- WORDS BY Rory Baker and Ruby Remes
On November 25, YES decided to host the 25th anniversary of one of Manchester’s most exciting labels, Akoustik Anarkhy. Spanning across the terrace and the Pink Room, YES was buzzing with AA fans anticipating the night’s discoveries. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the night, we were lucky enough to grab ten minutes with the owner, Noel (a treasured moment due to his busy schedule) to hear all about the label’s journey over the past quarter of a century.
Owning and running a record label is no mean feat, let alone for 25 years. Amidst the tumultuous, profit-hungry, ever-progressing topography of Manchester’s music scene, Akoustik Anarkhy has managed to sustain a label that, while chaotic and constantly striving forwards, has no interest in the capitalist ventures of mainstream labels.
Kicking off proceedings, Open Fly set the tone perfectly, embodying the essence of Akoustik Anarkhy while setting a high bar for the night ahead. The four piece act relentlessly tore through their set as punters steadily filled the balloon-laden pink room. Ferocious and unapologetic, the alt-punk quartet finished their performance all too soon, with the two guitarists left in a giggling heap on the floor. As attendees piled out in search of a top up and some fresh air on the terrace, we joined Noel for a brief chat.
We ask Noel, chief promoter of AA and a hardened Manc, what the secret is to maintaining his quest for authenticity. His answer, simple yet undeniable: “we sign people that we genuinely enjoy”. There’s a necessary narcissism that comes with owning a record label. For Noel, you have to have the strength of mind and keen ear to promote what you are interested in as a promoter, otherwise there’s no chance of surviving in the industry.
Ultimately, people love what other people are passionate about and, as a label owner, you have to have faith in what excites you. Evidently, this rings true for Akoustik Anarkhy as they look ahead to another 25 years in the game despite rumours proclaiming their early retirement. However, for Noel and Pete, a keen ear and a good stage presence will only get you so far as a budding artist:
“You’ve gotta be prepared to put in the graft, and that’s what we’re looking for”.
What they’re looking for in the artists they sign is the same grassroots dedication as they had when starting out and continue to illustrate each time they put on an event. After 25 years of maintaining a successful record label, Noel refuses to hire any “lackey” to do his more menial duties. They want to “stand for something”, to prove to themselves and to Manchester’s music scene that true artistry still exists as long as you put the effort in. Being talented is only the half of it.
Back in the Pink Room, a substantial and eager crowd awaits the next act. Mleko are a seven-piece amalgamation – comprising of two guitarists, a bassist, one drummer, two horns, and a zealous frontman – whose sound is distinct from the psychedelic, tv-static of their successors. Having recently stomped out gigs at the likes of SOUP and Withington Public Hall, Mleko delivered one of their best performances to date. While exalting these gigs for their DIY posture and modesty, Myron (the band’s co-founder and bassist) was particularly enthusiastic about the quality of the sound at YES, glad that it wasn’t “just a load of amps” and lead guitarist Rory could “actually be heard for once”.
Yet, for the crowd, it was their experimental cohesion of funk, post-punk and comedic lyrics that made their gig. The catchy, melody-driven ‘White Picket Fences’ is gagging for a debut-single release while ‘Lego Sex’ shocks us all with its jaunty rhythms despite its ironic (yet true) backstory. After the show, Rory sheds a tear, seeming overwhelmed and emotional. yet, what we mistook for Rory’s sentimental reflections transpired to be an overly eager interaction with the smoke machine.
Next up were Holly Head, a group already well established within the Greater Manchester circuit. Having released their debut single only a matter of weeks ago, we returned to the Pink Room to find a capacity crowd awaiting the band’s arrival in a hush. Unorthodox in their set-up, vocalist Joe was set up off to the right while bassist Liam took full advantage of centre stage. Capitalising on livened spirits and spiralling levels of inebriation, they quickly whipped the crowd into a frenzy. It wasn’t long before they graced us with a fiery rendition of their jail time inspired new release, ‘No Gain’, igniting the first pit of the night.
Closing out the line-up, Martial Arts proved why they’ve become a sell-out sensation. Fresh off their first international show in Paris just a week prior, the indie-rock outfit delivered a blistering performance. Their powerful four-guitar arrangement was magnifying, successfully conducting the crowd according to their rhythm.
The pinnacle of the night came with their anticipated outro, ‘Self Portrait’, during which the group’s sweat-riddled frontman, Jim Marson, jumped down from his podium and joined the pit. Role-playing as the ‘Simon Says’ of the night, he drew us into a low crouch on the floor, holding everyone’s attention until the chorus instructed us all to leap up in unison. As he returned to the mic stand, the energy erupted one final time, bringing the night to a triumphant close.
When asked about the label’s future, Noel envisaged that it wouldn’t be long before both Martial arts and Holly Head reach the iconic stage of Manchester’s Apollo Theatre. Until then, fans can look forward to a joint UK tour in February, where the energy promises to be just as electric.
