Whitney | Bill Ryder-Jones | Now Wave | Manchester | 04/06/17

Over the weekend, Whitney came to Manchester to headline at the one day Festival, Now Wave, which took place at the O2 Ritz. The event kicked off at about 4pm and involved loads of artists from the local area and some from a little further away. I managed to catch the end of the festival, seeing two artists, Bill Ryder-Jones followed by Chicago sweethearts, Whitney.

Taking to the stage at about 8pm, Bill Ryder-Jones had us all hooked with his sense of humour and strong stage presence before he'd even started to perform. The minimalist solo artist opened with his song Daniel, I had never heard the song before but found it beautiful and his performance was capturing. Inbetween songs he kept the audience engaged with wit as he decided which song to play next (as he hadn't prepared a set list). I feel like his personality made his already great performance so much better and he came across as a genuine person and fab musician. Towards the end of his set Bill Ryder-Jones performed his most popular song, Two To Birkenhead, I feel like everyone in the venue knew this track and was singing along with it. To close his set Bill Ryder-Jones performed Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart and the venue lit up with enthusiasm from everyone. His acoustic version of the track was unique and wonderful, it was a brilliant way to end his performance. You can find out more on Facebook , or listen on Spotify and iTunes.

Up next were Whitney, the American band have a slower sound, which isn't something I'd usually listen to, however the catchy mixture of country and folk Is wonderful to hear and their unique style reminds me a little of Bon Iver. The group has seven members allowing the perfect recreation of their recorded sound, only improving the audiences experience and leading to a more engaging show since there was never a dull moment during their performance. The large band opened with their hit Dave's Song, followed by the catchy track No Matter Where We Go, this got the whole venue singing and dancing along right from the start. The group had strong chemistry together during the performance in addition to their strong connection with the audience, the band interacted with fans and it was a brilliant night. As the event continued the group performed other popular songs such as Polly and much loved Golden Days. Nearing the end of their set the band left the stage then came back to impress their fans with an encore which included three more songs and eventually closed the evening with My favourite song No Woman, I particularly like this track, especially the intro with the trumpet and I love the chilled out mood it creates, which was definitely prominent in the venue on Sunday.

As the event came to an end and the band we're leaving the stage, Manchester anthem, Don't Look Back In Anger by hometown band Oasis started playing through the speakers. This started to get the whole audience singing along to every word, then the keyboardist of Whitney decided to join and sing along with the venue. It was a truly magical moment and is one of the many reasons I love Manchester. Whitney are currently touring Europe but I imagine you will find them back in the UK over summer as they are performing at Glastonbury. The band are one to look out for and grab tickets if you can as they rarely perform in the England. You can find out more on the bands Facebook page or website alternatively listen to their music on Spotify or iTunes .

Liv X