Chris Horkan

The home of Manchester International Festival returns for 16 days and nights of great food and drink, live music and DJ sets – providing the ideal rallying point for your MIF17 plans.

Film and music collide for The Unfilmables, with Francesca and Mica Livi, and Wrangler, helping to bring two lost film concepts to life.

All aboard TfGM’s Metroshuttle for a special one-night-only Manchester After Hours route that will join the dots between many of the evenings events, with live music on board programmed by Hey! Manchester.

It was 50 years ago this year that Sgt Pepper taught the band to play. And now, Liverpool is presenting a series of events to celebrate this landmark occasion – from mass-participation free music events to dance exclusives, plus exhibitions, brass bands and more.

It’s the sort of culture clash that this city embraces as it can only lead to great things – so expect nothing less when Neoclassical comes up close and personal to traditional and modern Asia. From £10.00

While the Beatles were recording Sgt Pepper in Britain, across the Atlantic experimental genius John Cage was creating his own musical masterpiece.

This new dance work features an original score by composer Ethan Iverson inspired by songs from Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Californian-raised, Manchester-based singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop brings Cloudspotting to a close this year, with a Sunday night headlining set. She tops off a day of leading female artists also including This Is The Kit, Holly Macve, Hannah Peel, and Rioghnach Connolly of The Breath.

Congolese-born, Belgian-raised poet, composer-lyricist, scriptwriter and performer Baloji makes his only northern UK festival performance of the summer at Cloudspotting – headlining the festival’s Saturday evening.

Featuring cello, bassoon and auto-harp, Brighton’s Moulettes bring a sound that spans pop, rock, folk and world music to Cloudspotting 2017.