Culture Guides
Destination Guides
We have some hotly anticipated gigs coming up in Manchester and the north over the next few months! The electrifying Ibibio Sound Machine are taking over YES for a whole weekend in March, before The Cinematic Orchestra bring their majestic fusion of jazz and electronica to Manchester Academy a week later. Then comes the somber soul of James Blake at Victoria Warehouse, which represents one of just three UK dates on the mercurial artist’s Assume Form tour. And on the rock side of the spectrum, you can catch grunge trio Our Girl at The Sacred Trinity, as well as an exciting collaboration between Moon Duo and AV artist Emmanuel Biard in a disused industrial warehouse in Salford.
We also have all of this to look forward to: Poppy Ackroyd, Nils Frahm, The Orielles, Jon Hopkins, Beatrice Dillon and Keith Harrison, Olivia Chaney, Ólafur Arnalds, Actress, Boy Harsher, The Magic Flute, Katya Kabanova, as well as The Rite of Spring and Gianni Schicchi.
And there’s even more below.
Here are our picks
-
1. Actress at Gorilla
Actress Actress at Gorilla, Manchester, 23 February 2019, from £17.50 - Book now
Sidestepping categorisation for over a decade, Actress remains one of the most singular voices in electronic music. Opportunities to watch him live are rare, but opportunities to watch him in the creative zenith of his career are even rarer.
-
2. Boy Harsher at Soup Kitchen
Samantha Casolari Boy Harsher at Soup Kitchen at Soup Kitchen, Manchester, 26 February 2019, from £11 - Book now
Ahead of the release of their new album ‘Careful’, darkwave duo Boy Harsher will bring their grim hedonism to the depths of Manchester’s Soup Kitchen on the 26 February.
-
3. Jon Hopkins at O2 Academy Leeds
Steve Gullick Jon Hopkins at O2 Academy Leeds, Manchester, 1 March 2019, from £25.80 - Book now
Tapping into something distinctly spiritual, Jon Hopkins’ Singularity was one of 2018’s most dazzling albums. His gig in Leeds is one of the very last chances to hear it on this tour.
-
4. Opera North: The Magic Flute at The Lowry
Opera North -
5. Opera North: Katya Kabanova at The Lowry
Opera North -
6. Our Girl at Sacred Trinity Church
Hollie Fernando Our Girl at The Sacred Trinity, Chapel Street, 7 March 2019, from £12 - Book now
Music trends work in cycles, and in the rock world we’re currently experiencing a revival of barely-produced, grungy guitar bands with stellar song-writing at their core. Our Girl is one of the newest and most exciting on the scene.
-
7. Opera North: The Rite of Spring and Gianni Schicchi at The Lowry
Opera North -
8. Ibibio Sound Machine at YES
Dan Wilton -
9. Ólafur Arnalds at Leeds Town Hall
Ólafur Arnalds Ólafur Arnalds at Leeds Town Hall, 20 March 2019, from £30 - Book now
Up there with the leading lights of the neoclassical genre, pianist and composer Ólafur Arnalds is currently making the best music of his career.
-
10. Olivia Chaney at The Stoller Hall
Olivia Chaney at The Stoller Hall, 26 March 2019, from £13.08 - Book now
Following the release of her massively acclaimed album ‘Shelter’, Olivia Chaney brings her captivating live show to Manchester’s Stoller Hall.
-
11. Psappha: Starry Night at St Michael’s
Psappha - Chris Payne photographer Starry Night at St Michael's, Ancoats, 28 March 2019, from £6.50 - Book now
Featuring emerging composers as well as internationally renowned ones, Psappha’s ‘Starry Night’ will be a wonderful concert of contemporary classical music.
-
12. The Cinematic Orchestra at Manchester Academy
The Cinematic Orchestra at Manchester Academy, Manchester, 30 March 2019, from £33.04 - Book now
Marking the release of their first studio album in 12 years, The Cinematic Orchestra are to play their only northern date at Manchester Academy!
-
13. James Blake at Victoria Warehouse
Amanda Charchian James Blake at Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, 7 April 2019, from £30.60 - Book now
Following his acclaimed new album Assume Form, which features some of his best ever song-writing, James Blake’s gig at Victoria Warehouse is not to be missed!
