Tonight was a local one for me. A ten minute walk along Oldham Street after getting off the Metrolink at Market Street to Gullivers, which has been part of Manchester’s musical DNA since 1865, when it first opened on as The Albert Hotel before later becoming The Grenadier, and finally taking on the name Gullivers after its 1970s takeover. What began as a Victorian pub is now one of the Northern Quarter’s most important grassroots venues, home to the 110 capacity Ballroom upstairs and the 40 capacity Lounge downstairs, where countless indie, punk, folk, and alternative acts have played their earliest, rough edged shows. With well over 1,800 gigs on record and a reputation for giving new bands a proper first platform, it remains one of those rare Manchester spaces where you can still catch tomorrow’s festival names while they’re sweating it out a couple of feet from the front row.
The evening was supposed to start with a 30 minute warm up set from Jesse Garwood at 8:15, but an announcement by the barman confirmed he wouldn’t be appearing due to unforeseen circumstances, which seemingly left most in a weird pre-gig limbo, chatting amongst themselves, making new gig buddies, checking watches and running for drinks. I chatted away with a couple of fellow photographers, one known to me and one soon to be new facebook friend. I like chatting with photographers at gigs. We bleat on about things that bother us, like lighting, and I love hearing stories from older and wiser photographers about their experiences, but I digress.
From the moment she stepped up to the mic, Cox radiated confidence. She’s always had presence, but this was different. It was polished, relaxed, self assured and completely in control.
What really stood out was her voice. It’s matured into something richer and more expressive, capable of carrying both grit and melody without strain. She’s no longer a guitarist who sings, but a genuine frontwoman, and she wears the role very well.
If you came tonight expecting the YouTube blues shredder, you might have been somewhat surprised, but if you came looking for a seasoned performer with a band built for bigger stages than she currently occupied, you got exactly that. Laura Cox’s 2026 live show is a fascinating evolution. It’s a blend of her blues/rock roots and a modern, melodic pop/rock sensibility. The guitar heroics are still there, but they’re woven into songs that aim higher and reach wider. It feels less about technical fireworks now and more about connection, energy, and storytelling.
Her band too deserve serious credit. They’re tight without being rigid, polished without feeling sterile. The drummer drives everything with a punchy, modern rock feel, the bass locks the groove down and the keys fill in all the gaps that have been purposely left. This setup gives her room to move, both literally and musically. She can step forward for a solo, step back for a vocal moment, or let the band carry the energy while she interacts with the crowd. It’s a well oiled machine, and it suits her new direction perfectly.
One thing dominated the room from the first song to the last: that relentless soft orange/red wash of lighting (I did tell you us ‘togs like to bleat about lighting or the lack of it lol). It bathed the stage in a warm glow that suited the mood but was absolute kryptonite for cameras. For the crowd, it created a moody, intimate atmosphere. For anyone trying to shoot the show, it was a bit of a battle constantly attempting different camera settings to try and keep shots sharp. Skin tones nuked somewhat, highlights blown, shadows muddy, and every frame threatening to turn into a monochrome lava lamp. It didn’t ruin the night by any stretch, but it definitely shaped the visual feel of the entire set. If you wanted variety, you struggled, but if you wanted a challenge, the lighting seemed happy to oblige.
What last night proved more than anything is that Laura Cox has grown far beyond the guitarist people first discovered online. She’s evolved into a modern rock artist with her own identity. It’s one that is melodic, polished, and emotionally connected, without losing the spark that made her stand out in the first place. The blues/rock fire is still there, but it’s no longer the whole story. It’s a flavour, not the foundation. The foundation now is songwriting, performance, and a sound built for bigger stages and broader audiences.
