The Cords | Josie
Kamera, Chorlton, Manchester
3rd October 2025

Hotly tipped Scottish duo, The Cords, arrive in Manchester with Danish indie band Josie in tow

Kamera is a ‘new’ 100 capacity venue in Chorlton, a ballroom above The Lloyds (or Lloyd and Platt pub to give it’s proper name), a popular hostelry of more than 100 years standing which was taken over in 2024 by the team behind The Castle and Gulliver’s in Manchester city centre.

For yours truly, it’s a nice change to have a venue relatively local as it’s within walking distance (a couple of miles) of my house… although not this evening, as it’s been pissing down all day and doesn’t show any sign of stopping. In the grand scheme of things though, this is a minor irritation and isn’t going to spoil an evening I’ve been waiting for a while.

The venue itself is great. What more screams “indie” than a room above a pub? The room fills up nicely by the time that Josie take the stage, with the majority of punters looking around for the initial C86 explosion (me included), and a few possibly older… it’s brilliant that tonight has drawn a sold out crowd.

Josie formed in Copenhagen in 2023, and this is their first trip to Manchester. When vocalist (and rhythm guitarist) Charlotte announced they had made the pilgrimage to Salford Lads Club there were cheers from the crowd. The band also consist of Dawn on bass (and backing vocals), Martin on lead guitar and Anton on drums. At the point that Martin has a string malfunction and lets out an expletive, the drummer advises him not to be polite and not swear, and asks the crowd what he could say… “Fuck it” comes the reply…

Musically, the band rip through tracks from their newly released album A Life On Sweets Alone as breakneck speed. Unfortunately I’ve not had a chance to familiarise myself with the album yet, but I liked what I hear, the band reminding me of The Flatmates, maybe on amphetamines (the music, not the band).

Whilst a big part of The Cords’ early appeal has been their sound, which ‘takes you back’, you can’t ignore the talent in sisters Eva and Grace. They take to the stage without any ceremony, announcing themselves and the opening track and debut single, Fabulist, and we’re off. For the next 30 mins the pair play their debut album in order, Eva playing guitar, singing and thanking the crowds’ applause between each track before announcing the next, with Grace keeping the beat like a teenage Moe Tucker.

There’s a slightly nervous moment when the Eva’s amp seems to trip as they start the song You. We hold our breath but things are sorted  – and when things start again, they do with more gusto. One of the highlights from the album, Yes It’s True, sounds exceptional tonight, the My Bloody Valentine-esque swirling shoegaze sound filling the room.

I’m a little concerned that as we reach the final track of the album – the splendid When You Say Goodbye – that that may be it. But thankfully the duo have at least an EP’s worth of new material in the set too, all of which fits in with what’s been released to date. If Unfond Of You, Do Do Do, Liar and Restless & Sad work as a great coda to the album, then the cover of Parquet Courts’ Master Of My Craft makes a great encore.

My first time seeing The Cords – it won’t, hopefully be the last… As I’ve said before, the sound of young Scotland…

The Cords can be found via their LinkTree 

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