Matt Corby had been billed to me as ‘Sam Smith meets James Bay and Ed Sheeran’. Matt Corby – with all due respect – is none of those things.

As Manchester prepares for the homecoming of Courteeners in early December, the band have released a charity Christmas single and an expanded edition of 2014 album, Concrete Love.

I experienced heartbreak for the first time aged nine.

To celebrate something that is dying a graceless death in the minds of many may seem a strange thing.

Brit award nominee John Newman talks of his ‘arse-licking’ experience in LA, close friendship with Calvin Harris, and ‘being a weirdo’ in Leeds ahead of his gig at the Albert Hall.

It turns out you can soften up The Damned’s notorious Captain Sensible before an interview with the mere mention of a drunken Dad, pizza and a pub as the Jack Tars prepare to play at Manchester Club Academy on December 3.

It won’t have been the first time that the Manchester Academy, which doubles as a student union, has seen frantic swigs of electrolyte-laden energy drink.

Acoustic Yorkshire duo Seafret have been making huge waves across the country with their contagious music and are now stopping in Manchester as the headline act in the New Faces tour.

Being a northerner, when Franko Fraize describes Manchester as ‘pukka’ it’s difficult to know exactly what it means, but it certainly sounds positive.

Manchester is playing host to Los Angeles electro trio Mini Mansions and for guitarist Michael Shuman aka ‘Mickey Shoes’ there’s no better place.

It’s been a hell of an 18 months for Lonely the Brave.