A Proper Manchester Welcome: Deleter Live at Big Hands
By Patrick Maughn Murphy
Let me start by saying that this was the first gig I’d attended after moving to Manchester, so the stakes couldn’t have been higher. I caught the bus down to Big Hands and stumbled into something straight out of a Tarantino film. My first impression was that the place was being held together by a patchwork of gig posters and American roadside memorabilia, the sort of souvenirs you might pick up hitchhiking across the States, but with a distinctly Bri-h-ish twist. Definitely my kind of haunt. The night was curated and presented by Sour Grapes, a Manchester-based record label and promoter. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances meant the opening band had to pull out, but all that meant was that the band I came to see was on a bit earlier, which ended up being a blessing.
Deleter opened with an unreleased track, which immediately highlighted the maturity of their live sound. They were remarkably tight, and all instruments contributed to the chaotic but beautiful formula. The surprisingly good sound in such a small venue only added to the experience. Having played venues like this myself, I know the feeling of looking around and wondering how the hell you ended up there, “who did I hurt?” Big Hands, however, was quickly proving itself to be something of a hidden gem.
A few songs in, they launched into the first track I recognised: their recently released single, Pitchfork. What a fucking song. It hits with immediate, relentless energy, driven by overlapping guitar riffs that leave you mesmerised. One of the things I noticed is that for a post-punk band, they are a bunch of groovy fuckers. Bass player Jake Rayner deserves particular credit here. The bass isn't simply there to anchor the guitars; it almost works as a 3rd guitar, pushing the music forward rather than taking a back seat. It's this interplay between the instruments that makes Deleter more interesting than your standard guitar band.
The next track, Mendacious Applause, brought the energy right down. A nice leveller near the middle of the set, it showed another side of the band. Built around a bass line of droning eighth notes, the song gave the guitars room to breathe, shifting between delayed arpeggios and sustained chords to create a more expansive, textured sound. James Andrew Dixon's vocals were noticeably softer and more restrained, matching the more downplayed nature of the song. Eventually, the familiar stuttering guitars returned, bringing the tension back up and setting the stage for what followed.
Then came Son of Sam, their first release and my personal favourite. Lead guitarist Jack Arnold's distinctive tone, shaped by a combination of effects pedals, gave the song its signature intro. There's something satisfying about hearing a guitarist develop a sound that's recognisably their own, rather than simply throwing effects at a wall and seeing what sticks. Arnold's playing gives the track a unique character, and it's clear that the guitars are doing far more than providing a backdrop for the vocals.
Alongside him, rhythm guitarist Cash Burns helps give those parts their weight, creating a dynamic between the guitars that allows the songs to shift between tightly wound riffs and more spacious passages. It's a combination that feels so natural. Also, I’m only describing him as a Rhythm guitarist based on what I saw, but they bounce motifs so effortlessly off one another that it could almost go the other way. The band is clearly comfortable enough with their material to let the different parts breathe, which is no small feat for a group that hasn't been together all that long.
The band continued with a run of unreleased tracks, each helping to build a set that felt cohesive rather than padded out. Even without knowing the material beforehand, there was enough variation in the riffs, textures, and vocal delivery to keep things engaging. The energy on stage was matched by the atmosphere in the room: intimate, but full of life. Big Hands felt like exactly the sort of place where you could discover a band before they left the roost. Seeing as I’ve not got a lot to say on the individual songs, mostly because of a combination of tequilas and being so graciously asked to record bits of their set with a ‘dadcam’ (VHS steadycam), I’ll take some time to focus on the other boys in the band.
Behind it all, drummer Sam Groom keeps the whole thing moving. The tightness of the set isn't just down to the guitars locking into place; it's the relationship between the drums and Rayner's bass that gives the music its pulse. There's a groove running through the performance that stops the band's post-punk tendencies from becoming too rigid. Dixon is an interesting focal point for the band, too. His voice and overall presence brought to mind the likes of Humour and Do Nothing, particularly in the contrast between his more shouty verse delivery and the clever, catchy melodies that emerge in the choruses. It's a balance that helps Deleter avoid disappearing into the sea of Manchester post-punk bands.
They closed with Anaconda Walkways, their second released track and, fittingly, Dixon's personal favourite. It's an ideal closer, built around the sort of groovy riffs that make Deleter's sound stand out in the first place. The track brings together so much of what had made the set work: the interlocking guitars, the restless rhythm section and those vocal melodies that stick around long after the song has finished.
For a first gig in a new city, I couldn't have asked for a much better introduction. Deleter were tight without sounding rigid, atmospheric without losing their groove, and confident enough to show different sides of their sound without losing sight of what makes them distinctive. Big Hands turned out to be a hidden gem, and Deleter gave me more reasons to go out and spend my hard-earned money to discover more of what the Manchester music scene has to offer.