Rise Against – American ‘punk rock’  from Chicago Illinois. Formed in 1999 and currently on tour in the UK.   Shot of frontman Tim McIlrath during Friday’s gig at the Manchester Academy. Shot for GMG.

With a greater leaning rake than the Tower of Pisa and standing at 184ft tall, B of The Bang takes its name from a quotation by British sprinter Linford Christie in which he said that he started his races not merely at the ‘bang’ of the starting pistol, but at the B of the Bang…

Commissioned as part of the Commonwealth Games in 2002, the sculpture’s home is in Beswick on the east side of Manchester – where locals have aptly nicknamed the work Kerplunk.

Built by Thomas Hetherwick, the sculpture suffered bad press recently as spikes started to fall off and the fate of this piece of public art  is now sealed with a date soon to be confirmed when the sculpture will be pulled down and dismantled.  Kerplunk or not – I think it makes a great TV aerial.

Christmas over and I’m pleased to be back out with the camera.

Tonight’s shoot took me to the Apollo to capture American Bluesman Seasick Steve who rolled into town performing on the Manchester leg of his fourth UK tour.

See the full set as a double page feature in the March edition of Clash Music

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Dan Black – former singer of London indie-rockers The Servant, now solo and whipping up a storm on both sides of the Atlantic with a brilliant cover of Notorious BIG’s rap classic Hypnotize.

Image shot 18 November at London’s Hoxton Bar and Grill for Clash Music Magazine and a review that will run in January’s edition along with Frightened Rabbit and Baddies. See this and more images previewed on the Clash site.

Clash Music Magazine | Dan Black | Baddies | Frightened Rabbit