 | | Former Bullies (pic: Ged Camera) |
Each of the brightest club nights currently around - High Voltage, Club Brenda, Red Deer Club, Contort Yourself, Golden Lab, Blowout and Rain or Shine - commandeered a venue from the proud denizens of Salford with great effect. We Mythical Kings kick-started proceedings at the (still operational) Sacred Trinity Church with an intriguing performance of noises and bleeps, pushed out from the laptop perched near to the font, accompanied with guitar fretwork. It doesn’t appear to have any structure, but then it all fits together for a few fleeting moments, before disappearing down another path. It would be hard to believe that any two performances by the duo could be the same, such is the fluidity of the style.  | | Performance (pic: Ged Camera) |
The most bizarre experience of the day takes place at the Albert Vaults by the Tremenduloes; a male/female duo, where one plays what appears to be a toy guitar (think Kid Carpet), whilst the other looks to be blowing across the lip of a set of milk bottles lined up on a table. Yes, that’s milk bottles. Just when you think it can’t get any more unsettling, they commence a rendition of Blue Moon on the very day that the red section of Manchester have just been crowned as Premiership champions. At the Mark Addy, Onions are singing about their ambition of having facial hair and other trivial things, set against the froth of a poppy backdrop of sounds and proving themselves a totally frivolous and enjoyable occasion, while I Had An Inkling manage to upset the locals with their clash of noise, guitars and saxophones, which garnered such caustic comments as "is that music, mate?" and the perpetual "what a waste of a student grant!" A similarly raw set is delivered by Lonelady, who are fleshed out to a three piece, and seem all the better for it. By now, any planned timetable for bands is rapidly disappearing. Whilst today is an opportunity – and intention - to see new bands only, the Black Lion is the first packed out venue for the performance of, well, Performance. Their exhibition of electro pop and shouty vocals has the audience moving in the sweaty room and shouting for more as the final notes subside.  | | The Ting-Tings (pic: Ged Camera) |
The exact opposite of the passionate frenzy is on display across the road at Sacred Trinity with Cortina Deluxx. The fragile and haunting vocals of Jo Jo Thomas captivate a capacity audience seated on beanbags and church pews to such a point that they sit silent, hanging onto each of her words. A similar type of worship-like experience is replicated when the much-vaunted Liz Green takes to the pulpit to deliver her first song solo. Who knows if it’s intentional, but Former Bullies, fronted by Nick Ainsworth, sound uncannily like Neil Young, circa the Hurricane/Crazy Horse era. It’s loud, aggressive rock and roll, passionately delivered and enjoyed by another large crowd. The highly touted Real Dolls are the most visually arresting band of the day. Each band member is covered in white and the female singer has sunglasses with a row of flashing LEDs across the top.  | | The Real Dolls (pic: Ged Camera) |
They open with a Fall cover and things look and sound promising. Then it goes a bit amiss as they try too hard. Cries of "are you ready, Manchester?" are both unnecessary and geographically incorrect, and their Prince funk is a bit too tame for a crowd still buzzing from Performance. Four songs is all we get from the Ting Tings, another duo, but that doesn’t stop the stowed-out crowd (this becomes the first venue to stop people coming in) from dancing and moving to everything the diminutive singer utters. With her teenage looks, she sings, dances and jumps in such a way as to captivate the fascinated crowd crushed at the front. Make no mistake, despite the drizzle that persists through the day, SFTOC once again started the summer season in fine style. | 
