Words by Marcus Winder.

It had been 15 years since The Sums last played Manchester when they were then called  Smaller and still holding the front line is Peter “Digsy” Deary. Rip roaring from the start “Is” off the critically acclaimed album “Badly Badly” flowed into“Start at the Finish” the title track of the new album. The Sums then launch into one of the classicSmaller tracks “Cliche” with the excellent riffs of Watson and the ironic lyrics of Digsy, this is a track which still sounds fresh. Moving through tracks off the new album and the second album “If Only” we get treated to  the blues soaked “Spilt Milk” and the excellent new single “Its You” which sounds stunning live.

Then its the turn Chris Mullin to upstage Digsy, if only for one song, as he sings lead vocal on the folk rock of “Hose me down”. The arrangement doffs its cap to a combination of Simon and Garfunkeland Shack and shows again this band are more than one trick ponies. The band are sounding tight and its plain to see they are up for it and enjoying the night before the big album launch party inLiverpool on the 1st May. We then get treated to a hat trick of anthems in a row “Maybe One Day” ,“Scared of Missing Out” and truly beautiful “Who Cares”  stunning vocals with perfect arrangements yet delivered in a charismatic style of Digsy. The Sums complete the night with a rocking version of “God i hate this Town”, almost rockabilly, and the powerful and timeless classic “Love Lies”. This band have moved on from the former glories of Brit Pop and deliver a stunning  kaleidoscope of new music without forgetting their roots.