Fat Out Fest 2024
Johnny James, Managing Editor
In Greek mythology, the autumn equinox is when Persephone enters the underworld, reaching beyond the everyday into a supernatural realm where anything – chaos, reverie, and a whole lot of naughtiness – goes. A fitting time of year for the return of Fat Out Fest, champion of the experimental, the underground and the outrageous in music and visual art.
Last year’s event was an absolute knockout, featuring everything from a collaboration with London label Erased Tapes and the BBC Philharmonic to a deliciously raucous party curated by Bristol-based producer Grove. But the heads behind the festival are stepping things up even further this year, expanding into a host of new Salford venues, including a few you might not expect…
Fat Out’s most ambitious iteration yet will take over the full expanse of Islington Mill, Peel Hall, Salford Museum and Art Gallery, and the Working Class Movement Library, where you’ll find a cross-arts line-up of boundary-pushing artists including Angeline Morrison, QUJAKU, Chardine Taylor-Stone, Nuha Ruby Ra, Sarah Bates, Fatty Acid, Hypersea, LYZZA, Brìghde Chaimbeul and Zakia.
Things kick off on Friday 20 September with a brand new music performance at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, responding to its climate-focused visual art exhibition, Hybrid Futures. Hypersea (the artist name of machine-learning experimentalist and Working Men’s Club synth player, Hannah Cobb) will develop the music work during a week-long Samarbeta Residency, in collaboration with London-based blenders of experimental sound, art and tech, IKLECTIK. When that wraps, things will move to the queer utopia that is Islington Mill for an afterparty co-curated by the “Aggressively Queer, Radically Tender” Fatty Acid. Think a cabaret, a club night and live music show all wrapped up into one, featuring Manchester rapper Che3kz and Japanese live techno artist s/h/u/y/a.
There’s more – much more – at the Mill the next night, with the club space, bar, courtyard and top floor of the building all being put to good use. Partisan Club plays host to the trailblazing East-London artist Nuha Ruby Ra, Brazilian music producer and artist LYZZA, Kongolese live techno band Electroni Kongo, and the thundering sounds of Japan’s QUJAKU.
Next door in Mirage Bar you’ll find queer energy of all kinds, from instrumental explorer Luce Mawdsley to the hi-NRG synthpop drag disco of Pink Pound, with queer electronica experimental night FLUFF also joining the party. Elsewhere you can catch Manchester synth queen Sarah Bates on the courtyard balcony, and Nat Sharp AKA Lone Taxidermist on the fabled fifth floor. All before The Party Monster Ball ends the night with dark drag and debauchery into the witching hours.
As we reach the autumn equinox on Sunday, Fat Out Fest takes to the serene surroundings of Peel Hall for a powerful celebration of ancient roots, identity, and spiritual balance, co-curated and hosted by renowned broadcaster, writer and DJ, Zakia Sewell (NTS, Weird Walk, DJ Mag). It’s another line-up of underground explorers, including ‘wyrd folk’ multi-instrumentalist Angeline Morrison, leading purveyor of celtic experimentalism Brìghde Chaimbeul, mesmerising pianist Hiromi Oishi and folk-informed collective Calliope.
Alongside these live shows and afterparties there’s a full series of free exhibitions and workshops. One of our highlights is at the Working Class Movement Library, where award-winning musician, activist and writer, Chardine Taylor-Stone will lead a discussion-based workshop on British class struggle and international solidarity. You should also check out the exhibition by queer illustrator and maker Eve Frances, who was the winning artist selected from a highly popular open call launched in collaboration with The Fat Zine. Eve’s tapestry artworks explore themes of Fat Justice and Fat Liberation through positive representation and will be free to view during opening hours at the Mill.
Judging by the calibre of the live acts and DJs, exhibitions and workshops, Fat Out’s biggest iteration yet feels like it’s going to be its best one, too. From the beautiful to the experimental, the challenging to the downright rowdy, whatever your vibe, the underworld awaits on the autumn equinox…
