Little Man Tate
Dixie Ernill enjoys a vibrant set from Sheffield indie rock act Little Man Tate on their first national tour in thirteen years.
Three Nights of Indie Pop
At three different venues in Manchester and Glasgow across three nights, Dixie Ernill enjoys sets from indie pop acts such as Davey Woodward and The Winter Orphans, The Jasmine Minks and The Popguns.
James
Dixie Ernill at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool watches James play an euphoric set with the aid of an orchestra and a gospel choir.
Divine Comedy
Dixie Ernill at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester watches The Divine Comedy mix music hall mirth and stirring balladry.
Catenary Wires
Dixie Ernill finds indie veterans the Catenary Wires still cutting it live at Gullivers in Manchester.
Catenary Waves
Dixie Ernill finds indie veterans the Catenary Waves still cutting it live at Gullivers in Manchester.
Goon Sax
Dixie Ernill catches Australian indie pop act the Goon Sax in much more confident mood than their first Manchester gig two years ago.
Slow Readers Club
Dixie Ernill watches the Slow Readers Club’s home town gig at the Manchester Cathedral hampered by poor sound quality.
James
Dixie Ernill at King George's Hall in Blackburn is impressed by James' live set nearly three decades after he last saw them perform a gig.
City Calm Down
Dixie Ernill catches Melbourne indie-rockers City Calm Down in fine form promoting their new LP ‘Echoes in Blue’ at the Deaf Institute in Manchester
Monochrome Set
Dixie Ernill watches the Monochrome Set and Karen bookend a fine evening of skewed indie on a wintry night in Bristol.
Dream Wife
Dixie Ernill at the Manchester Academy finds that Dream Wife, while proving to be genuine, still lack the vocal punch to convince him that they are worthy of the hype.
Starsailor
Dixie Ernill enjoys his first Starsailor gig, despite a lack of air con at the Ritz in Manchester.
Dears
Dixie Ernill watches Montreal indie rockers The Dears make an excellent live return-to- form at the Deaf Institute in Manchester
Maximo Park
Dixie Ernill watches Maximo Park, despite a below par current album, still put on a great gig at the Albert Hall in Manchester
Dears
Dixie Ernill watches Montreal-based indie rockers the Dears play a blinding Sunday night show at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds which proves well worth a hundred mile round trip
Goon Sax
Dixie Ernill finds young Aussie C86 enthusiasts the Goon Sax evoking strong memories of the Go-Betweens at the Eagle Inn in Salford
Wedding Present
Dixie Ernill watches the Wedding Present play a rare all-seater gig at the Lowry Theatre in Salford in which they performed all of their new album 'Going, Going...' in its entirety accompanied by a backdrop of specially made films
Tindersticks
Dixie Ernill at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester watches Nottingham-based alternative rockers Tindersticks play a stunning two set gig, one of consisting old material and one of their entire latest album 'The Waiting Room', which comes accompanied by a short film for each song
Crookes
Dixie Ernill watches Sheffield band the Crookes play an anthemic set of indie pop to promote 'Lucky Ones', their latest album at Sound Control in Manchester
Karen
Former Brilliant Corners and the Experimental Pop Band front man Davey Woodward’s songwriting abilities remain undiminished as he re-emerges on the live circuit fronting‘super-group’ Karen at The Exchange in Bristol
Ian Prowse
Liverpool singer-songwriter and Amsterdam front man Ian Prowse proves impressive with a lively set of both new and old songs at Gullivers in Manchester
Ordinary Boys
At the Night and Day Café in Manchester, Dixie Ernill finally gets to see the Ordinary Boys perform live over ten years after they first caught his ear, but whilst he can confirm they are no longer boys he finds them ordinary
Indietracks
Dixie Ernill is impressed by the first night of the Indietracks Festival which saw sets from Cinerama, the School and Fever Dream
I Am Kloot
Manchester’s finest cult band, I Am Kloot, perform a remarkable hometown set in former city centre church, the Albert Hall, and an awestruck Dixie Ernill is there to witness
Girl Friend
Dixie Ernill catches new Manchester electro-pop band, Girl Friend, kicking off their current tour with a hometown show at the Ruby Lounge
Allo Darlin'
Dixie Ernill finds the underrated Allo Darlin on exuberant form at a show at the Deaf Institute in Manchester
Sharon Van Etten
At Manchester Cathedral a flu-bitten Dixie Ernill watches Sharon Van Etten play an outstanding show to promote her much acclaimed new album, 'Are We There'
Wedding Present
Dixie Ernill finds the Wedding Present surprisingly off form at a show At the King George's Hall in Blackburn on their latest UK tour in which every night they played their fourth album, ‘Watusi’, in its entirety
Belle And Sebastian
Dixie Ernill watches Belle and Sebastian play a remarkable greatest hits set at Manchester Cathedral
