Well, actually my only gig of the year so far! I just don’t think the first half of 2008 has been particularly productive for film or music. The only new album releases that I can recall (off the top of my head) that have inspired me at all so far are the new Sigur Ros album, Rihanna… you know what? I’m sat here struggling, so I’m going to forget listing and jump straight the new Death Cab For Cutie release - Narrow Stairs.

I’ve been a fan of DC’s work for a few years now, but never really got into them. I’d struggle to name more than 5 songs, never mind sing them. However with the release of the new album, which I must say is fantastic, I’ve been gradually falling in love.

Thus, my mate Tom and I took our precious Wednesday nights out to pop down to the Apollo and thoroughly enjoy the Manchester show of their Narrow Stairs tour.

I must say it’s a while since I’ve been to a gig, possibly as far back as Leeds Festival last summer… so I was in the mood for a good show and wasn’t disappointed.

You don’t go to a Death Cab gig to ‘mosh’, jump around or scream. You don’t go to get hammered or stoned and stumble around. You go to stand and enjoy the beautiful sound of Ben Gibbard’s vocals and the harmonious ambient chorus of the band (except for when it rocks up a bit… then you can be swayed to throw one arm up!).

So suffice to say the gig was fantastic. They played a decent length set covering a wide range of some of the best old tunes and a modest selection from the new album. Thankfully they seemed to favour Transatlanticism, which being my favourite album was pleasing.

Tom had to complain at the fact a huge portion of the crowd were hardly die-hard Death Cab fans as they only seemed to know songs from the new album. I understand his point, a valid point indeed, but at the same time there’s no rule to stop someone simply turning up to a gig to enjoy the music - regardless of how much of the band’s back catalogue they own.