Music in Manchester and the North

Johnny James, Managing Editor

Autumn’s just around the corner, but don’t despair just yet — it comes with a big old silver lining, being one of the busiest seasons for gigs. From synth pop and jazz punk to meditative piano and Indian classical, we’ve selected an eclectic bunch of shows to soften the blow of the sun’s imminent departure.

Not that you should reach for the big coat just yet — there’s still plenty of festival fun left to be had, with Green Island, Góbéfest, and Fat Out Fest coming up in the next few weeks.

Scroll for the scoop on all that, as well as our new picks, including Porches, Elijah Fox, Rushil Ranjan and Manchester Camerata, Warmduscher and Homobloc.

Our top picks

Andrew Wasylyk & Tommy Perman at Gullivers

Andrew Wasylyk & Tommy Perman at Gullivers, Manchester, 11 September 2024, from £16.50 - Book now

Two powerful Scottish artists come together for an intimate, audio-visual performance at Gullivers this September, combining meditative jazz, neo-classical and electronica.

Tommy Perman & Andrew Wasylyk Press Shot, 2024.
Fraser Simpson.

Repercussion at Depot Mayfield

Repercussion at Depot Mayfield, Manchester, 14 September 2024, from £54.00 - Book now

Marking the official start of The Warehouse Project’s 2024 season, Repercussion is back with a huge day-to-night party celebrating dance music in all its forms.

The Warehouse Project
Graham Joy Photography.

Góbéfest at Cathedral Gardens

Góbéfest at Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, 20–22 September 2024 - Book now

Góbéfest, Manchester’s original international urban folk music and dance festival, is back at Cathedral Gardens this September.

The band She'Koyokh with their instruments in a park
She-Keoyokh. All images supplied by Sara Teiger PR.

Fat Out Fest 2024

Fat Out Fest at Islington Mill, Manchester, 20–22 September 2024, from £ 0 - Book now

Champion of the experimental, the underground and the outrageous in music and visual art, Fat Out Fest returns to Salford this September.

Crowd listening to music at Islington Mill as part of Fat Out Fest
Fat Out Fest.

Porches at Band on the Wall

Porches at Band on the Wall, Manchester, 28 September 2024 - Book now

New York-based synth-pop artist Aaron Maine AKA Porches plays at Band on the Wall this September, shortly after the release of his anticipated sixth album, Shirt.

Image supplied by Band on the Wall

Nave Studios 10th Anniversary All-Dayer at Brudenell Social Club

Nave Studios 10th Anniversary All-Dayer at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 28 September 2024, from £10.00 - Book now

Brudenell Social Club hosts what might be the best value gig among its summer listings – a tenner-in all-dayer featuring BDRMM, Honesty, The Hyena Kill and more, all playing for charity and in celebration of Nave Studios’ 10th anniversary.

a church playing a guitar
Image supplied by Leeds Inspired

International Concert Series at The Bridgewater Hall

International Concert Series at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 30 September 2024–19 May 2025, from £8 - Book now

The 28th instalment of The Bridgewater Hall’s flagship classical music series is nearly here and there are some incredible concerts to look forward to, featuring some of the world’s leading orchestras, recitalists and choirs.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Pierre-Laurent Aimard © Julia Wesely.

Life on Our Planet in Concert at The Bridgewater Hall

Life on Our Planet: Live in Concert, 8 October 2024, from £23 - Book now

Natural history and live music combine as Manchester Camerata help bring Netflix’s Life on Our Planet to life at The Bridgewater Hall.

Image supplied by Bmusic

WHP24: Overmono at Depot Mayfield

Overmono at Depot Mayfield, Manchester, 12–13 October 2024, from £45.00 - Book now

Informed by their love of hard-edged ’90s rave, trance, and breakbeat, sibling duo Overmono curate a huge night of electronic music at Depot Mayfield.

Overmono at The Warehouse Project
The Warehouse Project

Elijah Fox at The Stoller Hall

Elijah Fox at The Stoller Hall, Manchester, 27 October 2024, from £22.50 - Book now

This autumn, join The Stoller Hall for a solo piano performance from world-renowned multi-instrumentalist and producer, Elijah Fox.

