Off The Record in Manchester’s Northern Quarter

Philip K Marzouk

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Off The Record

Central Methodist Hall, Northern Quarter
15-17 November 2018

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Off The Record
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Off The Record (OTR) is once again bringing its blend of new music and fascinating industry insight to the fair streets of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. It’s hard to believe that this festival, renowned for its top tier conferences and showcases of fabulous new talent, is only in its third year. Having developed a remarkable reputation for introducing new acts to the world, this is a fantastic 48 hours that is not to be missed by any music fans or budding artists. Starting at 7PM on Thursday the 15 November, the festival is non-stop till the wee hours of Saturday morning. Many of Manchester’s Northern Quarter favourites have seen fit to host OTR, which speaks to the pedigree it has developed in such a short space of time. Band on the Wall, Night & Day, Gullivers and Central Methodist Hall are amongst the Oldham Street staples letting OTR take over.

It’s easy to view OTR as a necessary service for budding musicians, proving essential for them to gain knowledge and network with people who care about enabling new and varied talent in an often risk-averse industry. In a festival that looks to spotlight DIY talent, their partnerships speak to the passion that the festival organisers have in pursuit of this goal. Arts Council England, Ticketline and the PRS Foundation are amongst their big name supporters, not to mention their partnerships with northern festival favourites, Kendall Calling and Bluedot. Even famed peddlers of new talent, Distiller TV, are getting in on the act (see below for their footage of Fizzy Blood who will be performing at the festival).

What separates the festival from many other industry events of its ilk is its distinctly Manchester flavour, both in line-up and scope. They seek to accommodate a wide range of genres and tastes through their programming; a fitting reflection of its host city’s music scene. The festival curators run the gamut from Everything Everything to Huw Stephens to Rob Da Bank to Ana Matronic. They’ve curated nights that blend R & B (check out the brilliant Olivia Nelson), jazz (get the entrancing Kinkajous on), post-funk (in the form of Manchester’s answer to Talking Heads, See Thru Hands) and everything in between.

And I haven’t even spoken about when they get academic! Alongside the laundry list of heavy-hitters curating the event, the speakers are not to be missed by anyone with even a cursory interest in the music industry. In partnership with Liverpool Sound City, the OTR conference will take place at Central Methodist Hall for the entirety of Friday the 16 November. Highlights of the day include a song-writing masterclass chaired by Doves, a talk titled Northern Revival by DJ Dave Haslam and, for the producers out there, The Evolution of Mastering with Kevin Tuffy (mastering engineer on Stormzy, Rag’n’Bone Man and London Grammar’s work). A personal highlight is the talk featuring Jeremy Pritchard (Everything Everything’s bassist and harmonising laureate) and their manager, Peter McGraughrin, titled Exploring the Relationship Between Artist & Manager; a sure to be heart-warming talk amongst the usual deluge of management horror stories.

What OTR captures is the spirit of a time when the music industry was less affected by cynicism, standing as a gleaming example of what the industry can be at its best. You’d be a fool to miss this fantastic couple of days.

 

Where to go near Off The Record in Manchester’s Northern Quarter

Manchester
Gallery
Black Redstart Gallery

Black Redstart Gallery is located in the Northern Quarter and runs a busy programme of exhibitions from emerging and established artists.

RJC Dance Xmas Show
Leeds
RJC Dance

RJC Dance, based in Chapeltown, Leeds, champions youth and education, leading inclusive Black dance in the North through national partnerships.

texture logo
Manchester
Gallery
texture mcr

Possibly one of the city’s most mysterious art galleries, texture is a small and perfectly-formed independent space in Ardwick.

The Beacon at Cliffe Castle Park
Bradford
Park
Cliffe Castle Park

Cliffe Castle Park hosts the Beacon, a stunning performance space that will be touring the district throughout Bradford UK City of Culture 2025.

Hern Food
Leeds
Restaurant
Hern

This produce-driven bistro in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, prides itself on cooking with the only finest ingredients and his headed up by Cordon Bleu-trained chef Rab Adams.

Indie Makers
Leeds
Shop
Indie Makers

Indie Makers, located in Leads’ corn exchange, trades in art and gifts from independent makers across the UK.

Plant Point
Leeds
Shop
Plant Point

Plant Point is designed to help you bring the jungle into your urban or suburban space. The home of beautiful plants in Leeds.

Leeds
Restaurant
Eat Your Greens

Eat Your Greens is a vibrant, organic restaurant bringing a hint of European flair to the city’s plant-based dining scene.

Sela opened in 2004 with an idea to provide quality imported beers from around the world, fun cocktails to compliment the beer selections and a stage for the region’s finest and most talented musicians to play on.Over ten years later, we’re still all about the beer, cocktails, live music and pizza!We carry over a selection of over thirty different beers spanning the globe from Pickering with The Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout, to New York with a selection from Brooklyn Brewery, and Belgium with longtime Sela favourite, Vedett.Our cocktails change regularly too. Our best-sellers are joined by fun, new offerings and our pizza menu is regarded as one of the best the city of Leeds has to offer.As for the live music, Sela has had not only the great and the good from the region. Local funksters, The New Mastersounds are regular visitors and we stage the amazing Mojah Reggae Band for their weekly Wednesday residency.  Our other long running programming incl
Leeds
Restaurant
Sela Bar & Pizzeria

Sela Bar is a cosy Leeds basement spot with live music, great drinks, and a cool, laid-back, atmospheric vibe.

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