Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Our music guide boasts diversity and variety galore right now – from legendary Brazilian Tropicália band Os Mutantes at Band on the Wall to Swedish folk titan José González at the Albert Hall – plus the likes of Sheffield Chamber Music Festival, bluedot, Head for the Hills and The Good Life Experience all within striking distance of Manchester. Add in an all-dayer at Halifax’s Piece Hall, headlined by Father John Misty, and adventurous programming by The Stoller Hall, BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata and the RNCM, and things are looking rosy for music fans in the North.
Here are our picks
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1. RNCM Young Company and The Circus House present Letters at the RNCM Theatre
RNCM RNCM Young Company and The Circus House present Letters at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 25–26 May 2018, from £10 - Find Out More
RNCM Young Company combines with The Circus House to present Letters – a new work featuring music, dance and acrobatics, which examines the shared experiences of Mancunians and Parisians over the past century.
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2. Father John Misty and Friends at The Piece Hall
The Piece Hall Father John Misty and Friends at The Piece Hall, 26 May 2018, from £37.50 - Book now
Featuring a UK-exclusive headline set by Grammy winner Father John Misty, this day-long event in the courtyard of Halifax’s Grade I-listed Piece Hall boasts strength in depth thanks to the involvement of Edwyn Collins, Hookworms and The Orielles.
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3. Vivaldi Rocks at The Stoller Hall
Bram van Sambeek by Andrew Rankin Vivaldi Rocks at The Stoller Hall, 31 May 2018, from £22 - Book now
Hugo Ticciati combines Vivaldi Concertos with arrangements of music by Muse, Metallica and Dream Theatre – demonstrating that the Baroque composer’s work was just as raucous during his lifetime as anything today’s rock stars can offer.
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4. 150 Years of the TUC: Folk Concerts at the Mechanics’ Institute
Kathryn Williams courtesy of Band on the Wall 150 Years of the TUC: Folk Concerts at Mechanics’ Institute, Canal Street, 3–9 June 2018, from £15 - Book now
Band on the Wall celebrates the TUC’s 150th anniversary with a week-long programme of folk concerts at the Mechanics’ Institute, featuring the likes of Kathryn Williams, Oysters 3, Mike Harding and Edward II. The programme also includes a free, relaxed ‘Folk On A Friday Night’ concert where the audience are invited to take part.
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5. Thursday Lates: Isaac Julien’s Ten Thousand Waves at The Whitworth
Isaac Julien, Red Chamber Dream (Ten Thousand Waves), 2010. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro, London © Isaac Julien Thursday Lates: Isaac Julien's Ten Thousand Waves at The Whitworth, Manchester, 7 June 2018, free entry - Find Out More
Jah Wobble and the Chinese Dub Orchestra perform a live score to Isaac Julien’s work Ten Thousand Waves, as part of The Whitworth’s ongoing Thursday Lates series.
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6. BBC Philharmonic: Albéniz | Falla at The Bridgewater Hall
BBC Philharmonic BBC Philharmonic: Albéniz | Falla at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 9 June 2018, from £12.00 - Book now
For his final Bridgewater Hall concert as the BBC Philharmonic’s Chief Conductor, Juanjo Mena spirits us away to his Spanish homeland with a programme that includes a concert performance of Manuel de Falla’s vibrant hour-long opera, La vida breve.
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7. RNCM Summer Season 2018
RNCM Summer Season 2018 at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 24 April–27 July 2018, from £12 - Book now
Featuring classical, sacred and jazz music, as well as poetry, theatre and dance, the RNCM’s Summer Season looks set to both inspire and surprise. Read our picks for the months ahead – with a live organ soundtrack to F W Murnau’s silent film Sunrise and a performance of Ravel’s timeless Daphnis et Chloé by the RNCM Symphony Orchestra among the stand-out events.
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8. bluedot 2018 at Jodrell Bank
bluedot festival 2018 at Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, 20–22 July 2018, from £159 - Book now
Entering its third year in 2018, bluedot is a festival of discovery located in the shadow of the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics; the iconic space observatory and the heart of our quest for knowledge. Featuring the likes of Jean-Michel Jarre, Brian Eno, Pixies and Orbital in its first two years, as well as science experiments, talks and immersive artwork, we’re anticipating big things from bluedot 2018.
