Sounds From the Other City 2014: Listening in

Polly Checkland Harding

Salford’s independent music festival is back for another year – it’s tenth.

The best way to think of Sounds From the Other City music festival in Salford? It’s like a playlist of rising stars – but in 3D. And it’s the three dimensional bit that makes it interesting, not only for the unpredictable fizz of the live performers. Chosen by promoters such as Hey! Manchester, Now Wave and Deep Hedonia are Adult Jazz, Rosie Lowe, Manchester’s very own lady crew, PINS, as well as The Travelling Band, who’ll be performing Neil Young’s album “On the Beach” at the First Chop Brewing Arm.

It’s like a playlist of rising stars – but in 3D

Tucked under Salford’s railway arches, it’s venues such as this that make SFTOC an unusual event. Unfolding across the lazy Sunday of a May Bank Holiday, the festival’s organisers have focused on some of “the other city’s” unused spaces and more unusual haunts, including The Angel Centre, St Philip’s Church (which plays host to the A/V Art Rave) and firm indie event favourite, Islington Mill. It’s a heady mix of offbeat venues, promoters and players, with art directors The Volkov Commanders throwing in some strange visual goings on for good measure – all for £18. This is the kind of event that Salford does best – it’s ‘the other city’ that wants you to visit.

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Spotlight on

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.

Take me there

Culture Guides

Theatre

Classic texts and new work meet in our Theatre Guide, featuring shows shaped by power, consequence and collective action.

Music

From underground festivals showcasing emerging talent to global icons unveiling new work, here are our latest live music highlights.

Food and Drink in the North

Spring is coming, at some point. As for now, it’s cold and grim so take our advice and shelter in a nice warm restaurant, pub or bar.

Exhibitions

From monumental to minutiae, this month’s exhibitions trace power, care and community across galleries big and small.

Emily Lloyd-Saini as Grace in Space and Harrie Hayes as Lieutenant Strong in Horrible Science
Family things to do in the North

Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Cinema in the North

There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.