If you fancy veering away from the Fresher pack, there’s a lot more on than you may think

Detroit may have Motown, L.A. may have Dr. Dre, New Orleans may have Fats Domino, but we’ve got Shaun Ryder.

If it’s a European-style dance festival with a Scouse accent you’re after, there’s only one choice this summer.

This evening just did not work. From start to finish, mistakes littered the show’s entirety.

Los Campesinos!, S.C.U.M and Spector are among the hordes of bands that impressed crowds across Leeds.

Tom Ingham chats to Brendan Brown, Wheatus frontman, about what life is like having such a hit song.

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

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

The main feature of this performance was reliability.

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

Salford’s Bank holiday bash has improved immeasurably from its humble beginnings.

The energy of the four young males certainly overwhelmed the intimate venue.

Only a few weeks left now until what will most likely be the third-annual sold out Parklife Weekender.

Complete with neon sheep and extensive arts events across the site, there’s more than a weekend’s worth to get involved with.

Set to become a mainstay on the overseas festival circuit, Hideout can surely equal anything a UK festival can offer, and then some.

Loud, crammed and for the most part jolly, though there may be a few more shouts of “SLAYER!!!” at 5am.

There are certainly much worse ways to spend a Thursday night in Manchester.

This down to earth starlet performs effortlessly yet impeccably.

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

With no Glastonbury this year, maybe smaller festivals like this one will get a bit more attention.