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9. Festival No.6 2018 at Portmeirion
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.
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10. Head for the Hills 2018
Head for the Hills 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.
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11. The Good Life Experience 2018 at Hawarden Estate
Vic Phillips The Good Life Experience at Hawarden Estate, 14–16 September 2018, from £49 - 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.
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12. José González performing with The String Theory at Albert Hall
José González by Malin Johansson 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.
More in Music
Minute Taker at Waterside Arts
Minute Taker creates haunting piano songs with multilayered ethereal vocals, distorted electronic beats and otherworldly synthscapes.
Tankus The Henge at Waterside Arts
Combining wild showmanship and musical dexterity, Tankus the Henge, incorporate the sounds of rock, funk, blues, ska, roots and gypsy rhythms.
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo at Band on the Wall
Boasting the status of ‘the oldest active African orchestra’, Benin’s Orchestre Poly-Rythmo continue to record and tour some five decades after its inception. Catch the group – featuring three original members – live this summer.
F W Murnau’s Sunrise – 1920s silent film with live accompaniment at the RNCM Concert Hall
F W Murnau’s 1927 romantic drama Sunrise marked both the pinnacle and end of silent film, as it was one of the first films to feature a synchronised musical score and sound effects soundtrack. For this screening, however, award-winning French organist and composer Thierry Escaich will provide the audio accompaniment.
Petite messe solennelle by Gioachino Rossini at the RNCM Concert Hall
An ensemble of soloists, choir, two pianos and harmonium will perform Petite Messe Solennelle, one of Rossini’s final pieces, under the baton of Andrew Greenwood. The RNCM ensemble will be joined by Jonathan and Tom Scott for a programme that also features Gottschalk’s version of The William Tell Overture.
In Focus: Gilbert and Gorb at the RNCM
The RNCM celebrates Anthony Gilbert and Adam Gorb, the college’s only two Heads of Composition during its 50-year history, with this two-day event of talks and concerts – including world premieres from both composers.
RNCM Big Band with Bart van Lier at the RNCM Theatre
The RNCM’s Big Band collaborates and performs with legendary jazz improviser Bart van Lier, principal trombonist with the Metropole Orkest, for its major summer concert. As well as work by van Lier, the programme features pieces by Bill Holman, Jerome Kern and Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz.
RNCM Symphony Orchestra at The Bridgewater Hall
The RNCM Symphony Orchestra returns to The Bridgewater Hall for its annual end-of-year concert. The programme features Ravel’s timeless drama Daphnis et Chloé, plus Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto and Ambroise Thomas’ 1866-penned Mignon Overture, all under the baton of French conductor and violinist Yan Pascal Tortelier.
Manchester Jazz Festival: Winstone/Gesing/Venier at the RNCM Concert Hall
Jazz vocalist Norma Winstone visits the RNCM as part of Manchester Jazz Festival this July. To mark the recent release of Descansado – Songs For Films, she will perform personal interpretations of soundtrack music by the likes of Michel Legrand and Ennio Morricone, backed by her trio’s pianist and reed player.
Culture Guides
Exhibitions
The revolutionary fervour of the May ’68 Paris uprising, the seismic impact of the Dutch Golden Age on western art history, and notions of ‘the monstrous’ in 21st century life are just some of the themes explored within this month’s hand-picked selection of must-see exhibitions from across the north.
Literature
From poetry to prose, and taking in non-fiction and creative non-fiction and even theatre-y things along the way, there are book launches and brand-new commissions popping up all over Manchester, Salford and beyond.
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Exhibitions
The revolutionary fervour of the May ’68 Paris uprising, the seismic impact of the Dutch Golden Age on western art history, and notions of ‘the monstrous’ in 21st century life are just some of the themes explored within this month’s hand-picked selection of must-see exhibitions from across the north.
Music Venues in Cumbria
When the sun goes down and you’ve had your fair share of Cumbria’s great outdoors, head to the area’s music venues to catch folk and jazz sessions, as well as regular performances by touring musicians. We recommend some of our favourites.
Music Venues in Sheffield
Sheffield boasted a strong and varied musical heritage. We pick out some of the city’s music venues – from student clubs to community pubs, and even the odd classical venue – which continue to play their part in this success.
Food and Drink
Discover the best food and drink that the North has to offer in our expert guide to food and drink in Manchester and beyond.
