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Joe Goggins

Joe Goggins

Music Editor.

Interview: Marina & the Diamonds

“I feel like I’ve broken through as a pop artist. I didn’t ever want to be an indie artist.”

Album: The Killers – Battle Born

A collection of songs as soulless as the arenas they’re destined to fill.

Interview: Dog Is Dead

“Some bands make magazine covers right from the start – we’ve never been that type of band.”

Manchester: Venue Guide

As one of the world’s great music cities, Manchester is packed with great venues. Here’s five of our favourites…

Live: The Temper Trap

If only the band had paid a little more heed to what their loyal, paying followers wanted to hear.

Live: The Cribs

The Cribs can be anthemic without needing to have the audience jumping and screaming as one.

Live: A Place to Bury Strangers

They rarely deviate from their own tried-and-true formula but when the live performances are this exhilarating, it’s difficult to care.

Live: Blood Red Shoes

This is about as blistering a live show as you’re going to find in 2012.

Live: Dry The River

It’s nice to hear from a band that are capable of putting their own stamp on current trends rather than merely diluting them.

Live: Wale @ Club Academy

Wale has the potential to provide one of the slickest live hip hop experiences on the circuit.

Live: Feist @ Apollo

Venues like the Apollo are where Feist now belongs, as much as she might want us to think otherwise.

Live: Michael Kiwanuka @ Ruby Lounge

Winner of the BBC’s Sound of 2012, Michael Kiwanuka, takes to the stage at Ruby Lounge.

Live: Pulled Apart By Horses @ Club Academy

Musically they’re an acquired taste, lyrically they’re completely absurd, but Pulled Apart by Horses are riotously good fun.

Live: Justice @ Academy 1

It’s impossible not to raise questions about how ‘live’ a performance from 2 men with computers and decks really is.

Live: Wild Flag

This particular supergroup surpass expectations and play a blinder of a Manchester debut show.

Live: The Maccabees

Based on tonight’s performance, it’s impossible to recommend The Maccabees’ March tour highly enough.

Live: Wild Beasts

Both band and venue remain amongst the live circuit’s best-kept secrets. On tonight’s evidence though, they surely won’t be secrets for much longer.

Live: Thurston Moore

Thurston Moore’s new album, Demolished Thoughts, has been lost somewhat in the live translation.

Live: Now Wave at the Ritz – Stephen Malkmus/Girls/Spectrals

Now Wave presents…Spectrals, Girls and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.

Live: Bass Drum of Death

Strikingly-named Bass Drum of Death play in one of the more unlikely Manchester venues.