In just three short years, the indie four-piece have seemingly done everything right. Their successes have led to the release of their debut album ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’ last Friday. And within the past seven days, the four boys from Wigan are on track to knock Drake off the top spot in the UK Album Charts.
Clearly, the band are on the brink of something huge.
Forming in 2018 in their west Manchester hometown, the four of them have come a long way from gigging local pubs in front of a crowd of 20 people. When Tim Burgess handed them a last-minute slot to perform at Kendal Calling in 2019, the social media hype in the 24 hours that followed forced the crowd to spill out beyond the perimeters of the tent when they took to the stage.
Then within a year, they had recorded their debut appearance for Later… With Jools Holland and joined the BBC Sound Poll 2021 list of tipped acts at the end of 2020.
Fast forward another year and that same hype is still alive and well.
The Lathums will play a huge sold-out headline gig at Victoria Warehouse on October 16. Credit: The Lathums/IG
In the past couple months alone, it’s been hard to pin them down.
From countless festival slots, performing at Neighbourhood Festival earlier this month, to their album launch tour including dates at Wigan’s The Monaco, Gorilla and Liverpool Arts Club, to supporting The Courteeners in front of 50,000 people, there’s been stopping them as they’ve travelled the length and breadth of the country introducing thousands to their music.
Made up of frontman and songwriter Alex Moore, guitarist Scott Concepcion, bassist Jonny Cunliffe and Ryan Durrans on drums, the four mates symbolise the purity and hope of the youth of today. And having been described as “four bright, wild flowers growing between grey paving stones”, you get an idea of what the band are all about.
Taking inspiration from real-life experiences and growing up in a complicated and confusing world, it’s the personal touches in Moore’s song writing that give the band that approachable edge. This is especially true, when you learn that some of the songs on the album were written with his mum during that long, hot lockdown summer of 2020.
How Beautiful Life Can Be is out now.
Despite having youth very much on their side, the band have produced a mature storytelling soundscape, made up of deeply-affecting, honest and optimistic tracks on ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’.
Moore has consistently maintained that the band’s music has to feel right. It has to mean something – to him and to others. This wholesome commentary shows, above anything, his intent to do good with his music and accurately portray life’s pains and struggles as a young adult.
Intended to deepen the comparisons with bands of a similar nature – say, Arctic Monkeys and The Smiths – the album represents a new wave of emotive and impactful indie music. And delivering these relatable lyrics is Alex Moore’s characterful and charming Manc accent, too. A familiar and recognisable sound for us fellow Mancunians.
All in all, we’re faced with a genuinely likeable set of tracks, and even more likeable band members. Something that’s fairly difficult to find in the indie music scene, as it can possess far too many egos for its own good sometimes.
So, time will tell if the band are able to knock current top spot Drake down a place or two in the UK Album Charts. Keep your eyes peeled to find out.
In the meantime, have a listen to ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’, here.
Track list:
Circles Of Faith
I’ll Get By
Fight On
How Beautiful Life Can Be
The Great Escape
I Won’t Lie
I See Your Ghost
Oh My Love
I’ll Never Forget The Time I Spent With You
I Know That Much
Artificial Screens
The Redemption Of Sonic Beauty
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Honorary Manc Ariana Grande announces huge world tour – but skips Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Ariana Grande has announced details of a huge world tour, but the honorary Mancunian will be skipping Manchester again.
The 32-year-old, Grammy Award-winning star has instead booked five nights at The O2 in London for her only UK stop on the tour.
Ariana Grande was made an honorary Mancunian back in 2017, in recognition of her work following the Manchester Arena terror attack.
She is the first person to have ever received this honour.
Since the atrocity in the city, which took the lives of 22 people, Ariana has only performed here twice more – once at the One Love concert she organised as a fundraiser for the victims and their families, and once as a headliner of Manchester Pride.
It’s been six years since her last tour, but Ariana Grande is now back, sharing details of her hotly-anticipated The Eternal Sunshine Tour next summer.
As well as her five-night residency in London, she’ll play four nights in LA and Brooklyn, as well as cities right across North America.
Ariana Grande has announced The Eternal Sunshine Tour
Her London dates will be her only European shows on The Eternal Sunshine Tour.
Eternal Sunshine was released in 2024 and was her seventh studio album, spawning singles ‘Yes, And?’, ‘We Can’t Be Friends’, and ‘The Boy Is Mine’.
Ariana Grande is now also an Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actress thanks to her starring role in Wicked as Glinda the Good Witch.
Tickets for her tour will go on sale from Tuesday 16 September with an artist presale as well as an O2 Priority Presale. Remaining tickets will be available during the general ons-ale beginning Thursday 18 September at 10am.
Ariana Grande – The Eternal Sunshine Tour Dates 2026
A rising Manc musician is supporting a global popstar on tour in America
Danny Jones
Up-and-coming Greater Manchester musician Elliot James Reay, from just down the road in Bury, has just joined fellow rising solo artist and already established US superstar Benson Boone on his upcoming American tour.
Yes, a lad from Bury is opening for the bloke who belts out that ‘Beautiful Things’ tune that’s been stuck near the top of the charts for what feels like the last year.
Fittingly joining Boone for the US leg of his American Heart tour supporting his sophomore album of the same name, 23-year-old Elliot James Reay has already played a trio of shows warming up the crowds ahead of the headliner and is quickly gaining new fans across the pond.
Especially since his music harkens back to some of their most famous music icons of all time.
The youngster is still having to pinch himself at the mere notion of being on the road with such a big name so early in his career, posting on social media this week, “How do I explain this one to my friends back in Bury?
“A dream come true to be opening for Benson Boone in St Paul last night, I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to sing to you all and thank you for all the love you gave me!”
Roy Orbison-obsessed Raey – who also takes plenty of look and feel from the likes of Elvis and Billy Fury, among other old school, soulful American singers – has gone from releasing covers on YouTube to dropping his first-ever EP back in June and now playing full Stateside stadiums.
What a whirlwind journey it’s been for the local lad already.
The Manc songwriter and guitarist featured as one of our artists of the month last December, and we’re glad to see he’s only gone from strength to strength.
It’s fair to say that he’s matured a lot in the time since then, let alone the last 12 months or so, and booking a slot as a support act for as big as Benson Boone is right now is nothing short of huge.
We said late last year, and we’ll say it again: we see a bright future ahead for this talented young Macunian, and we wish him all the best for the dozen or so remaining US tour dates.
If you haven’t listened to his stuff before, you can get a little taste with his latest single HERE.
Or, if you want to take our advice, why not watch a great music video filmed around some very familiar city centre sites down below?
He’s certainly got his own style, even if it his heavily inspired by some of the greats.