Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Seasonal Guides
Artists and venues in Manchester and the north are doing an amazing job of finding new ways to connect with audiences. Each week, we’re seeing new livestreams, broadcasts, activities, exhibitions and socially-distanced gigs pop up. In the guide below, you’ll find the best upcoming events taking place on a stage or a screen near you.
We also thought we’d give you a taste of what we’re listening to at the moment. In the Spotify playlist below, we’ll be adding tunes relating to features in this guide, new releases and miscellaneous gems.
We are so grateful to National Lottery players, The National Lottery, DCMS and Arts Council England for supporting our freelance writers during this crisis. This means that, although venues remain shut and campaigns cancelled, our writers can be reengaged to help arts organisations and artists across the North of England share their online content with our culture-hungry readers.
Here are our picks
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1. The Show Must Go On at Albert Hall
The Show Must Go On at Albert Hall, City Centre, Until 31 October 2020, from £27.75 - Book now
After seven months of hibernation, music and entertainment are returning to the grandeur of Albert Hall in the form of The Show Must Go On – a series of fun-loving events staged in a socially-distanced environment.
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2. Richard Dawson Live from the Barbican (online)
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3. GoGo Penguin: Live from Abbey Road (online)
GoGo Penguin -
4. Halloween Party at Escape to Freight Island
Image courtesy of Elixir Circus Arts Escape to Freight Island: Halloween Party at Escape to Freight Island, Manchester, 31 October 2020, free entry - Find Out More
Go knocking on Escape to Freight Island’s door this Halloween, and you’re in for a treat. The Baring Street venue is throwing a socially-distanced, all-day party featuring a stellar line-up of DJs and spooktacular walkabout performers.
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5. Fat Out Fest 2020 (online)
Sam Wood Fat Out Fest 2020, online, 30 October–1 November 2020, free entry - Find Out More
On Halloween weekend, Fat Out Fest 2020 will celebrate alternative and queer culture with a host of experimental performances, films, and panel talks to be broadcast online.
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6. Psappha: New Traditions (3×3) at Hallé St Peter’s
Chris Payne Psappha: New Traditions (3x3) at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats and online, 12 November 2020, from £5 - Book now
New Traditions will see Psappha showcase contemporary music for stripped-back ensembles, including works by Luciano Berio and Helmut Lachenmann.
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7. Syd Shelton: Rock Against Racism at Gallery Oldham and Online
Specials Fans. Potternewton Park, Leeds, 1981. Courtesy of the artist and Autograph, London -
8. Psappha: Got Rhythm (3×3) at Hallé St Peter’s
Chris Payne Psappha: Got Rhythm (3×3) at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats and online, 10 December 2020, from £5 - Book now
Psappha’s Got Rhythm features three arresting works for scaled-back ensembles, including Harrison Birtwistle’s typically uncompromising The Axe Manual.
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9. Psappha: Music for Sitar (In Focus) at Hallé St Peter’s
Kabilan Raviraj In Focus: Music for Sitar at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats, 4 February 2021, from £5 - Book now
Spotlighting an instrument that usually remains in the concert hall shadows, Psappha invites sitar virtuoso Jasdeep Singh Degun to lead a wonderfully varied programme at Hallé St Peter’s.
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10. Psappha: Music for Cimbalom (In Focus) at Hallé St Peter’s
Psappha: Music for Cimbalom (In Focus) at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats, 25 March 2021, from £5 - Book now
Psappha explores the full range of the lesser-spotted cimbalom with a varied programme that features several world premieres
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11. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at Manchester Arena
Steve Parke Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at Manchester Arena, Manchester, 21 April 2021, from £30.50 - Book now
One of the world’s great live acts, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are returning to Manchester in support of their extraordinary album, Ghosteen – postponed from May 2020.
