Current Joys

Current Joys, the solo project of Nick Rattigan (also of Surf Curse), brings its shifting indie palette to New Century, Manchester, on 30 August 2026. Born in the Nevada DIY scene, Rattigan has shaped songs that move from lo-fi confessionals to more structured pop forms, blending raw guitars, bedroom-pop intimacy and a post-punk undercurrent. Live, he toggles between hushed focus and full-band momentum, keeping melodies simple, tempos held back, and textures deliberately rough around the edges.

The set draws across his catalogue: the stark, immediate feel of Wild Heart and Me Oh My Mirror; the broader sweep of A Different Age, where new wave shades creep in; and the open, cinematic reach of Voyager. Lyrics stay diaristic and clear-eyed, carried by guitar lines that circle and build rather than explode. It’s music that keeps its DIY bones while opening out in space, with drums and synths giving each refrain a little more width. On stage, Current Joys holds that balance: personal, tense, and quietly expansive, letting the songs breathe without losing their grain.