
Steve Lacy produced ‘Sticky’ was another standout, her rocker chic-esque vocal style flaunts all over the live band’s arrangement as she flaunts, ‘What did you do?/ Got me confused’.
‘One Wish’ was ethereal; I may have an unfair bias with this single being my personal favourite in the American star’s discography, but the vocal delivery and Lenae’s characterisation elevated this to new heights – even better than its original studio recording, maybe.
Manchester never misses the chance for an encore, especially not when it’s the plucky guitar bop ‘Love Me Not’. Up there with one of her best.
The crowd erupted as Lenae asked, “You want one more?”, before whistling, “See right now I need you, I’ll meet you somewhere now”, it was obvious concertgoers wanted this show wasn’t done.
The Manchester date marks the final show of the whole tour and Lenae was feeling very reflective during song breaks, telling the buzzy crowd, “I’m so grateful that I still get to tour this part of the world and I appreciate you all braving the cold for me”.
ADVERTISEMENT
When you’re getting to witness someone as remarkable as Chicago-born singer Ravyn Lenae, a little bit of nippy Manchester weather is nothing!
The Pogues announce Manchester gig on first tour since death of frontman Shane MacGowan
Danny Jones
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.
The Pogues return in 2025 for their first UK Tour since 2012 to celebrate 40 years of Rum Sodomy & the Lash Ft James Fearnley, Jem Finer, Spider Stacy & special guests. Tickets go on sale 9:30am Fri 22 Nov. Sign up at https://t.co/PxhZ8bnwBA by 5pm on 19 Nov for presale access ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/hFACjdf7yc
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.
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.
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)/Mordac (via Flickr)
Audio
Khruangbin at the O2 Apollo Manchester – a masterclass on how to be really, really cool
Clementine Hall
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. (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.
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.
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.
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.
Thomas Melia -
20th November 2024 
