Ratboys at The Garage

Ratboys

Sunday Mourners

Former Champ 

The Garage, 22 May 2026

Even though they've actually been around for over ten years, one of my greatest discoveries this year has been the fantastic Chicago band Ratboys with their latest album, Singin' To An Empty Chair, so I was super excited to finally catch them live at the always great Garage in London, and they certainly didn't let me down! It was everything I hoped it would be and more.

Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy at the Garage

Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy and Friends

The Garage, 22 August 2025

Officially titled "Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy sing R.E.M.'s Fables Of The Reconstruction", this was not only a fantastic tribute to the boys from Athens, Georgia but a hugely fun night in its own right with Hollywood actor Michael Shannon brilliantly channeling Michael Stipe with a pretty incredible backing band to boot.

MJ Lenderman & The Wind at the Garage (Night 2)

MJ Lenderman & The Wind

Hollow Hand

The Garage, 19 November 2024

I was back at the Garage tonight to catch night two of MJ Lenderman's sold out London shows, and like last night it was a beautiful thing to be part of. I really haven't felt this excited about a (relatively) new artist for such a long time.

MJ Lenderman & The Wind at the Garage (Night 1)

MJ Lenderman & The Wind

Hollow Hand

The Garage, 18 November 2024

This was everything I hoped it would be! And I'm still on a high from finally seeing Lenderman playing with his incredible band, The Wind.

The Breeders at The Garage

The Breeders

The Garage, 23 June 2024

When The Breeders announced this surprise small show to kick off their UK tour I knew I had to go. It's been 16 years since I last saw them, on the Mountain Battles tour in 2008, and that was a very different line-up. Other than the tiny venue, the big appeal this time was this was the iconic line-up that made their biggest and most famous album, and certainly the one that ruled my teen years, Last Splash. I'm happy to say it was every bit as wonderful and joyous as I had hoped it would be.

Dinosaur Jr. at The Garage

Dinosaur Jr. 

Man On Man

The Garage, 15 November 2023 

Felt quite emotional seeing Dinosaur Jr. performing all of Where You Been to celebrate its 30th anniversary, an album that meant so much to me in my teen years. It was also amazing to see them in the intimate setting of The Garage again, as I saw them in this same venue on the Without A Sound tour back in the mid 90s and stood in the exact same spot in front of J.

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears at the Garage

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
The Garage, 13 November 2009
Anyone fed up with how smooth and sampled soul music has become will find Black Joe Lewis and his awesome band The Honeybears a welcome change. Harking back to the raw passion of the very best Stax bands, they're probably best described as James Brown meets garage rock, and it's impossible not to want to dance and to be totally rocked at the same time.

Mark Lanegan and Soulsavers at The Garage

 
Mark Lanegan and Soulsavers
The Garage, 27 August 2009

For some reason I've seen Mark Lanegan live more than any other artist but then Lanegan has to have more bands and projects he's involved in than any other artist. Other than seeing him with his own band, I've seen him sing with the Screaming Trees, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Twilight Singers, The Gutter Twins and of course Isobel Campbell. But one of my most memorable Lanegan experiences was the first time I saw him with Soulsavers.