Academy 2, Manchester
30th May 2026
The Lemon Twigs bring their lovingly crafted blend of sunshine pop and jangling guitars to Manchester’s Academy 2, drawing on the golden age of 1960s songwriting while continuing to build a catalogue that feels increasingly unique. With a devoted crowd of sharply dressed fans packed into the venue, Thomas Sidwell heads along to discover whether the Long Island brothers can transcend their influences and prove that great melodies never go out of style.
Manchester has never been short of famous brothers, Noel and Liam, Gary and Phil, er, Shaun and Paul – though history suggests they haven’t always got along… The Lemon Twigs offer a welcome alternative. The Long Island siblings Brian and Michael D’Addario arrived at Manchester Academy 2 looking like they’d stepped out of a forgotten 1967 television special, armed with immaculate harmonies, jangly Grestsch 12 strings, vintage melodies and the kind of musical chemistry that only brothers can possess.
Academy 2 was packed with impeccably dressed devotees sporting sharp haircuts, wide flares, vintage jackets and enough colour to brighten even the muggiest northern evening.
Opening duties fell to The Stones, a band largely unknown to this reviewer but one that immediately made an impression. Equal parts garage-rock chaos and Violent Femmes-style exuberance, they bounced around the stage with reckless enthusiasm, delivering a set full of nostalgic energy and boisterous charm. Driven by the enthusiastic frontman ship of Matteo, who is a spitting image of The Baumer from The Royal Tenenbaums.
One of the evening’s highlights arrived with In My Head. Floating melodies, cascading harmonies and a chorus packed with enough “la la la”s to fill an entire summer soundtrack combined to create one of the night’s most uplifting moments.
Throughout the evening, the D’Addario brothers and their bandmates switched instruments with ease while maintaining immaculate harmonies. Watching them navigate songs packed with studio-level vocal complexity could have felt like a technical exercise. Instead, it just radiated joy and fun.
There’s always a risk with bands so deeply rooted in the sounds of the sixties that they become trapped inside their influences. The Lemon Twigs just about avoid that fate. Their music feels timeless rather than retro, informed by history without being imprisoned by it. Even when Brian channels McCartney-esque optimism, or Michael slips into Roger McGuinn territory, the result feels distinctly their own.
The setlist itself underlined the growing strength of their catalogue. Any Time of Day, Ghost Run Free, You’re Still My Girl, Bring You Down and the magnificent In the Eyes of the Girl all drew huge reactions from a crowd squeezed together like sardines but seemingly loving every second.
The Lemon Twigs remain committed to something wonderfully unfashionable: great songs, heartfelt performances and the simple belief that harmony can still brighten a cloudy day (or evening).
Manchester may be famous for brothers who don’t get along. On this evidence, it should make room in its heart for two who very much do.
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The Lemon Twigs website | Instagram | Facebook
Words by Thomas Sidwell, more work on his author profilehere
Photos by Andrew Twambley. You can find Andrew at hiswebsite
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