By Lucy Craig
BBC Radio 6 DJ Chris Hawkins’ “Awesome Friends” series saw a stacked, guitar-heavy lineup of Tooth, Basht., and CQ Wrestling take on Manchester’s newest rave space and music venue, Amber’s, on the 10th. With bands selected by the DJ himself, this live music series showcases some of the most exciting, upcoming talent in the music industry, allowing avid listeners to see their favourites live whilst also finding new undiscovered gems.
Eager fans, decked out in merch of all three bands, snaked around the block, filling the street with excited commotion. The basement venue became an immersive Radio 6 show as Chris Hawkins took to the stage to introduce the first band that he had selected for the night, Tooth. Already stirring chaos since forming, Tooth are a powerhouse of existential dread and heavy psych instrumentals.
With an infectious stage presence and all-consuming guitar riffs, Tooth got their hooks into the Manchester crowd as curious ears pricked up and the crowd began piling in. As perfectly described by Hawkins, their performance was “why everyone’s f*cking loving this band”. With the promise of “new music soon enough” and places on the lineups of the upcoming Swn Festival in Cardiff and Live at Leeds in the City, Tooth are showing up and making big moves in the psych music scene.
The crowd drew in even closer in anticipation of Basht. taking the stage. The noise that Basht. are making in the Manchester scene and beyond carries the feeling that they are becoming generational. The riff of Dirty White chimed out across the venue as the crowd exploded into a unified voice chanting the chorus. Frontman, Jack Leavey, shared the band’s deep connection to Manchester, describing it as a “second home” to them – a connection which was clearly mutual from the cheering crowd, welcoming them home with open arms.
Connection became a defining theme of Basht.’s set as friends embraced, and fans FaceTimed their friends during their favourite songs, as classics Moth and Burn were played in quick succession. With heavy and cinematic instrumentals encompassing cathartic lyricism, Basht.’s performance was one you could lose yourself in – as did many when fan-favourite Wild Horses graced the bouncing basement of Amber’s.
The band closed their set to the then sweat-soaked venue with an unreleased song, Terror on the TV, which showcased just how much Basht. have left to give. Chris Hawkins’ selection with this band was undoubtedly the right one, and it is clear why the band are working with the DJ again at his Lancaster date of the ‘Awesome Friends’ series on the 12th of this month – Basht. are a band you’ll want to see live over and over again.
Anticipation boiled over at Amber’s as the headline band, CQ Wrestling, bounded onto the stage with an infectious energy, immediately locking in the audience’s attention. The Brighton band have become local legends, who formed at university and since performed some of their first gigs here in the city of Manchester, which showed as they looked right at home on the Mancunian stage.
As PACIFCO rumbled out, vocalist and guitarist Jake Mac got up close and personal with the crowd, towering over the edge of the stage, whilst joint-vocalist Charlie Woods and band members, Jude Lilley and John-Paul Townsend, riled up the crowd and electrified the room with their energy.
CQ Wrestling moved between fan-favourites and unreleased tracks, treating the crowd to their upcoming single, Guns in their Hands, followed by their latest release Catherine Wheels. The crowd erupted into a dancing frenzy, showing how excited they were for the band’s new music. Keyboardist Alice SK provided an ethereal break in the vibrant and angsty instrumentals, with her vocals during Catherine Wheels, which were met by an almighty cheer.
After celebrating Mac’s birthday with a warm rendition of Happy Birthday from the Manchester crowd and well-deserved birthday shots, CQ Wrestling closed the night with Rift. The crowd tumbled together, with energy at an undeniable high, before gathering eagerly at the merch tables to speak with new and old favourite bands.
The night was an unforgettable display of how much talent is circling the music industry at the moment. With so many exciting promises of bands that demand to be heard, there is much to look forward to in the future of music, and endless reason to tune in to Hawkins’ iconic show on BBC Radio 6.
Unless otherwise stated, Photography & Text Copyright 2025 © Lucy Craig/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Emma Turner