About

Formed in 1978 with a core line-up of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Donald Johnson, A Certain Ratio emerged from the hallowed grounds of the late 70s punk scene, and from that day on they’ve moved forwards with gleeful disregard for the boundaries of style and genre, their eye fixed firmly on constant progression. It’s an ethos that’s open-minded over all else, and that’s seen the band take everything from experimental electronica to vintage funk, and filter it through their own Mancunian lens.

Even by the band’s own standards, however, their latest studio album 1982 is multidimensional. It shoots off in every direction, whether via searing Afrobeat, mind-melting jazz breakdowns or moody electronic experiments. Featuring the singles ‘Holy Smoke’, Waiting on a Train’ and the BBC 6 Music playlisted tracks ‘SAMO’ and ‘Afro Dizzy’, the album was recorded by the core ACR line up of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Donald Johnson, alongside Tony Quigley, Matthew Steele and one of Manchester’s fastest-rising neo-soul musicians, Ellen Beth Abdi: the band’s pleasure at being together in the studio is audible.

This is a 14+ event.