2025 Gigs – Part 1

After an initially sluggish start to the year the concert attendances began to exponentially increase as the months progressed and by the time Hogmanay arrived, I had created a personal best of 200 gigs and alongside that a total of 95 new venues visited. At the time I thought that would transpire to be an unbeatable gig number; however, the numbers are rattling along in 2026, and I have given myself a chance to surpass it, but time will tell in that regard! As in the previous annual review articles I shall only incorporate venues covered in previous blogs. 

So, let us begin initially in chronological order with a visit back to the God’s country on Preston on the 25th of January. After watching Preston earn a slightly fortuitous 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough, I met up with John Dewhurst and Uncle George for a few scoops. We started in the Eldon pub and then travelled over to my old stamping ground of Ashton Lane Ends.

I lived in that area for nine years and the sole pub during that period was the Lane Ends, but there is now a veritable pub crawl as four new pop-up bars have appeared in that district. We had a skelp around those establishments before grabbing some tea at the Silk Route Indian restaurant. Post-food we walked up to the Preston Wheatsheaf which as ever was well populated, and a band called Groove Thing were performing.  

The Lane Ends pub back in the day. Image Credit www.bing.com

There was another Preston trip in August with Gill added to the crew this time and we were celebrating a more consequential and deserved 2-1 win over Leicester. We encountered local legend Big Steve near the Wallace and Gromit monument whilst we were heading towards Preston Market.  On the stage they have located outside the Orchard Bar that night was a local singer called Phil Ireland.  

The original Wheatsheaf gig inspired me to kick start my year in earnest so four days later I headed into the city on a solo trip to hunt down some gigs in order to boost my numbers. I visited Lost Cat and Affleck and Brown for the first time which have been covered in past articles. I also attended Manchester Matt and Phreds and on stage was a Liverpool band called Sweet Beans whose music has been classed as either riot jazz or daft funk! I returned a month later and at another free show the Jazz Quarter were playing.

The Whiskey Jar. Image Credit www.skiddle.com

Also visited was what I now call Manchester Old Freemount on Oldham Street (renamed since to the Mother of Invention) where a chap called Jeff was playing. I also attended three other times that year with different singers each time. There was the obligatory foray to Manchester Whiskey Jar on the way back to Piccadilly train station where I saw a double act called Steph and Alan. Before the year was out, I saw a couple of further shows at that venue.

The final one to tick off that evening was to the Manchester Copper Bar, which has been another welcome addition to the roster and where they regularly have free gigs. On that particular visit the band on stage was a local act called Windbourne. The Copper Bar is the parallel room to the Manchester Band on the Wall and sometimes they have bands playing as an addendum to gigs in the main room.

Band on the Wall. Image bandonthewallseetickets.com

On one such visit I witnessed a combo named Love Like Me after we were leaving a show next door. The primary reason for our attendance was to see the reformed Pains of Being Pure At Heart for the sixth time in total who were in excellent fettle. They were touring their superb eponymously titled debut album and as soon as the distinctive chords of the opening track ‘Contender’ assailed my ears I knew we were in for a treat. Our small but perfectly formed group also included Gill, Marcus and Anita and we had undertaken pre-gig aperitifs in the nearby Smithfield Market Tavern.   

I have also made a visit to Manchester Nancy Spains (previously known as the Corner Bar) on Hilton Street adjacent to Stevenson Square where I saw a singer called Paddy. Over on Oxford Street I caught my tenth gig at Manchester Albert Schloss where Jasper was performing on the small stage.

There was an isolated trip into Levenshulme to the Manchester Bia Café Bar where I saw the regular chilled house band sounds of Grace Kelley and Debbie Garvey. 

Gab’s Guest Blog

This week I have the pleasure to introduce my second ever guest blog from my good pal and committed muso Gab (offer remains open to other readers). For the record this kid has a terrific singing voice herself and I will endeavour to see her live whenever she has the time to return to the stage.

So here we go with Gab’s blog…..

When met with the rare and frankly glorious offer of a child-free night, and as a former gig-enthusiast prior to becoming a mother of two under two (thoughts, prayers, and strong coffee welcomed), I jumped at the chance to revisit an old Liverpool stomping ground of mine: the Kazimier Gardens. There is something brilliantly nostalgic about heading back to a venue you once knew so well, especially when it comes with the promise of live music, a proper atmosphere, and the ability to remember, even briefly, that you were once able to leave the house after 7pm.

Being predominantly outdoor is always something I appreciate about this venue. It manages that perfect balance between feeling like a nighttime haunt while still being relaxed, airy, and oddly welcoming. There is a real charm to the place, and it certainly helps, as an ardent smoker, that you can still feel part of the fold whilst succumbing to those dark urges. But the delights did not stop there. Tucked away in the corner of the venue is the Liverpool Kazimier Stockroom, which on this particular night was host to some fantastic local talent.

Turvey. Image Credit happeningnext.com

The headliners of the evening were a relatively new band on the scene, first formed in late 2025, named Turvey. Their catchy sound was reminiscent of the 1980s glam rock era, complete with melodic riffs, echoing staccato lyricism and thumping drums. I almost started to do a boxing montage as I listened. They brought a fun, confident energy to the room and gave a really great performance to experience. I would definitely be keen to hear more from these lads.

The highlight of the night though, for me, was Gunmen of the Apocalypse (G.O.A). Comprised of powerful drums, smooth bass, energetic and impactful guitar, and masterful rich vocals delivered with an authentic Scouse twang, they had the kind of presence that makes you properly take notice. They performed an all-killer, no-filler line-up of their anthemic rock backlog, which had the crowd on their feet and moving from the minute they hit the stage. A real classic rock delight for the ears, G.O.A were definitely not a one trick pony, showing a strong variety of song styles within a short timeslot.

G.O.A. Image Credit goaofficial.bandcamp.com

Their songs “Home” and “She Said” were the most catchy and commercial for me, the type of songs you could easily imagine on an ad, a trailer, or the intro to a prime-time show. I think most of the crowd will have walked away singing them for a while afterwards. But my favourite was “Web of Lies”, which demonstrated their range with a fusion of funk and classic rock, almost like a beautiful song-child of the Arctic Monkeys and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Though they did perform a ballad, they did not lose momentum or engagement with the crowd, who were left wanting more. I would be keen to watch this space with Gunmen Of the Apocalypse, and I may well see you at their next gig.

Honourable mention must also go to the support acts: Strike and The Rad Lads, both of whom brought something different and memorable to the night. Firstly, I’ll talk about Strike, whose epic solos really were metal personified. If you’re a metal fan, these are absolutely the guys for you, bringing plenty of grit, energy, and head-banging potential to the line-up.

The Rad Lads. Image Credit facebook.com

Last but by no means least, The Rad Lads. This four-piece ensemble can be seen gigging around Liverpool music joints like the Jacaranda and Shipping Forecast, and they never fail to create a lively, enjoyable atmosphere. Their unique mesh of genres, including folk, country and punk rock, creates a wonderfully weird smorgasbord of sound which sets them apart from your generic local bands. Think Buzzcocks meets Mumford & Sons, and they invite Blues into the party.

Luckily for me, all of the bands performing that night are available to listen to on Spotify — what an age we live in. It feels almost rude to have access to such musical righteousness for free, but if you do have a listen and want to show your support, check out their upcoming gigs. Most of them are local to the Northwest and can be found through their Instagram band accounts. If this night proved anything, it is that Liverpool’s live music scene is still bursting with character, talent, and the kind of unpolished magic that makes a gig feel genuinely worth leaving the house for.