Music in Manchester and the North

Glitterbox Official Afterparty for Manchester Pride at Albert Hall, City Centre, 25–26 August 2018, from £27.50 - Book now

Add some extra glitter to your Manchester Pride celebrations with Glitterbox, Pride’s official Saturday night afterparty at Albert Hall. Life’s stresses can be left at the door at this bank holiday blow-out to end all blow-outs.

The Hexagon Experiment at Sage Gateshead, Newcastle, 3 August–6 September 2018, free entry - Visit now

We preview Brighter Sound’s addition to the Great Exhibition of North, The Hexagon Experiment is a series of innovative events wherein music, art and science collide.

Festival No.6 2018 at Portmeirion, 6–9 September 2018, from £120 - Book now

Welcome to a festival like no other, in the most stunning festival setting in the world. The picturesque Italiante village of Portmeirion is Festival No.6’s home, and was the original inspiration behind its desire to create a completely new type of festival. 2018’s line-up already features Franz Ferdinand, Friendly Fires, Everything Everything, Anna Calvi and Django Django – with plenty more still to be announced.

Head for the Hills 2018 at Ramsbottom Cricket Club, Manchester, 14–16 September 2018, from £10.00 - Book now

Formerly Ramsbottom Festival, the award-winning Head for the Hills returns for its eighth outing this September, with a musical line-up including The Bluetones, The Futureheads’ Barry Hyde, The Lovely Eggs, Stealing Sheep and plenty more – as well as exciting arts, theatre and activities programmes.

Respighi/Walton/Sibelius at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 22 September 2018, from £12.5 - Book now

The BBC Philharmonic opens its new season with a real Italian job, featuring two works influenced by and written in Italy: William Walton’s rhapsodic Cello Concerto, inspired by the postcard-perfect island of Ischia, and Sibelius’s magnificent Second Symphony. To open, Respighi’s cherished tribute to the Eternal City.

The Good Life Experience at Hawarden Estate, 14–16 September 2018, from £119 - Book now

Co-founded by Cerys Matthews, The Good Life Experience returns for its fifth outing, in the shadows of two castles on the Hawarden Estate in Flintshire. The festival features music from the likes of Gwenno, Bill Ryder-Jones and Norman Jay, as well as campfire cooking, spoken word, a 1930s fairground and dozens of activities for all ages.

The Stoller Hall Autumn/Winter season, 6 July 2018–31 December 2019, from £6 - Book now

Manchester’s newest concert hall continues to push boundaries with its upcoming Autumn/Winter season – from a brand new audiovisual work to celebrate 100 years of votes for women to a one-off staging of a dark adaptation of A Christmas Carol, via a visit by the world-renowned Gould Trio and a year-long series celebrating outstanding pianists who studied at Chetham’s.

José González performing with The String Theory at Albert Hall, City Centre, 22 September 2018, from £30 - Book now

Swedish singer and guitarist José González partners up with artist collective and string ensemble The String Theory for a 17-date European tour. Catch the pairing live at Albert Hall in September – one of only four UK dates.

Ólafur Arnalds at Albert Hall, City Centre, 30 September 2018, from £28.50 - Book now

BAFTA-winning artist Ólafur Arnalds performs at Albert Hall as part of his first worldwide tour in three years. The Icelandic composer and musician will have a string quartet and percussionist in town, plus his own assortment of pianos and synthesisers, as well as two ‘self-playing’ pianos.

Wildest Dreams Festival at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 6 October 2018, from £15 - Book now

This all-day festival presents some of the best up and coming artists from Leeds and further afield, including Sweden, in the name of a good cause – with half of its proceeds going to Children of Prisoners Europe.

Jane Weaver: Loops in the Secret Society at Royal Exchange Theatre, City Centre, 21 October 2018, from £20 - Book now

This first solo outing in five years by Manchester-based experimental pop musician Jane Weaver promises a uniquely atmospheric audiovisual take on the music from her two highly acclaimed recent albums, The Silver Globe and Modern Kosmology, in one of the city’s most unusual venues.

In Good Company at Grand Central Hall, City Centre, 26 October 2018, from £20 - Book now

Featuring American musicians Phosphorescent and BC Camplight, In Good Company is a new event taking place at Liverpool’s Grand Central Hall. With both acts joined by their bands – and more artists still to be announced – this promises to be an unusual and exciting use of this special venue.

Mac DeMarco at Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, 30 October 2018, from £27.50 - Book now

To celebrate Manchester promoter Now Wave’s 10th anniversary, Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mac DeMarco plays Trafford Park’s huge Victoria Warehouse. The full line-up is to be announced.

The Ligeti Quartet: Reich and Crumb at The Leadmill, City Centre, 31 October 2018, from £5 - Book now

Modern and contemporary music specialist The Ligeti Quartet presents a one-off concert in Sheffield, featuring two of the 20th Century’s masterpieces: Steve Reich’s Grammy Award-winning Different Trains and George Crumb’s iconic Black Angels. With a diverse programme of works by John Adams, John Zorn and Tanya Tagaq completing the programme, this looks set to be an exciting and unique evening at The Leadmill.

Manchester International Festival and The Warehouse Project present 'Special Edition' at Mayfield Depot, Manchester, 3–11 November 2018, from £22 - Book now

Featuring five performances in the atmospheric Mayfield Depot, ‘Special Edition’ boasts Swedish experimental pop artist Fever Ray, Bonobo (and friends), Manchester grime artist Bugzy Malone and Northern Irish electronic duo Bicep. Presented by Manchester International Festival and The Warehouse Project, the series is overseen by BBC 6 Music DJ Mary Anne Hobbs, with lighting design by Stuart Bailes.

Mammal Hands at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 8 November 2018, from £16 - Book now

Combining jazz, electronica, classical, north Indian, folk and ambient styles, Mammal Hands make achingly powerful music whose ebbs and flows take you on a deeply immersive and cathartic journey.

GoGo Penguin, 17 November 2018, from £18.5 - Book now

Taking a victory lap after the release of their critically acclaimed album A Humdrum Star, Manchester’s own jazz-but-not-jazz trio stop off at Albert Hall to revel in some well-earned hometown glory.

James Holden & The Animal Spirits at Royal Exchange Theatre, City Centre, 9 December 2018, from £20 - Book now

For his third and latest album, electronic musician and DJ James Holden has recruited a band – The Animal Spirits – to supplement his custom-made modular synths with brass, woodwind and percussion. Experience the record live and in-the-round at the Royal Exchange theatre.