The sound of the city: March’s live music highlights
HIGH INTENSITY PUNK: Bruise Control
You don’t have to look far for variety in this city, by Rose Barker
The clocks are going forward, the evenings are stretching out and that first flash of March sunshine has everyone feeling a little more optimistic.
With lighter nights (and hopefully lighter coats) ahead it’s the perfect time to get back out there.
Here are the shows I’d happily lose an hour’s sleep for this month:
Things start loud on Thursday, March 5 as Bristol’s Dreem Weapons head to Dive (£10), bringing off-kilter, noise-leaning rock to one of the city’s most reliably leftfield spaces.
The momentum continues on Friday, March 13 with a standout night at The Adelphi, as BBC 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins presents Awesome Friends (£14). Featuring sets from Hull’s own Chiedu Oraka, O’Phantom, and Wench! It’s a strong, varied bill that shows exactly how our local talent stacks up on a national level.
Sonic Union, the intimate sit-down live music series at Polar Bear Music Club, returns Sunday, March 15 with Leeds four-piece Green Gardens (£10). Expect emotive hooks, lo-fi guitars and a night made for closing your eyes and getting lost in the music.
If you prefer your gigs sweaty and unrelenting, clear your schedule for Thursday, March 19. Manchester punk firestarters Bruise Control (£12) are taking over Polar Bear. They are sharp, fast and a perfect reminder of how well Hull crowds handle proper high-intensity punk.
For something completely different, Hull City Hall hosts Opera North’s The Marriage of Figaro on Thursday, March 26 and Saturday, March 28 (from £16). This vibrant, fast-paced retelling of Mozart’s masterpiece brings big drama and world-class vocals right to the city centre.
Alternatively, on the same Thursday, you can catch London duo Good Health Good Wealth at The Adelphi (£12), serving up groove-led, offbeat songs with sharp lyrics and a stripped-back, alternative edge.
As we hit the final weekend, the energy moves underground. Friday, March 27 sees the return of legendary DnB night Shinobi at Basement, featuring Bristol producer Napes (£13.50). This one is strictly for the city’s late-night crowd.
Saturday, March 28 is a total toss-up between two very different worlds. You can dive into some 80s synth-pop nostalgia at Social with Erasured (£15), or head over to The Old School House for a high-energy, genre-blurring DJ set from Sheffield’s Teedee (£25).
Finally, we’re wrapping up on Sunday, March 29 at O’Rileys with Glasgow’s Atlas Empire (£7). Their post-rock sound is massive and atmospheric – a great way to cap off a month that’s covered pretty much every genre going.
March proves once again that you don’t need to look far for variety in this city. Whether you’re diving into the pit or settling into a theatre seat, I’ll see you down the front.