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The sun’s out, beer gardens are open, and live music is very nearly a thing again. 2021, you old rascal, you’ve only gone and done it.
As you’ve now come to understand, we are extremely excited about the return of all things holy (see above). But in the flurry of event announcements, it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. So we’ve done it for you.
Below, we write about the tastiest gigs coming up in Manchester, including Secret Night Gang at The Blues Kitchen, Folly Group at YES, The Untold Orchestra at Escape to Freight Island and Jenna G & Werkha and Meat Free at Escape to Freight Island.
We also get that some people don’t feel ready to head out just yet, and so we also write about the best gigs that you can stream from your living room (with a can of warm Carlsberg in hand, perhaps, just for that authentic gig experience?).
New streams this month include Scruff of the Neck TV: Egyptian Blue and Joey Maxwell, The Untold Orchestra: Four Women, Band on the Wall: Live-ish from fivefourstudios and Björk Orkestral – Live From Reykjavík, with plenty more to explore below.
We’ve also updated our Lockdown Listens playlist with our favourite releases from 2021 so far:
Here are our picks
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1. A Summer of The Untold Orchestra
The Untold Orchestra A Summer of The Untold Orchestra at Escape to Freight Island, Manchester, 2 June–1 August 2021, from £16 - Book now
This Summer, The Untold Orchestra are packing six of their renowned ‘icon’ shows into eight dates at Escape to Freight Island.
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2. Manchester Psych Fest 2021
Steve Double Manchester Psych Fest at The Ritz, Manchester, 4–5 September 2021, from £19.50 - Book now
Manchester Psych Fest, an all-day celebration of alternative music and art, returns in September 2021. Topped by Stereolab, the line-up is super strong and wildly eclectic, ranging from abrasive Irish post-punks Girl Band to Afrobeat/jazz fusion outfit Kokoroko.
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3. Viagra Boys
Fredrik Bengtssson Viagra Boys at The Ritz, Manchester, 8 June 2021, from £19.25 - Book now
Stockholm-based post punk band Viagra Boys’s new album Welfare Jazz sees them further explore the grubby underbelly of society, championing the world’s underdogs while taking aim at subjects like toxic masculinity and misogyny.
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4. Secret Night Gang at The Blues Kitchen
Secret Night Gang Secret Night Gang at The Blues Kitchen Manchester, Manchester, 16 June 2021, from £12 - Book now
Recently signed to Brownswood Recordings, Manchester’s own Secret Night Gang are serving up a mixture of soul, R&B, gospel and funk at the city’s newest venue: The Blues Kitchen.
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5. Folly Group (socially distanced)
Holly Whitaker -
6. Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché at HOME
HOME Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 17 May 2021, from £9.99 - Book now
An unconventional subject demands an unconventional treatment — this new documentary explores the life and times of punk rock icon Poly Styrene.
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7. The Hallé Summer Season 2021 at The Bridgewater Hall
Courtesy of Joel Chester Fildes The Hallé Winter Season 2020/21 at The Bridgewater Hall, City Centre, 3 June–22 July 2021, from £18.50 - Book now
We are delighted to welcome the Hallé back to the stage for a Winter Season packed with world premieres, Manchester originals, the familiar and the new.
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8. NQ Jazz Live
NQ Jazz Live at The Stoller Hall, Manchester and online, 7 June–4 October 2021 - Book now
A massive programme of live jazz music, spanning venues across Manchester, has been announced as part of a collaborative series by NQ Jazz, The Stoller Hall and The Yard.
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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 and online, 13 May 2021, free entry - Find Out More
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 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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11. Neighbourhood Weekender 2021
Neighbourhood Weekender Neighbourhood Weekender 2021 at Victoria Park, Southport, 3–5 September 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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12. Björk Orkestral – Live From Reykjavík
Björk -
13. 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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14. Lost Under Heaven at The White Hotel
Lost Under Heaven Lost Under Heaven at The White Hotel, Salford, 19 September 2021, from £10 - Book now
Manchester duo Lost Under Heaven are performing two socially distanced live shows at The White Hotel this January.
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15. Braids at YES
Ariana Molly -
16. Shame at O2 Ritz
Shame
More in Music
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.
My First Protest Song with the People’s History Museum
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The Hallé – Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale
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