Talk about nights that will stick long in the memory. My memory anyway. I’m pretty sure a few of the clientele present saw their photo streams the next day and wondered what the hell that was all about. But the rest of us will readily recall the evening we blissed out in Manchester with the rather Special K and co.

This was my first visit to Aatma, aka Studio Bee, hidden away down the back streets of the Northern Quarter, and it was a great location to catch three bands that clearly know how to put on a performance, an impressive young London band hopefully on their way up followed by a more seasoned North-West outfit who supplied much of the audience, then quality headliners that rose to the challenge and certainly made their mark.

Aatma is somewhat tucked away, and while Google Maps got me there, a subsequent battle to find a parking space then relocate afresh the red-bricked upstairs room I sought took some doing for this out-of-towner. Thankfully, a rock-hard doorman from a neighbouring pub was good enough to lead me down a dark alleyway then point out the next staircase on the right. I know, heart in mouth for a moment. The things we do for our fix of quality live music, eh.

As for the venue itself, if the English translation of the Hindu word points to ‘spirit, soul, appetite, mind,’ it’s fair to say all four qualities were showcased on the night.

I only caught the tail-end of the opening set by Vincent Christ – they also featured at the band’s Camden date a week earlier – but saw and heard enough to realise clear potential. First impressions, sonically? A young Jim Kerr fronting The Cure around the time of their first two LPs, the sound all-encompassing, their frontman having the intense presence needed to make that leap, his commanding, Sisters of Mercy-esque hoarse tones and the deep throb of the bass catching you out, the track ‘Midnight to Midnight’ just one that grabs you by the collar of your long, dark overcoat.

Apparently, the usual live set-up involves Vincent at the heart of a five-piece. They were a guitarist short on Friday, but pulled it off, none the less powerful for these ears.

They were certainly a hard act to follow for Def Robot, but again there was a quality there drawing your attention, frontman Paul Taylor (also adding keyboard here and there) proving quite the entertainer. His white shirt/dark waistcoat/goatee beard/not much on top look met with rock ‘n’ roll attitude brought modern-day Ian Anderson to mind, but sound-wise there was an added wonkiness early on that made me wonder if Meatloaf had paired up with Stump at one point.

Actually, they suggest elements of Pixies (which I definitely get – check out the anthemic ‘What is my Thing?’), The Fall (fair enough judging my latest LP closer, ‘Sucker for Science’), Fugazi, The Clash, Joy Division and Talking Heads, which if nothing else suggests we’re talking a wide church of influences. Check out the most recent of a mountain of records, Existential Boredom, to find out for yourself.

Paul certainly worked the crowd, and final song, ‘Gordon from Gordon’ seemed to be a tribute of sorts to Jilted John’s nemesis. Probably not, but I was in Manchester, so that sprang to mind. For a taster of what you missed, head to the mighty ‘Shadows’ via their Bandcamp band. Additionally, it was good to hear Paul not only praise the openers’ set but then stick around to give it some on the dancefloor for Keeley’s set, albeit seemingly doubling for venue safety officer at times.

This was my first Keeley live show, and I certainly clicked lucky, her band becoming a four-piece on this occasion… and a hell of a four-piece at that. I should explain that, like Pip Blom (and indeed Vincent Christ), the name of the artist is the name of the group. There have been changes of personnel and a few rethinks over a relatively short stint of live performances – this one of just a handful of shows outside London and Ireland, and their first in Manchester, their mini-tour on the back of a few US dates – and on this occasion Keeley (guitar and vocals) was joined by fellow Dublin resident Marty ‘Mani’ Canavan on keyboards, over for the final two dates, plus London-based fellow dependables, Lukey Mitchell (bass) and Tom Fenner (drums). And I’ll admit here that I hadn’t clocked until I looked Tom up after the event – recognising his name – that he featured on so many great Microdisney and High Llamas records that I love. Respect due.

