Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Seasonal Guides
Physical gigs are sadly on hold due to you-know-what. For artists and audiences alike, accepting this as the new normal is tough, but there are still ways of both parties connecting – albeit virtually. In this guide, we’ll be pointing you towards the best livestreamed concerts, broadcasts, activities and exhibitions on offer during the lockdown.
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
-
1. Aerial Festival (online)
John Shedwick -
2. Psappha: String Theories (3×3) at Hallé St Peter’s
Chris Payne Psappha: String Theories (3x3) at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats and online, 1 October 2020, from £5 - Book now
Kicking off Psappha’s 2020-21 series will be String Theories, a socially distanced contemporary classical concert featuring Alfred Schnittke’s String Trio.
-
3. Manchester Camerata: Untold
Manchester Camerata: Untold, online, 1 October 2020, free entry - Find Out More
Manchester Camerata presents a new series of films which fuse music with spoken word to paint intimate portraits of real people from the local community.
-
4. The Orielles at Belgrave Music Hall
The Orielles The Orielles at Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds, 4 October 2020, from £15 - Book now
Just as live gigs were starting to feel like relics of the rose-tinted past, Leeds’ Belgrave Music Hall have announced that they’re running a series of socially distanced shows, kicking off with The Orielles.
-
5. Record Shops in Manchester
Image courtesy of Piccadilly Records. To the delight of crate diggers across the city, Manchester’s independent record stores are beginning to re-open. Here’s the lowdown on how they’re currently operating.
-
6. Syd Shelton: Rock Against Racism at Gallery Oldham and Online
Specials Fans. Potternewton Park, Leeds, 1981. Courtesy of the artist and Autograph, London -
7. 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.
-
8. 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.
-
9. 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.
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.
Aerial presents: Hayden Thorpe (online)
Wild Beasts frontman Hayden Thorpe has been commissioned by Aerial Festival to create a collection of new songs inspired by the South Lakes.
Aerial presents: Caught by the River (online)
Join Stuart Maconie, Helen Mort, Jack Cooper, and Roy Wilkinson for a unique collission of sounds and words.
Aerial presents: 10 Years of Corbel Stone Press (online)
Autumn Richardson and Richard Skelton celebrate 10 years of their work at Corbel Stone Press – one of the foremost small presses in the UK dedicated to landscape and the natural world.
Journeys Festival International 2020 – Online
This year’s Journeys Festival International takes place online, exploring the experiences of refugees from around the world through art, comedy, film, music, food, sci-fi adventure and politically charged conversation.
Journeys Live! – Part of Journeys Festival International 2020
enjoy an exciting line-up of musical acts featuring Maracuya and the Ghanain-Italian songstress Vivi who will be performing a range of conscious, cultural music.
Culture Guides
Cinema in Manchester and the North
We look at the socially distant screenings and digital releases you can enjoy as cinemas begin to reopen safely.
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 August guide, we’ve dug out the best Food and Drink in Manchester and the North to explore now that lockdown has thankfully eased.
Online events
Discover the best things to do online from the organisations we love in Manchester and the North.
Tours and Activities
Socially distant walks and virtual tours 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 August guide, we’ve dug out the best Food and Drink in Manchester and the North to explore now that lockdown has thankfully eased.
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…
Things to do right now
Powered by