Crookes
Dizie Ernill finds that the current Sheffield music scene has much to recommend after watching two of their acts, the much acclaimed Crookes out touring their third album 'Soapbox', and new band High Hazels, at Sound Control in Manchester
Brilliant Corners
Dixie Ernill watches massively underrated indie pop group the Brilliant Corners back after an absence of twenty years play an excellent set at The Exchange in Bristol
Dutch Uncles
At the O2 Academy in Liverpool Dixie Ernill watches indie pop act My Life Story play a barnstorming set on their twentieth anniversary tour
Eleanor Freiberger
At Night and Day in Manchester Dixie Ernill watches American singer-songwriter Eleanor Friedberger play a stunning set to promote her recently released second album, 'Personal Record'
Miscellaneous
Coinciding with a five CD 1980's indie pop box set, Scared to Get Happy was a mini festival at 229 in London featuring ten bands of the era. Dixie Ernill enjoys sets from the Primitives and June Brides, and the return after a twenty year absence of his favourite band the Brilliant Corners
Spectrals
Dixie Ernill finds young Yorkshire-based indie rockers the Spectrals showing immense promise but lacking stage presence and energy compared to main act Frankie and The Heartstrings
David Ford
At the Deaf Institute in Manchester, Dixie Ernill watches singer-songwriter David Ford play a superb set alongside Emily Grove and Jarrod Dickenson to promote his recent album, 'Charge'
Paul Banks
At Sound Control in Manchester Dixie Ernill watches Interpol front man Paul Banks play a brooding and abrasive set of solo material
Walter Ghoul's Lavender Brigade
Dixie Ernill at the Deaf Institute in Manchester watches ex-Stereolab front woman Laetitia Sadier play a gently understated, but disappointing set to promote her new solo album, ‘Silencio’
Miscellaneous
Dixie Ernill watches up-and-coming Salford-based five-piece the Cold One Hundred play a superb set of indie pop at the showcase gig for their debut EP at the Briton’s Protection in Manchester
Experimental Pop Band
Dixie Ernill sees the Experimental Pop Band play an excellent set of indie pop in the tiny venue of the El Rincon in their native Bristol
Allo Darlin'
Dixie Ernill enjoys Allo Darlin's joyous brand of indie pop in an impressive show at the Deaf Institute in Manchester
Jens Lekman
Despite his latest album 'I Know What Love Isn't' being inspired by a broken heart, Dixie Ernill watches Jens Lekman play a sparkling set of indie pop at at a gig at the Ruby Lounge in Manchester
Wedding Present
Dixie Ernill finds the Wedding Present's one day festival At the Edge of the Peaks in Holmfirth to be excellent, which also saw sets from reformed 80's indie rockers Cud, David Ford and David Gedge's other group Cinerama
Chrysalids
At The Castle in Manchester, Dizie Ernill watches ill-fated indie guitar duo the Chrysalids play an emotive and intimate gig to launch their debut album, 'Neither Love Nor Money', which has finally come out nearly twenty five years after they first formed
School
Cardiff-based band the School give a lesson in twee-pop. Dixie Ernill is keen for a double lesson
Heartbreaks
Dixie Ernill develops a crush on the Heartbreaks as the indie-pop band return to their hometown of Manchester
Allo Darlin'
Dixie Ernill finds cdementing their reputation as one of the best indie pop outfits around in a highly entertaining gig at the Deaf Institute in Manchester
Twilight Sad
Dixie Ernill at the Ruby Lounge in Manchester watches Scottish alternative rockers the Twilight Sad play a compelling set to perform their just released third album, 'No One Can Ever Know'
This Many Boyfriends
Dixie Ernil finds that Northern indie pop group This Many Boyfriends grasp and replicate the the true spirit of C-86 perfectly in a chaotic, but energetic show at the Deaf Institute in Manchester
Airship
At the Kings Arms in Salford, Dixie Ernill enjoys a set of epic-sounding indie guitar rock from rising Manchester-band Airship
Wedding Present
Despite slight sound problems, Dixie Ernill enjoys the Wedding Present's mini festival At the Edge of the Peaks at the Picturedome in Holmfirth which also includes sets from Darren Hayman and Cinerama, frontman David Gedge's other project
Pains of Being Pure At Heart
Dixie Ernill watches New York band the Pains of Being Pure at Heart play a fantastic set of furious indie pop at the Sound Control in Manchester
JD Set
At the JD Set in Manchester, which was sponsored by Jack Daniels, Dixie Ernill watches Stone Roses/Primal Scream bass legend Mani and an assortment of other local musicians play an often superb set of Smiths' covers
Help Stamp Out Loneliness
At Gullivers in Manchester Dixie Ernill watches local act Help Stamp Out Loneliness, despite immense technical problems, play an incredible set of C86 influenced indie pop
Young Galaxy
Dixie Ernill watches Stockton-On-Tees band the Chapman Family play a promising and sincere set of post-punk at the Manchester Ruby Lounge