Green Island Festival at Hulme Garden Centre
Johnny James, Managing Editor
Hulme’s Green Island Festival has announced its return this summer, bringing a three-part series of events to Hulme Garden Centre and – new for this year – the iconic NIAMOS.
Among Manchester’s crowded festival scene, Green Island sets its own pace, offering a peaceful sanctuary away from the busy city centre. And yet it’s located just a stone’s throw away, in the flora-filled sanctuary that is Hulme Garden Centre – a community and cultural hub that is, for many, the beating heart of this urban area.
Cementing itself as an annual staple in Manchester’s grassroots music scene, Green Island bonds a community for the love of music, art and culture, championing underground, underrepresented, and emerging artists from across the UK, and placing global sounds at the forefront.
The festival is split into three chapters, the first having already taken place in June. It was the first time we’d been along to Green Island it was an absolute treat. It’s amazing the sense of community this festival nurtures, as wild and wonderful underground music scenes unite amid the maze-like flora.
The next instalments fall on 27 July and 7 September. Across these dates, you’ll find acts performing on four stages in the luscious Hulme Garden Centre, and on a main stage inside NIAMOS, which has, over the years, played host to everyone from Nina Simone to Gil Scott-Heron. Warwick Street, which connects both venues, will be transformed into a food and drinks hub filled with local favourites including Midori, Tibetan Kitchen and Root to Flower.
The expansion into NIAMOS sees the festival double in size from last year, with space for up to 1000 festival-goers. And with the increase in capacity comes a larger line-up, which always encompasses a rich diversity of artists and sounds – think neo-soul, jazz, ska-punk, indie, hip-hop, pop, electronic genres, and everything in between.
The July instalment will be topped by Def MaMa Def – two powerful women and rising stars of Senegal’s music scene, fusing contagious rhythms of amapiano, hip hop and Afrobeat. Taking centre stage in September is singer and multi-instrumentalist David Walters, who combines influences from his Caribbean heritage with electronic beats and acoustic folk.
Across the dates, the Main Stage will also host the likes of contemporary jazz artist corto.alto, soul and R&B collective Lovescene, and Ku’umba, a radical arts collective binding sounds of funk, blues, afrobeat and hip hop. Newly announced are 21st century jazz singer Ni Maxine, experimental hip hop jazz band Jointhedots and Ubunye the Zulu band, bringing pounding rhythms of Africa.
The Bandstand will present a range of takeovers. The June chapter will be curated by DIY masters and music experimentalists FAT OUT, who have programmed acts including Fat Clams DJ, Lavender Rodriguez, Queer Icons Karaoke, Meme Gold, Arch Femesis and R.aggs. Manchester legend Chunky will take the reins in July, bringing the diverse sounds of Artist Lebo, Chia Kali, DeeD0t, NOT4MANY, Zhay and Troopz. And then in September, Ruf Dug returns with Ruffy’s Lab, bringing on board Tia Cousins, Abigail Ward, Private Joy and a special guest to be announced.
The Marquee Stage will host up-and-coming bands and vocalists including Hannah Rodriguez in July, and Jamaica’s Calypso George in September, as well as family-friendly activities from 12pm – 2:30pm each day. Down the garden path, the hidden gem that is the Forest Stage will present some of the best selectors on the local scene, including Levi Love, Shimrise and Contours.
Finally the brand new Selector Stage, tucked away in a hidden corner of the festival, will be vinyl only, and based around an advanced audiophile sound system. In June this stage will be taken over Apricot Ballroom x Cosmic Slop, a collision of two Northern audiophile heroes by way of Sheffield and Leeds respectively. And Lena C’s Melodic Junction enlists Cheb Mimo, Santa Leticia and Josh FB for the September festival.
When the action comes to a close in Hulme, the good times will continue over at YES, with afterparties taking place across the Pink Room and the basement from 11pm until 4am. Featuring the likes of Rinse FM resident Arthi, Manchester’s own SHEwillprovide and breakbeat garage pioneer Zed Bias, expect some of the finest underground DJs supported by local talent and collectives working diverse genres including electro, drum and bass, techno, Latin house and amapiano.
Speaking on the return of Green Island in 2024, co-founder Stephan Agbogbe said:
“We’re so thrilled to be back and present a levelled up Green Island, bringing more artists, more sounds, and more space for more people. Empowering staff and artists who have been an integral part of the festival since its inception has always been key to us, so it’s really special that we can double in size this year and grow with those we started with. We’re also proud to present another line-up that celebrates diversity as we wholeheartedly believe that the future success of the cultural sector depends on being able to draw on a talent pool that reflects society as a whole. Once the narrative is altered, it will pave the road to change in the UK.”
