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Outdoor shows, candle-lit jazz gigs, boozy all-dayers. Manchester and the North’s live music scene is making up for lost time.
Headlined by Gruff Rhys, Leeds all-dayer This Must Be The Place features some of our favourite artists of the moment, from Jerskin Fendrix to Deathcrash. Over in Manchester, we look forward to catching one of Squid’s biggest ever shows at the majestic Albert Hall. It’ll see the Brighton band celebrate their Top 5 album Bright Green Field, which picks the bones of any number of genres, fusing mismatching limbs into an ungodly hybrid beast.
At Castlefield Bowl, Mike Skinner and the Streets, true originators in British rap music, will be igniting old flames and fanning new ones as part of the Sounds of the City concert series. At The Blues Kitchen, Manchester’s most exciting new venue, German producer Henrik Schwarz will perform with Dutch string ensemble Alma Quartet, uniting the worlds of classical and electronic music. And at Heaton Park, New Order will perform their first hometown show in four years, supported by Hot Chip and Working Men’s Club.
There’s plenty more to dig into below, including Another Sky’s long-awaited Star & Garter show, Jungle at Victoria Warehouse, Manchester Psych Fest and NQ Jazz Live.
If you feel like checking out what new music is exciting us at the moment, our Spotify playlist is below. We update it regularly, so give it a follow for the latest re-up.
Here are our picks
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1. Erol Alkan at The White Hotel
Erol Alkan Erol Alkan at The White Hotel, Salford, 14–15 August 2021, from £17.5 - Book now
Raves are back and to celebrate, Salford den of debauchery The White Hotel is playing host to an all-night-long set from genre-hopping DJ, producer and label owner Erol Alkan.
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2. This Must Be The Place at Belgrave Music Hall
Gruff Rhys This Must Be The Place at Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds, 28 August 2021, from £25 - Book now
Leeds’ Belgrave Music Hall plays host to an all-dayer featuring Gruff Rhys, Stealing Sheep, Jerskin Fendrix, Deathcrash and more.
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3. Black Midi at The Ritz
Anthrox Studio -
4. New Order at Heaton Park
New Order at Heaton Park, Manchester, 10 September 2021, from £54.45 - Book now
For their first hometown show in four years, New Order will perform a career-spanning set at Heaton Park, supported by Hot Chip and Working Men’s Club.
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5. Manchester Collective: The Holy Presence at Hallé St Peter’s
Phil Sharp/Manchester Collective Manchester Collective: The Holy Presence at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats, 15 August 2021, from £10 - Book now
Two days before their BBC Proms debut, Manchester Collective invite you to join them for a hometown celebration of life, music, and some truly extraordinary composers.
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6. Squid at Albert Hall
Holly Whitaker Squid at Albert Hall, City Centre, 10 September 2021, from £15 - Book now
In support of their excellent debut album Bright Green Field, genre-mashing five-piece Squid are performing one of their biggest headline shows to date at Manchester’s Albert Hall.
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7. The Streets at Castlefield Bowl
Mike Skinner The Streets at Castlefield Bowl, Manchester, 24 September 2021, from £42.50 - Book now
Mike Skinner and the Streets, true originators in British rap music, will be igniting old flames and fanning new ones at Castlefield Bowl, as part of the Sounds of the City concert series.
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8. Henrik Schwarz & Alma Quartet at The Blues Kitchen
Katja Ruge Henrik Schwarz & Alma Quartet at The Blues Kitchen Manchester, Manchester, 30 September 2021, from £25 - Book now
German producer Henrik Schwarz collaborates with Dutch string ensemble Alma Quartet, uniting the worlds of classical and electronic music.
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9. Another Sky at The Star & Garter
Steve Turvey Another Sky at The Star & Garter, Manchester, 13 August 2021, from £10 - Book now
Finally getting to tour their acclaimed debut album I slept On The Floor, London’s Another Sky return to Manchester for an intimate show at The Star & Garter.
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10. 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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11. NQ Jazz Live
NQ Jazz Live at The Stoller Hall, Manchester and online, Until 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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12. 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 in September. We make our top five picks from the line-up.
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13. Björk Orkestral – Live From Reykjavík
Björk -
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. Viagra Boys at Albert Hall
Fredrik Bengtssson Viagra Boys at Albert Hall, City Centre, 8 May 2022, 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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Use Hearing Protection: The Early Years of Factory Records at the Science and Industry Museum
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.
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The Sound of Joy Division Orchestrated
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