The Night & Day Cafe has been at the heart of Manchester’s independent music scene since 1991, when Dutch-born entrepreneur Jan Oldenburg transformed a former chippy on Oldham Street into something far more ambitious. At the time, the Northern Quarter was a very different place from the vibrant cultural hub it is today, with many buildings standing empty following years of urban decline. What began as a quirky cafe serving food and drinks alongside the occasional live performance gradually evolved into one of the city’s most respected grassroots music venues.
Over the past three decades, Night & Day has earned legendary status for championing emerging talent long before the rest of the world catches on. Artists including Elbow, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Paolo Nutini, Frank Turner, Johnny Marr, Manic Street Preachers and Jessie J all performed here early in their careers, while countless local bands have taken their first steps on its famously intimate stage. Despite facing several well publicised battles over noise complaints and licensing issues, the venue has survived thanks to strong support from musicians and music fans alike, cementing its reputation as one of Manchester’s most important and enduring live music institutions.
First up were Manchester’s own FLOK, a young band carrying plenty of that classic Madchester indie DNA while still sounding very much like their own thing. FLOK seemed to grow in confidence and presence with every song, so what began as a tentative looking step onto the stage for an opening slot in front of a still settling audience gradually became a performance that demanded attention, with the band steadily turning curious onlookers into fully engaged listeners, which is exactly what you want from an opening act. Manchester has never been short of talented young bands, and for me, FLOK look capable of adding their name to that list. It may still be early days, but on this showing they are certainly a band worth keeping an eye on, and as someone who has always enjoyed discovering local talent before it breaks through to bigger audiences, they left me thinking that this might not be the last time I find myself standing in front of them with a camera.
If FLOK provided the indie soundtrack to the opening stages of the evening, The Whisky Flowers arrived with something altogether earthier. Weaving blues, Americana, folk and rock into a rich, roots driven sound, they filled Night & Day with warm guitar tones, tight musicianship and the sort of songs that feel like they’ve already got a few miles on the clock. There was a maturity and assurance to their performance that suggested this wasn’t just another support slot, making them feel less like a support act and more like a band patiently waiting for their turn in the spotlight. Recent accolades, including success at the UK Blues Awards and the UK Blues Challenge, suggest the wider blues community is beginning to take notice, and after witnessing this performance tonight it was easy to see why.
Then came The Zac Schulze Gang, and any thoughts of a quiet Wednesday night in Manchester quickly disappeared. Zac Schulze attacked his guitar with an intensity that was impossible to ignore, delivering a masterclass in blues rock that balanced jaw-dropping skill with boundless energy. It’s one thing being able to play the instrument at that level. It’s another being able to make it look so effortless whilst tearing around the stage and captivating everyone in the room. As a photographer, Schulze was something of a challenge. One minute he was at the microphone, the next he was halfway across the stage, whizzing around like a whirling dervish whilst somehow finding time to fire off another impossibly slick guitar solo. From the opening notes to the final applause, there was something fascinating about the way he performed. His ever changing facial expressions seemed to mirror every twist and turn of the music, making it impossible for me, and I suspect many others, to look away. Combined with his relentless movement around the stage, it created the impression of a musician completely absorbed in his craft.
Having seen The Zac Schulze Gang support Samantha Fish earlier in the year, I already knew what they were capable of. Even so, I wasn’t prepared for just how well that energy and musicianship would translate to a headline set. Judging by conversations before the show, I wasn’t the only one. Several people told me they had bought tickets purely on the strength of that support slot, a decision that was comprehensively justified by what followed. By the end of the evening, it was difficult to imagine any of them feeling short-changed. By the time the band ripped into the Dr Feelgood classic “She Does It Right”, it was easy to understand why they’d chosen it. The song’s driving rhythm and no-nonsense attitude were a perfect match for Schulze’s style. Rather than simply covering a classic, the band made it sound like it belonged in their set all along. Lowering the camera in the middle of a song is usually a sign that something has gone horribly wrong. In this case, it was quite the opposite. During She Does It Right, I found myself simply standing there, watching, listening and grinning. The photographs could wait. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the moment, and The Zac Schulze Gang provided plenty of those.
There are plenty of guitarists who can play fast, and plenty who can play with feeling. Zac Schulze somehow manages both at the same time, and Night & Day was all the better for it.