While touring in support of the sparkling Alan Maguire-produced Floating Above Everything Else LP on a tour that as well as that pre-mentioned London date also involved dates in Glasgow and Bristol and would end the following night in Leeds, this was a set split between those tracks and what came before, a few EP tracks and B-sides used to great effect. But I guess Keeley’s (surely unique) approach to songwriting lends itself to that approach.

In case this is news to you, all her songs are written about and dedicated to the memory of Inga Maria Hauser, the tragic German tourist murdered in Northern Ireland in 1988, Inga’s killer never bought to justice, Keeley determined to keep her heart-breaking story in the public eye and finally see justice done.

The headline set opened with the sumptuous yet heart-tugging ‘Last Words’ – ‘Wonder where I’ll stay tonight,’ – from debut EP, Brave Warrior, ‘Where the Monster Lives’ and ‘Shadow on the Hills’ from the Drawn to the Flame mini-LP, then ‘Scratches on Your Face’ from the Totally Entranced EP and ‘Railway Stations’ from the flipside of ‘Arrive Alive’, before we even got to the latest Dimple Discs release.

While I have a lot of time for all those recordings, live they really came together – no mean feat – suggesting this band has been together far longer than is the case. Keeley’s home tones bring Delores O’Riordan to mind at times, and maybe Placebo’s Brian Moloko at others, with plenty more is woven into the DNA, understandably seeing as this high-achieving student of indie and beyond (and occasional DJ) wallows in so much great music.  

More to the point, she seems to thrive in the company of such adept bandmates. On record, I think that dreampop, shoe-gazey label she takes on board is fair comment, but regarding stage presence she’s definitely got more to her armour.

What followed was ‘To a London Sunrise’ and a rather determined, somewhat strident ‘Never Here Always There’ from the album, then after Drawn to the Flame’s ‘Boarded Up in Belfast’ we got five more numbers from the latest record, a rousing ‘Forever’s Where You Are’ setting the tone, the band in full flow now, the gorgeous ‘Echo Everywhere’ – for me the evening’s highlight, a slow-building stone-cold classic that packs a mighty dreamy punch – and totally lush (in more ways than one, maybe) ‘Arrive Alive’ leading to more poppy breakthrough single ‘The Glitter and the Glue’ then  perfect set closer ‘Shine a Light’, an inspired take on the Jason Pierce-penned 1992 Spiritualised song. 

(Editor’s Postnote: Having sight a few days later of a video shot by Dermot De Faoite on the night of that rendition of ‘Echo Everywhere’, I was reminded of something that doesn’t show on the video but happened right after, a collective coming together – so to speak – of the band after that song, with much hugging and self congratulation at absolutely nailing it, in absolute triumph of what had just unfolded before us. Blissed out doesn’t even cover it. Transcendental.)

As Keeley and her band delved deeper into their trademark blissed out dream state, the audience by turns joined them or bobbed and weaved around the floor (at times I wondered if I’d ever seen sections of an audience quite as stoned outside a festival). And there was plenty of love in the room, close as we were to the edge at times, Keeley and Lukey – the pair doing all the talking – eager to share their love of all things Manchester, Marty’s ‘Johnny Fucking Marr’ t-shirt suggesting he was definitely with them. And despite Lukey’s hybrid London-Cornish accent, I swear he looked the part in those surroundings, an honorary Manc putting in a mighty shift.   

There’s plenty happening behind the scenes with Keeley right now, one such project sure to increase her profile and that of her band over the coming months. On this showing I reckon she has the resolve and determination to pull that all off and move on up to that next stage. And then, those who caught this mini-tour or any of the select dates that preceded it and that are sure to follow can proudly tell you they were there at the beginning of something rather special.  

For this website’s July 2021 feature/interview with Keeley Moss, head here. For Keeley’s website, head here, and for her Bandcamp page, try this link. And to check out Vincent Christ, head here, and to catch up with Def Robot, try here.