-
14. Moon Duo & Emmanuel Biard Present Stardust Highway: Experiments in Stoner Disco
Photo credit Eleonora Collini - Post Art Credit Jasmine Pasquill Moon Duo & Emmanuel Biard Present Stardust Highway: Experiments in Stoner Disco at Unit 3, Regents Trading Estate, Manchester, 26 April 2019, from £15 - Book now
The culminating performance of the 14th Samarbeta residency premieres a collaboration between synth-led psych band Moon Duo and AV artist Emmanuel Biard.
More in Music
BBC Philharmonic 2018/19 Concert Season
Millions of listeners enjoy BBC Philharmonic concerts on Radio 3, recorded or broadcast live from the outstanding acoustic of The Bridgewater Hall, making this orchestra one of the most widely heard in the country.
The Hallé 2018-19 Season
We look forward to a truly exciting season of concerts from the Hallé, whose 2018-19 is filled with music that pinpoints vital moments in our cultural history, from Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring’ to Janáček’s ‘The Glagolitic Mass’.
RNCM Spring Season
The RNCM Spring Season has been announced, and we can’t wait to tell you all about it.
Striking Gold Piano Series at The Stoller Hall
This year-long celebration of outstanding pianists marks Chetham’s School of Music’s golden jubilee year.
The Stoller Hall Spring Season
It looks like 2019 is going to be a great year for The Stoller Hall, with some wonderful concerts coming up in its Spring Season.
Manchester Vocal Weekend at The Stoller Hall
Over the final weekend of February, award winning baritone Marcus Farnsworth will lead the very first Manchester Vocal Weekend.
Schumann | Robin Holloway | Valentin Silvestrov at The Bridgewater Hall
The BBC Philharmonic celebrates Robin Holloway’s 75th birthday with a brand new work by the treasured English composer, given its world premiere by guest soloist Håkan Hardenberger. Also tonight, a rare performance of Valentin Silvestrov’s transcendent Fifth Symphony, one of the best-kept secrets in contemporary music.
The Hallé – Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony at The Bridgewater Hall
The Hallé is joined by conductor Jamie Phillips for Mozart’s ‘Paris’ Symphony, John Casken’s ‘Madonna of Silence’, and the centrepiece of the evening, Prokofiev’s ‘Fifth Symphony’.
RNCM Session Orchestra and Choir with Mario Jose at RNCM
Seasoned singer-songwriter, powerhouse vocalist and a true entertainer, Mario Jose will be returning to RNCM this March for a rare collaboration with the Session Orchestra.
Culture Guides
Exhibitions
Inspired by the meditative qualities of space and eastern notions of the Void, Kimsooja’s mesmerising installation at YSP’s historic chapel heads our top pick of exhibitions this month.
Literature
Those darling buds are coming back to life in live literature land as 2019 gets properly underway, and we’ve plenty to look forward to – from performance poetry and soundscapes to readings from magazines, memoirs and award-winning short stories.
Tours and Activities
In this month’s roundup of best Tours and Activities in Manchester and the North, we highlight the pottery and craft workshops giving you some cathartic and creative opportunities to get making.
Related Guides
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
Discover the best food and drink that the North has to offer in our expert guide to food and drink in Manchester and beyond.
Music Venues in Liverpool
There’s more to Liverpool’s music venue landscape than the Cavern Club, as the city’s cafes, bars, concert halls and former warehouses offer a rich variety of live music – from chamber to freakscene, and everything in between.
Music Venues in Leeds
Boasting a strong musical heritage, Leeds has a wealth of music venues to match: from suburban social clubs and former textile mills to co-operatively run DIY spaces and its recently built arena, the city has plenty of exciting spaces to offer its young, outgoing population.
Classical Music in Manchester and the North
We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester.
Music Venues in Manchester
Manchester is still a great place to watch new and innovative music – so here’s a guide to where to watch the best live music in the city.
Things to Do in Manchester
Spend a day in the city and it rapidly becomes apparent just how much it…
