One of the best parts of going to university in Manchester is just how vibrant the underground music scene is. And it is a scene that is definitely growing, as local acts such as Westside Cowboy and Dove Ellis seem to be coming ever closer to a mainstream breakthrough with genuinely exciting and innovative music.
So, what better way to help new students fall in love with the city than showcasing some great local acts? The Students’ Union Bar, 532, held an indie night that did exactly that, playing host to indie-rock band Still Life as headliners alongside the more artsy Tom’s Earring in support for a night that will lead to many coming back for more.
Despite performing first, Tom’s Earring did a lot more to capture the attention of the audience. Their brand of music is eclectic but bursting with infectious energy, revealing influences ranging from modern bands including Geese and Black Country, New Road to giants like Radiohead and even Brazilian Bossa nova artists such as Joāo Gilberto. This demonstrates what witnessing even one of their songs live makes obvious: they find a very pure form of joy in musical exploration, discovering new music and finding ways to incorporate things they already listen to into their sound.
Nevertheless, there is some degree of a stylistic through line, namely through a persistent lounge-jazz tinge in lead singer Macy’s vocals and keyboard work. This acts to keep the chaos under control until it finally breaks out in thrilling fashion. In one song, a spoken word opener spirals into energetic and danceable post-punk. Their closer, by contrast, showed the expansive depth of their song-writing ability and the clear link to seventies prog-rock, with a piano section in the middle of it serving to build up tension for the eventual grand crescendo.
However, at times, Tom’s Earring’s eclecticism does hinder the cohesion of their set, sometimes feeling like listening to a series of disconnected songs rather than a band with a clear idea of who they are. Although, that is to be expected for a group playing only their second ever gig, and a lack of cohesion didn’t do much to make the gig itself less enjoyable.
Still Life, by contrast, came across as a far more settled band. While lacking in some of the sheer creative energy of Tom’s Earring, they demonstrated the benefit of honing in on a sound and developing it. Their brand of indie rock is most clearly evocative of nineties artists such as Jeff Buckley and Elliot Smith, capturing a nostalgia for that particular musical era alongside some more elements. This is done incredibly well. Some of the guitar parts are incredibly intricate and sound tight, testifying to just how well-practiced they clearly are. Even if they didn’t stand out in quite the same way, they offered another example of what an amazing music scene Manchester has to offer.
More than just offering a fun night of music, the student music night highlighted exactly what makes this such a special city to study in. And it’s not just within the confines of the Students’ Union that events like this can be found.
Although 532’s student music night returned just two weeks later, putting on Tom’s Earring once again, this time accompanied by the increasingly-popular Banquet as support for Fat Security Guy, there are alternatives for those looking. For example, Hot Take, a series of gigs in YES basement featuring up-and-coming bands, offers cheap tickets and £1 off drinks during the support acts, while venues like the Peer Hat, Gulliver’s, and Café Blah regularly put on great local line-ups — hopefully we’ll see Tom’s Earring and Still Life on more in future.
