Manchester's best small gigs in September 2022

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Summer's festival season is firmly behind us now, and the city's gig scene is back in top gear. As well as the established venues that have become stalwarts in this review series, the city welcomed a new one: New Century Hall.

More reviews will be coming from that showpiece hall in October, but for now, here are the best Manchester had on offer this September. There's everything from the art-pop collective making a welcome return, to a new manc three-piece giving a stellar debut show.

That's just to mention two of the seven acts the Manchester Evening News reviewed this month, so in chronological order, here are the best of the bunch.

READ MORE: Our picks for Manchester's best small gigs in October 2022

The last time Superorganism, the eclectic international art-pop group, played in Manchester was four-and-a-half years ago, in Gorilla.

Since then, the group has lost three of its original eight members, and released a new album — World Wide Pop — but finds itself back where it was, geographically at least, following the release of its debut record.

But it’s not fair to say they’ve not grown as a group. The new record is more involved, more intricate, and more idiosyncratic than the first. It makes for a compelling listen — but hasn’t quite translated to the live stage.

Superorganism work best when they’re a collective in harmony with the audience — something singer Orono Noguchi alluded to herself. “Last time I was sick as hell,” she told the Gorilla gang. “Somehow the people of Manchester brought the energy and my voice came back.”

So having that idiosyncratic sophomore album has its problems in getting people onside. Debut hits like ‘Something for your M.I.N.D’ and ‘Everybody wants to be famous’ are still sung by