Rachel Zeffira steps out of Faris Badwan’s shadow with promising solo material at the Deaf Institute

The final instalment in the hotly-tipped band’s trilogy of EPs continues to deliver on their early promise

A stunning sophomore effort from one of the country’s most exciting musical prospects

A busy week for The Lowry this week means its a good time to take a trip out of town to Salford Quays

Ben Marshall gives us his best and worst

A tepid comeback serves as proof that a Fall Out Boy reunion was the last thing the industry needed

The best of local theatre this week

One of indie rock’s most enigmatic performers confounds expectations at the Academy

Tom Ingham speaks to David Ford about his new album, why he isn’t really popular and why The Stone Roses killed music

Bianca Francesca takes her first trip to the theatre to review Digging Deep at the Contact

Sticking around in Manchester this Easter? Here’s our guide to what’s on over the next week for those of you looking to take a welcome break from John Rylands

“He’s a magician with a guitar, a godlike genius, and quite possibly the coolest Mancunian of all time.”

David Ford plays an intimate set with friends at Manchester’s Deaf Institute

Backstage at The Deaf Institute, the band of brothers discuss Denmark, two-piece tribulations and the curse of the Sheffield band

Two of 2013’s most promising duos shared the stage in bringing raw punk energy to the Deaf Institute

Sam Lee brought his live show, and his friends, to an expectant Band On The Wall last Friday

Derwin returns with a cheeky 4-track release prior to this summer’s new album

Arts Editor Harriet Hill-Payne suggests searches out the unusual, the bizarre and the eclectic for your Easter cultural fix

Long silences over the dinner table? Let Lucy J help

Now that the e-book apocalyptists have quietened down a bit, Joelle Jefferis turns to the somewhat more measured possibility of peaceful co-existence between books and their e- counterparts