Tag Archives: YES Manchester

THE HORRORS: YES, Manchester. 3rd December 2024.

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In 2005 I found a band that instantly won me over. I listened to them religiously. 2006 I went to uni, and this band became EVERYTHING to me. I had their posters on my wall, I had cuttings from magazines of them on my wall. They got me through my first year when I felt homesick. They became everything and more. They got me through a lot, and as luck would didn’t have it- I never saw them live. No correction- I never saw them do a full set. I saw them once support Florence And The Machine at Ally Pally a good few years ago, and I cried. But last night was IT. Last night I saw them in a tiny venue in Manchester. No other venue could hold them like YES. No other venue would be better- well actually, SOUP would have been amazing. ANYWAY. I was absolutely beside myself to FINALLY see them live.

Sure, the line up isn’t the original but who cares? The songs are what matters here. They play a solid range of old and new (nothing from Strange House sadly!) The set had all the hits from Primary Colours and Skying of course. Hearing everyone belt out the words to Mirror’s Image (this song was my LIFE at one point) and Still Life was so beautiful. The newer songs were loud, and unreal. They were like a drill to the skull and released everything you’d been keeping locked in. Whiplash opened the set, and you knew right away you were in for the best night possible. The smoke machine and stage lighting did overtime last night, it was perfect. Faris reminds me a little of Lux (The Cramps) with how he towers over the crowd and throttles the mic stand. Rhys’ face paint kept making an appearance throughout the intense smoke machine and lighting. Also, is there a better guitarist in this country than Josh?

To see the band that I’d essentially grown up with and go through my teenage years into adulthood was something really special. I still don’t know how I managed to get tickets to this one, and it may just be the best purchase I ever made! That and the £30 I spent when I got my cat! Three Decades and Mirror’s Image follow each other, and they honestly couldn’t have made a better setlist. Well, maybe, if they gave us something from the Strange House record. I’d have probably passed away to be honest. Hearing songs like Little Victories live would have blown my mind! I don’t think I’d recover.

On record, The Horrors ALWAYS sound fantastic- you cannot fault them at all; you can hear the hard work and passion that goes into what they do. I had no idea what to expect in a live setting, especially with the slight lineup change. Whatever I was expecting was exceeded a billion and one times over- I just don’t think I’m going to feel this way about a gig ever again now, am I? They’ve ruined it, in the best way possible.

The new songs that they treated us to are divine live! More Than Life, Trial By Fire and The Silence That Remains are exceptional live. The Silence That Remains is haunting as hell live- it’s one of those songs that when you hear it on record, you are left a bit speechless because you can’t get your head around what’s going on. But when you hear it live, it doesn’t something else. Every single song was heightened by how brilliant the band are live. Amelia’s vocals on The Silence That Remains really make it as haunting as it is, and it’s one of those songs that when you witness it live, it massively changes how you appreciate it on record. Going by these 3 new songs from Night Life, I reckon it may just end up being the best record of 2025 and maybe THEIR best record.

I can’t write about last night without mentioning how euphoric and healing it is to hear Sea Within A Sea live. I remember where I was when this was released. I was in the house I was living in during my 3rd year in Stoke on Trent. I had their website open counting down to the video as it was a live stream of the music video, and I made sure I was home to watch it. I sat and stared at the screen for 7/8 minutes as this song was playing and this hypnotising video was taking over my brain. I felt something shift in my head. I knew I was facing a LOT of change in 2009 (some good and some bad) and this song became my comfort blanket. I’d play it over and over, and everything would be alright. I still feel that way about it. It’s that one song I can play and just zone out to. It’s honestly one of the best songs of all time. Witnessing it live was like a dream where you feel utterly weightless and safe. Floating through space and time without a care.

Still Life needs mentioning because again, another masterpiece. I don’t think the band are given enough credit for their ability to create such heavenly music but in a heavy way. Still Life is a gentle song, and again, is another comfort song. Everything feels better and safer when you listen to this.

Faris is an exceptional frontman. He doesn’t need to talk endlessly to the crowd with pointless chat at all. He says something between songs, and only an idiot would disagree: “Free Palestine, and fuck anyone who thinks otherwise.”

The encore consists of Endless Blue and Something To Remember Me By; and what a beautiful way to wrap up the most perfect gig. I honestly have no idea how I’ve managed to sum up last night as clear as this, but when something makes an impact on you, you find the words. From messaging Faris on MySpace in 2006 to see if I could interview him for my first ever article at uni (he did!) to seeing them play YES, and seeing their career grow and grow. I couldn’t be prouder to be a fan and to have been in that room last night.

Last night was The Horrors at their very best, and if you’ve got a ticket for this tour then you are very lucky (in every sense of the word!)

NoSo- YES, Manchester. The Pink Room. 10th March 2023

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I think NoSo’s show last night may have been one of the most, if not THE most welcoming, most safe and most full of love show I’ve ever been to. Being in a queer friendly environment, as I’ve got older, becomes more and more important to me. Being in these safe spaces makes me feel less conscious of myself- knowing that there are people around me who probably feel the same. Whether it’s the Non-Binary part of me or the Queer part of me; when these parts of me can exist like this in one place, together- it just makes me feel happy and safe. Given how shitty the world is right now, especially to the LGBTQ+ community- these safe spaces are much needed.

This was NoSo’s first ever time playing Manchester and with only other UK date of this little tour being in London- you could definitely feel how much this show meant to everyone in the crowd, and of course to NoSo. Every song off their debut record, Stay Proud Of Me is played. The night ends way too early. I think we’d all have welcomed hearing the record 5 times over. Every single song sounds just like the record- perfect, dreamy and soothing. This show made me feel at home. A feeling I’ve not had in a while at a gig, and it came back fully last night.

Songs like Everything I’ve Got, I’m Still Embarrassed I Think Of You and Man Who Loves You really hit you in the gut. There are several times during the show where I nearly start crying like a baby- Suburbia is the one that nearly breaks me (the chorus, my god that chorus.) When NoSo talks about their journey about being Trans; it is just the most vulnerable and beautiful moment of the show. To have someone be so open in front of a bunch of strangers is something truly powerful to witness. It spoke to so many in the crowd, and it was such a beautiful moment. The show felt quite spiritual and just so freeing- the whole set is made up of ethereal moments that you want to stay in forever.

For me, it was wonderful to see people at the show who see themselves in NoSo. Being able to connect like this with music is something I feel can be quite rare. Sure I love music that’s a bit rowdy, but being able to find something that gives you a sense of home or a community- that’s rare. Hearing songs that really speak to you. The songs that act like your crutch because nothing else cuts it like this is just something to truly treasure. The number of times I play Stay Proud Of Me a day, well, I’m pretty sure my cat knows all the words off by heart now.

After each song, NoSo gives this beaming smile and nod. This reassuring reaction makes you really connect and feel like this moment means as much to you as it does to them. You can’t put a price on that. This show was initially meant to be in the Basement at Yes but deservedly got moved up to the Pink Room. Who knows what venue they’ll play next here- Albert Hall would be stunning as would The Deaf Institute- hell even in a bus stop NoSo would sound heavenly. My point? If you weren’t there last night, you truly missed out on something truly special and life-changing.

Everyone went wild as soon as the intro to Honey Understand kicked in and of course, when NoSo said every song is about being homosexual  but in a different tempo, well, they weren’t lying. That’s why it felt home.