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12. Psappha: Black Milk at Hallé St Peter’s
PhilipGatward Psappha: Black Milk at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats, 29 April 2021, from £5 - Book now
Black Milk, the penultimate concert in Psappha’s 2020-21 season, features a world premiere by Mark-Anthony Turnage plus two Viennese chamber group classics.
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13. Psappha: Music for Accordion (In Focus) at Hallé St Peter’s
Alejandro Tamagno Psappha: Music for Accordion (In Focus) at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats, 27 May 2021, from £5 - Book now
Joining Psappha at Hallé St Peter’s, world-class accordionist Miloš Milivojević guides us through a variety of music written for this unexpectedly versatile instrument.
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14. Neighbourhood Weekender 2021
Neighbourhood Weekender Neighbourhood Weekender 2021 at Victoria Park, Southport, 29–30 May 2021, from £64.25 - Book now
The Neighbourhood Weekender returns to Warrington for its third outing next May bank holiday. We make our top five picks from the line-up.
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15. Thom Yorke at Victoria Warehouse
Alex Lake Thom Yorke at Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, 13 June 2021, from £54.70 - Book now
Following the release of his excellent solo album ANIMA, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke is performing not one but two shows at Victoria Warehouse next June.
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16. Manchester Psych Fest 2021
Steve Double -
17. Braids at YES
Ariana Molly
More in Music
Amazon with HOME
Created by composer Alex Ho and theatre-maker Elayce Ismail, this stunning fusion of music, text and visuals sees a trip to the Amazon take an unexpected turn.
Threat to Breath with HOME
A brand new commission for Homemakers, Threat to Breath is a sound piece to listen to at home, on your own or with others.
Use Hearing Protection: The Early Years of Factory Records at the Science and Industry Museum – Postponed
Use Hearing Protection tells the story of Factory Records’ formative years from 1978-1982, when the label made waves with its innovative work in music, technology and design.
you out tonight? at Open Eye Gallery
Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool presents you out tonight? – a public outdoor exhibition in the gallery’s atrium space, accessible all day every day.
World of Music Choir (Autumn 2020)
Join the World of Music Choir to learn a mixture of traditional and modern tunes. With no previous experience necessary and an ethos of no judgement, it’s the most friendly introduction to group singing you could wish for.
Psappha 2020/21 Concert Season
Psappha’s 2020–21 season explores the sharpest and smartest sounds in contemporary classical music, presented in concert and streamed online for free.
BGA2020: HighRise Theatre – Lil.Miss.Lady with Contact
Embark on a journey through the sounds and visuals of UK bass music culture and find out what it means to be a female MC navigating her way through a male-dominated arena.
nineteen ways of looking – Online with CFCCA
An ‘Instagram opera’, nineteen ways of looking by artist and composer Jasmin Kent Rodgman will respond to the portrayal of and prejudice displayed towards people of Chinese and East Asian heritage in the West during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manchester Science Festival
Expect another action-packed programme of inspiring, entertaining and playful experiences for all ages as Manchester Science Festival returns.
Culture Guides
Cinema in Manchester and the North
Both in-person and online, there are film festivals galore in this month’s Cinema Guide.
Exhibitions
Art and women’s wrestling, Ancient Akkadian gravesites and invented artefacts – check out this month’s pick of exhibitions from across the north.
Literature
Festival fever takes hold of Live Literature Land as it does every October, just this year it’s in the ether. Grab a glass and settle down in the Zoom room for some online readings.
Classical Music in Manchester and the North
We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester.
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
For the October guide, we’ve found the very best Food and Drink in Manchester and the North to explore, despite the introduction of the 10 pm curfew.
Online events
Discover the best things to do online from the organisations we love in Manchester and the North.
Tours and Activities
Sound walks, singing and very literal horror are among the offerings in this month’s guide of Tours and Activities.
Related Guides
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
For the October guide, we’ve found the very best Food and Drink in Manchester and the North to explore, despite the introduction of the 10 pm curfew.
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…
Places to go / stay / shop / eat / drink
Things to do right now
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