Love, laughs, and ‘never have I ever’ with The Deep Blue at their tour-closing Manchester show
LIVE REVIEW | THE DEEP BLUE | MANCHESTER GORILLA 14/12/2024 by Martha Munro
In the dark and the cold of a winter night up north, Manchester’s own The Deep Blue created a pocket of warmth in their hometown at Gorilla, Saturday 14th December. This fun, folky, female, four-piece band – made up of Sophie Wozencraft, Georgia Gage, Niamh Feeney and Katie Manuel – may be only a couple of years old, but have catapulted themselves into a busy, bursting array of releases, festival appearances, and tour dates this year. Fans of Dodie, Phoebe Bridgers and HAIM – this is the band you’ll want to bring with you into the new year.
BLOSSOM CALDARONE
As the audience filled up, the piano-perfect support act Blossom Caldarone entranced the crowd with a handful of ballads and a magnetic stage presence. From her very first number the crowd was hooked; Caldarone’s faultless vocals, keyboard prowess, and knack for immersive storytelling – reminiscent of Katie Gregson-Macleod’s lyrics – founded the performance, as well as her casual, conversational approach to the set. With just six songs, she showcased effortless transitions between registers, from smooth lows to ethereal highs, from languid lines to rippling chord progressions. And the emotion that spilled from the stage was felt by everyone; every lyric was relatable, poignant and raw. For example, she introduced her final song by telling the audience that she wrote it after a conversation with her girlfriends, and how important that was to the number, a musing on the male gaze and unrequited love.
And this short-n-sweet support slot isn’t all that Blossom Caldarone has to offer; she also announced that she has recently finished recording an EP, and that these songs will be coming out next year!
THE DEEP BLUE
Not long after Caldarone’s final few piano chords, The Deep Blue took to the stage, surrounded by paper lanterns and the enthusiastic cheers of their fans and local loved ones. Their first four tracks journeyed through their most recent record: the Honeylove EP, a collection of love, bitterness, loss and sticky situations, dreamily laced with the vocalists’ – Georgia, Niamh, and Katie – trademark three-part harmonies. From the evocative imagery of Water, Water, to the bittersweet grief of Lemon Tears, the band communicated their aim for the show and the tour as a whole: to create a musical microcosm of warmth, in which the audience were happily snowed in and cosy, connecting with the musicians and the audience alike. It’s safe to say that this was a roaring success – every corner of the room was alight with comfort and every person sang, smiled and laughed along with the group throughout the show.
The band’s interactive game of ‘Never Have I Ever’ was a hilarious example of this, with confessions big, small and stupid. Gage explained that the group wanted to include this segment of the show as it was reminiscent of the experiences they had when they met at university, forming the closest bonds with complete strangers.
This sense of longstanding, deep, genuine connection between the band members was something that stood out in the next smattering of unreleased numbers such as the upbeat I’m The Colour, You’re The Light which featured Gage’s beachy guitar lines, a classic indie pop style, and countless smiles shared between all three vocalists. A definite highlight of the show was when the band organised the crowd into a signature Deep Blue three-part harmony to sing another new song, inspired by the fear of failure but powered by the goal of fostering more self-compassion: ‘be kinder.’ Somebody’s Daughter, a beautiful, biting song of protest and urgency, began with Wozencraft’s expert drumming which was soon elevated by Manuel’s syncopation on the keyboard and the funk of Gage’s guitar. It’s no wonder this track was featured on this year’s Glastonbury playlist; its dynamic diversity, blisteringly moving lyrics, and equally emotive harmonic vocals are enough to capture any listener, live or streamed.
The Deep Blue (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure) 
The Deep Blue (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure) 
The Deep Blue (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure) 
The Deep Blue (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure) 
The Deep Blue (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure) 
The Deep Blue (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure) 
The Deep Blue (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure) 
The Deep Blue (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure)
As the band came to the end of their set, the energy was well and truly picked up, epitomised in a stylish mash-up of their own song Chance and the iconic Everywhere from Fleetwood Mac. Chance, with its smooth pace and addictive melody, melted effortlessly with Everywhere, which of course featured The Deep Blue’s harmonic flair to put it over the top. With Wozencraft’s passionate drumming at the forefront of the sound, as well as Feeney’s rich bassline, the energy just flooded through the Gorilla floor.
The Deep Blue ended the night with the sliding guitar lines, hearty lyrics, and indie-pop power of their well-loved numbers He Said She Said and How About It?, with every member giving it everything for the final time this year. And with 2025 just around the corner, there’s a doubtless promise of more to come from this mesmerising Mancunian girl band.
Check the full interview with The Deep Blue ahead of the show can be read below…
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