Sandwich Technician
AJ Handley-Rowe -
10th November 2021
AJ Handley-Rowe -
10th November 2021 The K’s kick off Manchester’s BRITs Week celebrations early with jam-packed intimate gig
The Manc
If you were ‘Hoping Maybe’ to see The K’s at some point this year, this is your sign do it, as the rising indie band did not let the occasion of playing an intimate BRITs-backed gig get to them – they were buoyed by it.
Beloved city centre venue Gorilla was overflowing for The K’s last night, hosting an unreal small-cap set as part of Brits Week ‘26 for a very important cause: War Child.
It’s one of many performances being carried out on behalf of the charity all over the country, with multiple here in Manchester.
The sold-out venue held the masses with eagerness to scream their favourite lyrics in their broadest North West accents.
Perfectly teed up by fellow nearby band, Florentenes from Bolton, The K’s took to a familiar stage many years on from their debut, and instantly had the crowd ready and raring for an hour of pure tunes and some very, very sweaty brows.
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Earlestown’s finest certainly carried that Northern charm and energy throughout the whole night; their indie and almost nostalgic lyrical storytelling has you moshing one minute, whilst grasping your mate and ascending into live music heaven the next. There really aren’t many feelings like it.
Sobbing and swaying in the vast ocean of shoulders whilst screaming the lyrics to ‘Helen. Oh I’, I questioned how any compliment will ever compare to launching “thousand ships every time” from a kiss.
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The K’s were yearning before Wuthering Heights made it vogue (again).
Musically, the band were seamless and a well-oiled machine, and so were the audience as they
wholeheartedly echoed every lyric back at the lads and bounced it off the walls.
Every primary school assembly proudly led us to this moment, and it did not disappoint, displaying their increasingly seasoned and successful career, which I can only imagine is going to go from strength to strength this year.
I don’t think we even one more fan could have squeezed one more passionate fan into Gorilla on the night; it was heaving with people and pride; the sweat dripping down the walls indicated things are big for these local lads, and we couldn’t be prouder.
They are another prime example of shining a deserving light on Northern artists! And having the 2026 BRIT Awards up here with us is a testament to that.
Viva La K’s.
Read more:
- Microdot exhibit for BRITs 2026: the artwork of Oasis, Verve and more up in Piccadilly Station
- Review | Florence + The Machine at Co-op Live, Manchester: the star has never been better
- Manchester’s new music festival is a cross-generational day-into-night electronic party
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Lucy Wagstaffe (supplied via War Child UK)
Florence + The Machine at the Co-op Live, Manchester – the star has never been better
Clementine Hall
Florence + The Machine make a triumphant return to the stage in a thrilling exploration of female rage.
When you think of Florence Welch, you can’t help but picture her barefoot complete with flower crown and bouncy skirts racing around the stage in a fairy-like fashion.
And yes whilst she still is this, the band’s new era is suddenly a lot darker and haunting with their new album Everybody Scream exploring topics of loss and grief.
Florence and her coven-like quartet of dancers did not leave the stage once throughout the 21-track setlist, but not once did it feel tired.
The album’s title track kicked off the show before transitioning into fan-favourite anthem Shake It Out.
Florence’s voice is just as recognisable as ever, as is her long auburn hair that she swishes with her as she strides up and down the stage alongside her flowing sleeves.
Beneath the powerful vocals, the haunting atmosphere grew stronger as Seven Dials and Which Witch saw the dancers, coined as ‘the witch choir’, crawling up and down the stage in a Michael Jackson Thriller-style fashion.
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Daffodils saw Florence interact with the crowd – embracing a woman pressed to the front of the barrier sporting a bright yellow flower crown.
It’s clear to see how much their music means to so many, and being at a Florence gig you feel as though you’re really part of something special.
A highlight came half way through the two-hour spectacle, as Florence dedicated Never Let Me Go to her sister in the crowd who she stated was “clever enough to marry a man from Manchester”.
We couldn’t agree more Florence.
Spectrum (Say My Name) really ignited a fire in the crowd, the entire arena was up and moving to the iconic track.
Her most vulnerable moment of the night comes as she returns for the encore, when she sings You Can Have It All which is written about her near-fatal ectopic pregnancy she experienced in 2013.
It’s raw and haunting, and we feel every note as she summons the strength to perform a song so revealing.
Of course, as the first two notes of Dog Days Are Over the crowd erupts into chaos.
Florence asks us to put our phones down, “you won’t get a good video and if you’re holding your phone, you can’t move” she states, and so we did what we were told.
It’s proof of the power that Florence holds over her audience, and from then on we were left to dance with complete abandon as the show ended in a feeling of pure joy and euphoria.
Read more: Microdot exhibit for BRITs 2026: the artwork of Oasis, Verve and more up in Manchester Piccadilly
Featured image – The Manc
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