Hailing from the musical capital of the world, Manchester, music has to be in Pale Waves’ blood, right?
Years and years-worth of bands have trodden the city’s stages and music venues before them, and yet this band is still pulling off something new, engaging and worthy of our attention – they really do tick a lot of boxes.
Making music within the indie-pop scene, the band are relatable on so many levels because personal lyrics and first-hand experiences often define the genre. And so, you’d be hard pressed to find a Pale Waves song that doesn’t resonate with you in some way.
So, keen to learn how the band do this so well and discover what we can expect for the year ahead, we caught up with lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie this week. From Neighbourhood Weekender, to album number three, there’s plenty to come.
Pale Waves will play Neighbourhood Weekender next May alongside other big Manchester names.
So, your music is really infectious and approachable, what do you think is the key to this?
I absolutely love big melodies so I think that may be one of the things that makes the songs quite instant. I just love pop music as well, so I think that feeds through to all of our music, even the more alternative tracks.
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What kind of themes and issues do you like to raise with your music?
We like to be very honest within our music so everything is written from a very personal perspective. Hopefully a lot of those experiences are shared with our fans and I like to think they can relate across the different subject matters. Whether that be love, loss, relationships, mental health, sexuality and anything else we are writing about.
Who and what have been your main inspirations over the years?
We really are influenced by a wide variety of artists. On album one we were very much influenced by a lot of 80’s artists, especially The Cure. But my love of the music I grew up listening to came to the fore more on album two, as well as artists I have discovered more recently like Liz Phair and Michelle Branch.
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We understand you’ve started work on your third album, what can you tell us about it?
We have! I have been writing it in LA for most of this year and we have just started recording with a great producer called Zakk Cervini. I won’t talk too much about the sound before it’s finished, but I love everything we have written so far and think they’re definitely the best Pale Waves songs to date. Really can’t wait for everyone to hear!
The band have started work on their third album.
After some time out for various reasons, the band are gigging once again. They already have a load of tour dates in the 2022.
Starting on February 11, they’ll embark on a 12-date UK tour, visiting all the major cities along the way, including London, Nottingham and Birmingham. But rounding the tour off in the biggest way, will be their headline gig at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse on March 1 – one that the band are really gearing up for.
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What can we expect from your big headline gig at Victoria Warehouse in March?
We really can’t wait to get back out playing to our fans. Our life as a band has been all about touring and playing hundreds and hundreds of shows, so it’s obviously been a super hard two years not being able to play at all. I think it will just be a real celebration if us and our people all being back in a room together and having an amazing collective experience.
You’re also playing Neighbourhood Weekender in May, of course.
Yes! We love festivals and are always so welcomed in the north. This will be our first festival back so we’ll try to make it a memorable one for everyone!
Neighbourhood Weekender will take over Warrington’s Victoria Park once again on 28 and 29 May, where Pale Waves will join the likes of Courteeners, Kasabian, Blossoms and DMA’s on an incredible lineup of talent.
The festival is located just 20 miles from the city centre and has plenty to offer on top of the music, too. From grabbing a pint down the local at the ‘Neighbourhood Inn’, to stocking up on festival essentials at the Corner Shop Rave, to silent discos in ‘The Library’, there’s so much to experience.
Tickets for the festival are on sale now and you can find loads of information here.
North West comedy podcast set to ‘replace Live at the Apollo’ with FREE YouTube alternative
Danny Jones
Hit North West comedy podcast Have A Word has said that it will be “replacing” Live at the Apollo following the beloved British stand-up show being cancelled this past July.
The popular Have A Word pod is one of the biggest in the UK, not to mention boasting one of the biggest Patreon memberships around.
Famously described by executive producer and co-host Carl Reigler, as well as its most avid followers, as a ‘FREE podcast that more than 32,000 people still choose to pay for’, their in-house studio already puts out regular monthly specials, produces fellow comedians’ stand-up specials and other podcasts.
And now, it looks like they’re aiming to fill the void left by Live at the Apollo, stating that they “believe there needs to be a regular stand-up series that showcases the best comedians in the country.”
