Phil Wolvin 
It’s impossible to ignore the elephant (or flower) in the room. Manchester Calling has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. A heavily edited video claiming to show a band being unfairly treated by a ruthless promoter has hit social media. Even Bonehead has commented, it’s been picked up by local papers, and who knows where next. The truth is lost, but we were there. We know some of it, at least.
If you haven’t already seen it, there’s footage of the lead singer of Garage Flower swearing at the crowd, throwing his guitar over the head of a photographer into the barrier by the audience, storming off stage for the second time, being thrown out, and then arguing with venue staff outside.
The band, halfway up the bill, shambled on stage to set up, and there was an edge. We weren’t sure why, but something felt off. The band weren’t without talent, but they delivered the weakest performance of the event. The lead singer seemed agitated, perhaps frustrated with the sound or the crowd’s reaction.
For an unknown act, how you perform shapes how the crowd responds. Their music echoed early Stone Roses (a great era), which should be an easy sell in this city if done half competently. The lyrics were unintelligible, and there was too much self-indulgent instrumental work, but a strong rhythm section and some excellent bass lines held it together. The band may complain about the venue sound; however, nine other acts performed without issue. You can draw your own conclusion.
I feel sorry for the rest of the band, who gamely tried to carry on under difficult circumstances seemingly of the singer’s own making. Whatever led to this onstage meltdown, launching a guitar toward staff and the audience was reprehensible and dangerous. It was an ugly end to a bad set. I’ve read comments from people who’ve seen them perform better elsewhere, describing a decent group of lads with a touch of arrogance that could lead to greatness. So maybe a second chance will be deserved in the future.
That said, the band may still pull off a PR masterstroke if the clickbait brings enough eyes and people let the truth slide for the sake of a good story. This might go down as one of those infamous gigs that put the event, the venue, and the band on the map.
While attention focused on the problem child, the rest of the class delivered strong performances. Alongside sets from Pentire and The Falls were two exciting acts that were new to me.
This was one of those rare events where a young group from Liverpool came to Manchester for a 3 p.m. Saturday kick-off and everyone loved it. Jamie Higgs and his band were excellent, fresh from a sold-out gig at Arc:hive in Liverpool on 25 September. Their half-hour set included all three singles to date and some promising new material. The six-piece band featured two acoustic guitars, bass, and lead guitar, perfectly supporting Jamie’s distinctive vocals that could only come from the Mersey. For a group that only began releasing music in April, they’ve made a strong start. The standout track for me was ‘We Talk’, with the line “we fall from heaven into bad weather” ringing out. It captures that moment when everything feels fine… until it’s not. If you’ve ever felt the slow decline of a relationship, this song speaks to you. Jamie has been busy around Liverpool and will support The Dominoes at their December show in Scunthorpe.
Local band Lost Legs brought upbeat, clean-guitar indie pop with great energy on stage. You can see these songs working in a much larger venue. They even treated the crowd to a track the lead singer hadn’t shared with the rest of the band, a genuine exclusive. The standout tune for me was ‘King of Broken Hearts’, a hook-driven song that hints at their range and potential to go heavier if they choose. They’re back on the road for a packed November with gigs in York, Manchester, Frodsham, London, and Liverpool. Catching up with them after the gig, they came across as down-to-earth guys who clearly enjoyed what they were doing. I’m looking forward to seeing them again.
Colin