Musician Elijah Fox at the piano
felix zimmermann

Manchester Camerata: Māyā – An Orchestral Carnatic Song at The Stoller Hall

Manchester Camerata: Māyā - An Orchestral Carnatic Song at The Stoller Hall, Manchester, 30 October 2024, from £25.00 - Book now

Fusing the sound of a Western Classical Orchestra with Carnatic song, Rushil Ranjan presents his new composition Māyā, commissioned by Manchester Camerata, at The Stoller Hall.

Manchester Camerata performing on stage in the Stoller Hall with audiences
Manchester Camerata/ Robin Clewley

Warmduscher at The Ritz

Warmduscher at The Ritz, Manchester, 7 November 2024, from £26.95 - Book now

Purveyors of sleezy punk funk that proudly resides in la-la-land, Warmduscher play at The Ritz this November.

Image supplied by Leeds Inspired

Homobloc 2024

Homobloc at Depot Mayfield, Manchester, 9 November 2024, from £49.50 - Book now

Homobloc returns for its fifth edition, taking over Depot Mayfield and surrounding venues with a huge day-to-night party that brings artists, performers, spectators and clubbers together for an all-welcome celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.

Homobloc 2023
Jody Hartley

Idles at The Apollo

Idles at O2 Apollo, Manchester, 6 December 2024, from £42.15 - Book now

Taking the power of love on the road, IDLES bring their latest album, TANGK, to The Apollo in December 2024.

Idles by Daniel Topete, image couresy of SONIC PR
Idles by Daniel Topete, image courtesy of Sonic PR.

More music events

Fireworks above Sessions House at night.
FestivalsLancashire
Encounter Festival in Preston

Expect a joyous weekend loaded with outdoor performances, live music, hands-on family events, and of course, Preston’s signature Torchlight Procession and firework display.

free entry
Crowd listening to music at Islington Mill as part of Fat Out Fest
MusicChapel Street
Fat Out Fest 2024

Fat Out Fest, a Salford festival championing the experimental and the underground in music and visual art, returns with three-days of music, exhibitions and workshops.

from £ 0
MusicManchester
Porches at Band on the Wall

Porches, the synth-pop project of New York–based musician Aaron Maine, plays at Band on the Wall following the release of his sixth album, Shirt.

The Warehouse Project
MusicManchester
Repercussion at Depot Mayfield

Marking the official start of The Warehouse Project’s 2024 season, Repercussion is back with a huge day-to-night party celebrating dance music in all its forms.

from £54.00
Female with white suit sitting on piano stool singing
MusicManchester
RNCM Autumn Season

From soul legends to fantastical opera, live art to dance’s cutting edge, we select our highlights from the RNCM’s Autumn Season.

from £8
ActivityManchester
Beyond the Music 2024

Hear directly from the people powering the music industry in both Manchester and the UK, as well as witnessing some of the North’s upcoming talent at Beyond the Music.

from £16.75
Society Manchester
Spotlight on

Beer Gardens in Manchester & Salford

Make the most of the sun in one of Manchester's many top-notch beer gardens.

Take me there

Music in Manchester and the North

HOME Manchester
Manchester
Theatre
HOME Manchester

Offering a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.

Manchester
Park
Platt Fields Park

Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield is steeped in history, the land having been acquired by the Platt family in 1225.

The Hepworth Wakefield
Wakefield
Gallery
The Hepworth Wakefield

Winner of the 2017 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award, The Hepworth in Wakefield is easily one of the leading cultural highlights of the North.

The MerseyMade building in Liverpool
Liverpool
Shop
MerseyMade

In the MerseyMade shop you’ll find bottled gin from the likes of Turncoat Gin, Anfield Gin, Albert Dock Gin and Three Graces Gin. Yep, Liverpool REALLY likes its gin.

Cumbria
Event venue
Penrith Old Fire Station

Main venue for Eden Arts, an artist-led organisation based in Eden in Cumbria creating projects around mass participation, local distinctiveness and digital engagement, from Picnic Cinema to The Winter Droving.

Culture Guides