Sharing a lengthy statement on their social media accounts, they wrote: “A combination of big names and the comics you haven’t heard of yet that are about to become your new favourite. But maybe it doesn’t need to be on terrestrial TV anymore…
“We are going to create that show and release it on [their] YouTube. The platform is already being utilised for comics to self-release specials; however, this, we believe, will be the first series of its kind on the platform.”
Led by Scouse comic Adam Rowe and former Manchester resident turned ‘Beat The Frog’ co-founder Dan Nightingale – who we were lucky enough to talk to chat with back in 2022 – they’ve given guest appearances to countless up-and-coming stars on the modern circuit.
Nightingale, who also founded the infamous ‘Beat The Frog’ format at the Frog and Bucket in the Northern Quarter, also compères regular nights as part of the Comedians Club Chester, providing even more opportunities for rising stars within the genre to get up on stage.
They go on to say, “We want to use the channel we’ve built to give comics an opportunity to do their stuff without the shackles and censorship that naturally come with broadcast TV. We believe there needs to be a regular stand-up series that showcases the best comedians in the country.
“A combination of big names and the comics you haven’t heard of yet that are about to become your new favourite. But maybe it doesn’t need to be on terrestrial TV anymore…”
In case you missed the news and how the unfortunate axing has come about (besides digital entertainment and streaming becoming increasingly dominant), you can find the full story down below.
22 years of spotlighting stand-up stars from all over.
Circling back to the mission statement from the pod crew, they signed off by adding, “This is the most excited we have been about a project for quite some time.”
“We cannot wait to show you what we do with this.”
Speaking on their most recent Patreon exclusive episode, Rowe went on to detail that they will be running the new live and straight-to-digital show from grassroots comedy venues, promising that the duo will not only MC, but also perform new material and spotlight at least two other talents on every episode.
The outpouring of support for the project has already begun, with plenty of fellow comics, podcast listeners, comedy fans and more praising the idea in the comments, racking up hundreds of responses and more than 12.7k comments on their Instagram alone.
What do you make of the plans to become ‘the new home’ of live comedy broadcasting?
Meanwhile, viewers and famous alumni alike are still mourning the loss of the UK TV institution, with the likes of another ex-Manc resident and UoM graduate Jack Whitehall, among many others, sharing old routines and crediting the programme’s influence on generations of the live stand-up circuit.
Sad to see Live at The Apollo is coming to an end. I remember watching it with Jack Dee as a teenager and being so excited when I finally got on it myself. End of an era. pic.twitter.com/vszlQ32Hxp
Featured Images — Have A Word Studios/Jack Finnigan (via IG)/BBC )screenshot via YouTube)
Gigs & Nightlife
WWE is returning to Manchester for first-ever box office televised event
Danny Jones
The WWE is coming back to Manchester for what looks set to be one of their biggest overseas event yet, let alone just here in 0161.
Following spectacles such as WWE Live and the ‘Road to Clash in Paris’ last summer, WWE is bringing proper SmackDown scenes to the UK and Europe early next year.
Announcing the blockbuster booking on Monday, 10 August, WWE has chosen the Co-op Live arena to host an unprecedented first televised edition outside of the US this coming January.
Confirming an all-star cast of competitors for one of the franchise’s biggest promotions, this one is a must-not-miss for Manc wrestling fans.
As per the caption of the announcement: “WWE brings the 2027 Road to Royal Rumble European Tour to Co-op Live, the first ever WWE televised event.
“Fans will see their favourite WWE Superstars in action including Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk, Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, ‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes, Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, World Tag Team Champions The Vision and many more.”
Last time the world-famous sports entertainment company came to our city, we got to see the likes of Jey Uso, Rhea Ripley, GUNTHER, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair and more.
Safe to say that we have been fortunate enough to see many of their most famous faces grace the canvas already.
Manchester, of course, isn’t the only domestic/European ‘Road to Royal Rumble’ date on the calendar in 2027 either.
For anyone looking to grab tickets for the next Manchester WWE show at Co-op Live, you can sign up to find out all the details at the first opportunity right HERE.
Once again, official Co-op members get early access via the venue’s exclusive pre-sale window, and you can expect general admission to sell out fast, so keep your eyes peeled…
Hannah Starkie -
3rd November 2021 
