New virtual music and mental wellbeing festival Headstock announces bumper lineup
The two-day event is set to be beamed out across the nation via the United We Stream platform - with support from the Hits Radio Network and in aid of charity partners Help Musicians and Manchester Mind.
Mental health and music festival Headstock has confirmed a bumper lineup for a full weekend of live performances, talks and experiences in October.
The two-day event is set to be beamed out across the nation via the United We Stream platform – with support from the Hits Radio Network and in aid of charity partners Help Musicians and Manchester Mind.
A virtual festival replaces a week-long event originally scheduled to take place across Manchester during May 2020, postponed due to coronavirus.
Headstock reincarnated will go live on World Mental Health Day – streaming on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October.
Anyone can access the event for free, with donations encouraged to raise funds for Headstock’s charity partners Help Musicians and Manchester Mind, raising awareness for text support service Shout 85258.
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Already confirmed to appear on the bill are UK chart-topping rock band Nothing But Thieves and acclaimed Irish rock band Kodaline, alongside exciting Greater Manchester bands Larkins, The Slow Readers Club, The Lottery Winners and Lucy Deakin.
There’ll be comedy curated by Nodding Dog Comedy (filmed in Escape to Freight Island), a Yoga Rave with Liam Browne, and two-hour set from legendary DJ Paulette.
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Wellbeing sessions are also being hosted across the weekend including Yoga Nidra with DJ and Bestival co-founder Rob Da Bank, a Sound Bath with Morning Gloryville, and Energising Morning Flow and Sound Healing workshops delivered by boutique gym BLOK.
United We Stream executive producer, Sacha Lord commented: “In my role as Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, I am fully aware that my sector is more prone to Mental Health, than the majority of other sectors.
“With new measures in place, many venues still closed, there is an underlying amount of fear and anxiety for the future, not just amongst operators, but amongst employees too. The next few months see us venture into the unknown and this reiterates the importance of Headstock.
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“We need to be talking, we need to be looking out for each other. Music brings us together and I’m delighted that United We Stream could again help out Headstock as a platform.”
Closing the weekend is Lord’s seminal night club series The Warehouse Project.
Known for hosting legendary nights in Manchester since the mid-noughties, WHP will showcase a four-hour party followed by an exclusive performance from House Gospel Choir and back-to-back headline sets from Yousef and Prospa.
Eight artists will then go head-to-head to create an art masterpiece in just 30 minutes – with the final product auctioned off and proceeds split between the artists and Headstock’s charity partners.
Former World Champion boxer Ricky Hatton, DJ Brandon Block, and BBC Radio 1’s Dr Radha will be logging on to take part in talks.
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Hatton said: “The Headstock Festival is a great idea and it’s so important to be having such a positive event during these difficult times.
“We all have to manage our mental health, particularly as we deal with lockdown and this can be as simple as going for a walk or run, listening to music or hitting the punchbag.
“You have to try and do something you like everyday and stay connected with the people around you.”
According to Headstock organisers, the event will focus on the positive impact that both music and movement can have when it comes to managing and maintaining good mental health.
The festival launched in October 2019 as a direct response to the disproportionate level of mental health issues across the North West; founded upon a belief in the power of music to positively impact our emotional and mental wellbeing.
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Focused on prevention rather than cure, Headstock aims to empower people to take stock of their own mental health.
Headstock Founder, Atheer Al-Salim said: “Through the power of music and shared experiences, our goal is to create change by changing the conversation around mental health. Music has a huge role to play in our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and that applies now, more than ever.
“Like so many live events, our plans for 2020 have had to change, but we’ve adapted to the times, and are delighted to continue our relationship with United We Stream in order to deliver this exciting event. We’ve curated a jam-packed programme across World Mental Health Day weekend that combines music, talks and wellbeing experiences, so we really hope that people are able to take what they need from this very special virtual event.”
Viewers can tune in to the event for free on United We Stream HERE.
‘Festivalgoers’ are encouraged to buy a virtual ticket for the event or donate an amount they can afford via Justgiving.
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All proceeds from the event will go to Headstock’s charity partners Help Musicians and Manchester Mind. Donations will help support vital emotional and practical services for young people and musicians.
For the full line up, new additions and more information visit the Headstock Justgiving page HERE.
