The Courettes / The Strangerz – Night & Day Cafe, Manchester, UK, 26th October 2021

I’m back in Manchester for the second time in ten days, the tram into Manchester gave me plenty of time to get my headphones caught up In my face mask and see what’s changed in the heart of Manchester, which sadly includes several closed down venues and too many new fast food joints. Whilst my previous outing for The Professionals took place at The Factory, tonight I’m in what was my second home before the pandemic hit, Oldham Street, home of Gullivers, The Castle, Rockers England, Lost Cat and most of the record shops, with Bar Fringe and The Peer Hat only a stones throw away, and of course tonight’s destination, the Night & Day Cafe, where Denmark’s The Courettes are popping their Manchester cherry tonight. I take the opportunity to reacquaint myself with the venues and pubs of Oldham Street and catch up with tonight’s photographer, Scott Bradley, after not having seen him in the flesh for almost two years, over a pint or two, maybe three… ok four, before we hit the Night & Day Cafe. 

The Courettes brand of garage punk blends savage sonics-esque fuzz, 60s girl band, and 60s pop to create something that is simultaneously unique and very familiar, and something I’ve wanted to experience live ever since I caught their first album, Here Are The Courettes. But first there is the opening act, which was always going to be a surprise as they were listed TBC on our press listing, it turns out to be The Strangerz, who deliver a hybrid of indie, punk and garage that is loose raw and ragged. Fronted by a punk Harlequin they defy convention and genre, post punk, garage and indie are incorporated into their their short set. Hyperactive, energetic and inclusive, the band give off that couldn’t care less attiudue that all great garage bands possess, which means their lead singer is left to command your attention, and she does that in spades.

Their confidence grows as their set progresses and reminds me that one of the drawbacks about being absent from live gigs for almost two years is missing the exposure to the next wave of bands, count The Strangerz amongst that freshly minted list. Primitive cultured and defiantly from the left field of alternative culture with a distinct groove, I need to hear more from these. Make no mistake, The Strangerz hit the spot tonight, I make no apologies for the impact of alcohol and seeing so many friends, including members of Manchester’s own denizens of the garage, Thee Windom Earles, Manchester artist Stan Chow and too many more to recount. Tonight feels like my proper submersion back into Manchester’s live scene, I feel like I’m home again and whilst previous shows have scratched the itch. Tonight’s has applied the balm, and The Courettes are still to come. 

Any thoughts you might have had about The Courettes sound being mellowed by their recent album Is dispelled within seconds, this is raw garage fuelled punk rock, the kind that is pure and unrefined and pumped directly into any available vein. This is the pure and undistilled spirit of rock ‘n roll refined into two minute hits, there is nothing not to love about tonight’s set, this is exactly how rock ‘n fucking roll should be delivered. This is the best gig I’ve attended in two years, I know that sounds hollow given my absence from live shows during the pandemic, but I think my assessment would be the same had this occurred back in 2019 or had that damn virus never existed. Put simply, this is raw garage punk done just as it oughta be.

The Courettes acknowledge the need for safe spaces and they encourage an all girls mosh pit, something that is readily responded to by the diverse Manchester crowd. This is rock ‘n roll For the 22nd century, learning from the past and embedded in the present, the reverb heavy garage punk tunes may take their cue from previous decades but it’s been dragged kicking and screaming into the modern age. You can’t help but love The Courettes stripped down garage punk, one foot in he past, one in the present, they just keep pumping out their garage punk racket to a Manchester crowd that’s been starved of live music. Tonight felt like my official return to seeing live music and friends, would I rather have been anywhere else tonight, Hell no.

The Strangerz debut single, Straight Gay Brother, is available as a name your price download via Bandcamp. Here Are The Courettes, We Are The Courettes and Back in Mono are now available via streaming platforms, Bandcamp and through Damaged Goods Records

Photography by Scott Bradley, his Phukin Photos website can be found here