Folk, gospel, bluegrass, blues and American roots are all crammed in to OCMS's Academy 3 show.

There's a dark, laconic beauty to Josh T Pearson's show at the underappreciating Jabez Clegg.

With great support from The Tings Tings, NYPC show just how new music should be sound at the Ritz.

A new rockabilly night is launched with a great set from The Tailshakers at the Retro Bar.

There's a double header of spiky fun as Sheffield's Harrisons and Newcastle's Freerunner hit town.

Lou Rhodes' second solo outing comes with added emotion and warmth, managing to better her debut.

Puressence make another slab of epic indie that holds the threat of making them huge.

Ian Brown's fifth solo outing is an orchestrally driven, vitriolic state of the world address.

The Californian alt-rockers show their power and their poise for a dramatic show at the Arena.

There's keyboard fun and several thrown shapes as Calvin Harris and The Whip entertain Urbis.

The crowd get exactly what they were waiting for as Gwen Stefani delivers a killer show at the Arena

Sheffield's finest has the audience half-cheering and half-rolling in the aisles at the Bridgewater.

Things get very erudite, though thankfully the music backs things up, as iLiKETRAiNS hit Academy 3.

Unbelievably young rising punksters El Policia flex their teenage sounds at the Roadhouse.

Simple beauty and inciteful observation saves Herman Düne from terrible sound at the Music Box.

The colour, the fun and the glamour show that it's still business as usual for Erasure at the Apollo

Bournemouth's purveyors of epic indie produce a show of suitably stunning proporations at Academy 3.

There's nothing but good times and good vibes from The Go! Team at a throbbing Ritz.

A rather strange bill of a poet and some pranksters ends up making sense at Academy 3. Sort of.

A feel-good pop vibe washes over the Night and Day with the sunshine of Rooney comes to town.

Great bundles of Swedish joy rain down on Academy 3, thanks to the fun of I'm From Barcelona.

The indie pop trio create something ecstatic at a sweltering Night and Day.

The hoe-down hilarity and serious musical talent of Hayseed Dixie enthralls Academy 3.

Young, fun and at the top of their game, Paramore cause a near riot at a sold out Academy 2.

Alexis, Dorne, Kevin Fox, My Side Of The Mountain and many more excite two stages at the Roadhouse.

Betty Boo, Gareth Gates and a host of others entertain the masses at Manchester Pride.

The increasingly iconic Beth Ditto and friends entertain Manchester Pride, with help from Axe Girl.

Elektrons arrive with their debut, a killer mix of intelligent dance, grime and UK hip-hop.

They're young, Canadian and utterly exhilarating... Tokyo Police Club blast a hot Night and Day.

Jenny Lewis launches a one woman charm offensive on Academy 3 - and her band turn up too apparently!

Emma Black's debut album turns out to be a brooding midnight mix of country, folk and blues.

The upbeat bounce and tender fun of Scouting For Girls entertains the Night and Day.

The Cardinals, The Dirty Soul Club, Kick Me In The and Spectral Fires rock Night and Day.

Rick Tomlinson's debut turns out to be a deliciously esoteric mixture of folk, rock and psychedelia.

Cherry Ghost, The Mekkits, Beep Seals and The Deadbeats make it a last ever Dpercussion to remember.

See the sights and the frights that make Dpercussion such a unique experience.

Have a look at the acts that closed proceedings at the last ever Dpercussion down at Castlefield.

Check out the bands that filled the afternoon of Dpercussion with fun down at Castlefield Basin.

The industrial indie trio create a small riot at the Star and Garter with help from Autokat.

Manchester's next big thing? A sold out Academy 3 crowd shows their love for the rising Courteeners.

There's mighty tunes and plenty of black for the arrival of A Cult Called Karrianna at Club Academy

Fat Northerner gather a selection of singer-songwriters for a wander through folk, country and blues

St Louis Experience, Rolo Tomasi and Rig The Explosives scream down the rafters at the Phoenix.

The Canadian singer-songwriter bewitches a hot and sweaty Academy 3 with effortless charm.

Jon 'Reverend' McClure and his Makers continue their rise to the top at Academy 2.

The Sheffield sensations battle an unruly crowd and lose at Old Trafford Cricket Ground.

Two great bands just waiting to burst into the big time entertain with ease at the Night and Day.

The original It-Girl pop star shows she's still atomic with a slick performance at the Apollo.

A drab day makes way for a great Gossip as Manchester International Festival ends at Salford Quays.

The folk elder just about survives a dire Beth Orton appearance to win over the Bridgewater Hall.

That rare and beautiful thing, a Blue Nile live show, thrills the Bridgewater Hall.

Natasha Khan brings her neon stripes and idiosyncratic sounds to the Academy 3.

The eccentric electro-disco trio prove that reality is better than the virtual world at Academy 3.

From hideous scripted ad-libs to her limited voice, Barbra Streisand fails to ignite the Arena.

Cherry Ghost deliver 'one of the most competent and sparkling debuts of the year'.

Phil, Mike and Tony produce a 'gig of a lifetime' as they fill Old Trafford with classic tunes.

Reem Kelani and the Beating Wing Orchestra shine at a celebration of world music at Club Academy.

Polly Jean is intoxicatingly intimate and stunningly special for her solo show at Bridgewater Hall.

Air Traffic show they're a bit like Snowdon at Club Academy - rocky in places but oh so very wet.

Andy Votel, Dom Thomas and the rest of the B-Music crew take a global wander through some ace tunes.

It's an intimate return for the Irish surf-indie purveyors at the Night and Day.

The hip hop star manages to delight and annoy in equal proportions at the Apollo.

The Castle holds a charity spectacular with loads of great music from a bunch of lesser knowns.

A complete run-through of Berlin turns out to be a deeply moving experience at the Apollo.

The Scouse indie poppers launch Manchester International Festival's Unknown Pleasures with style.

The Happy Mondays return with a perfectly decent, high-head-holdingly respectable album.