Carlton Club Rowan Lodge Manchester

Review of HANN and friends, winter warmer festival

Brilliant acts and first time visit to a great venue. Don't know if there's were a lot of people who booked late like me or who paid on the door but for me there were a few too many tables taking up a bit too much room for not quite enough people meaning there wasn't really enough room for those not lucky enough to get a seat. Will definitely be back though!

Review of HANN and friends, winter warmer festival

HANN are a lively and lovely band of veterans fronted by young Hannah who writes song with her dad Neil (also guitars) and poet and artist Edward Barton.
The venue seemed exactly the right size for this moment and the Hannah Barberas from New Cross were a well chosen warmer.
Edward's three short interventions were suitably bizarre and entertaining, though not suitable for children or those of a sensitive disposition.
Writing about f**king or fighting, and letting the audience curate from alternatives, resolutely choosing the dirtier and grimmer rhymes. Plenty of laughing out loud, and even some ROFLing from Edward himself, wrestling with a panda as promised in the third post-curfew set.
HANN's unique material came in three strands. Lively melodic punky romps, solo Hannah with guitar, and witty word playing stories back with full band.
The ambient social chatter from some in the cosy room maybe took the sharp lyrical edge off the latter songs, that work so well on 6 Music.
The venue could do with a bar outside the concert room somewhere, to improve the focus; and the 11pm curfew for live music is a little early when it is not a school night.
HANN are ready for larger rooms but lovely to catch them in this one where Hannah and her easy charisma could step so easily on and off the stage to commune happily with the grooving audience. Might be called fun.
Looking forward to getting hold of some physical product with Edward's art direction and that HANN magic.

Review of HANN and friends, winter warmer festival