FULL LINE UP – MORE TO BE ADDED
SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER 2020
BLOK: Energising Moring Flow – Breath & Move
LIIMO
ARTISTS TBA
TALK: PROFESSOR TIM SPECTOR
LUCY DEAKIN
THE SLOW READERS CLUB
THE LOTTERY WINNERS
TALK: DR RADHA x JOSH CONNOLLY
KODALINE
LARKINS
NOTHING BUT THIEVES
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: RICKY HATTON
BLOK: BLOKsound with Koral
NODDING DOG COMEDY – At Escape to Freight Island – Brennan Reece / Freddy Quinne / Lindsey Davies / Bexie Archer / Phil Chapman / Matt Stellingwerf / Mike Newall / Vince Atta / Hayley Ellis / Isma Almas
SUNDAY 11 OCTOBER 2020
MORNING GLORYVILLE – DJ Paulette – Yoga Rave with Liam Browne (music by Rae Marie)
SOUND BATH – with Morning Gloryville
INTERVIEW: BRANDON BLOCK
THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT
HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR
HEADLINE DJ SETS – YOUSEF / PROSPA
ART BATTLE MANCHESTER
Audio
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | March 2025
Danny Jones
Oh, hello there. Did you think we’d forgotten to do our Manchester artists round-up for March? Don’t be daft, it was just a joke – a silly little April Fool’s joke.
This is, without a doubt, one of our favourite times of the month because we get to look back at our music habits in more bitesize pieces rather than feeling like we have to defend a whole year’s worth every time Spotify Wrapped rolls around.
If you don’t know the drill by now, for one, where have you been? Secondly, welcome to the listening party: it’s the period we set aside to spotlight the best up-and-coming, underrated and veteran musicians from Greater Manchester alike – so long as they’re good, we’re happy.
Let’s get into it then, yeah?
Manchester bands and artists we’ve been listening to this month
1. Lusaint
First up on our list for March is a very talented woman by the name of Lusaint – real name Lucy Hopkins, but trust us, this is a stage name set for stardom as far we’re concerned. Manc born and bred, she has the voice and vibe of an old soul with all the talent and style to go up against the biggest around today.
She started gaining followers through her stunning covers of everyone from Kings of Leon and Whitney Houston to Fleetwood Mac, Jason Mraz and many more. That being said, her pop-forward original solo material is hitting our ‘Sweet Tooth’ and then some, so we tried to keep it cool when we met her recently.
If you’re looking for where to start, her latest single ‘Neon Lights’ has an almost laid-back, neo-soul vibe; ‘Sober’ has a bit of Winehouse and Bailey Rae to it, but the best way to sum her up is soulful R’n’B with plenty of jazz and contralto moments sprinkled in there. The piano version of ‘Dark Horse’… Oof.
You’re damn right we’re putting them back amongst our Manc artists of the month list because not only have we’ve been listening to their new album non-stop but, in case you hadn’t heard, it’s just gone to number one – their second to date!
Leigh’s very own Lottery Winners need no introduction at this point: they’re becoming an increasingly big name in the indie, pop and Northern scene in general, but they also might just be up there with the hardest working bands going right now.
We could recommend tonnes of songs to kick off with but we’d like to give a big shout to ‘Superpower’, a real bit of genre whiplash that really works, ‘You Again’ with Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers because it’s just a banger and ‘Turn Around’ because same and it has the cutest music video ever.
Now, this next one pains us slightly because Push Baby, as eclectic and interesting as they, are currently inactive as of 2022 following the release of their second full LP, Wow, That’s What I Call Push Baby!, which is brilliant subversion of modern mainstream music.
Made up of lead vocalist Jake Roche, the son of British household names, Coleen Nolan and Shane Richie, as well as multi-instrumentalist Charley Bagnall – both formerly of the boyband Rixton too – this alternative duo were pushing plenty of boundaries before they took a pause to pursue other projects.
Song wise, ‘WHAT YOU GONNA DO?’ is the closest thing to a new NSYNC track as you’ll find, ‘thenineteenseventyfive’ genuinely feels like it could fit on Notes On A Conditional Form if you just swapped out the vocals, and you simply have to start with the first song we ever heard from them: ‘thor’
You get a much different level of production on the studio version than this equally beautiful live recording. We hope they come back.
4. Tim Burgess
Our penultimate pick for this month is a Manc music legend whose music we’ve been exposed to most of our lives, but it pains us to confess were relative latecomers to his solo stuff. The Charlatans frontman had such a large body of work but we’ve finally cracked into properly for the first time.
It won’t surprise you whatsoever to learn the Salfordian icon’s own singer-songwriter records are just brilliant asd everything else he’s done in his career and we’ll feel daft to have waited this long to dive deep. There’s plenty to get through, put it that way.
Everyone’s heard ‘OH My Corazon’ (in fact, we’d wager you’ve heard even more Burgess than you realise), but we’d grown a particular soft spot for ‘Sure Enough – Eyedress Remix’, ‘White’ and ‘Empathy For The Devil’ where he voices go real Ian Brown-esque. We’ll keep digging and get back to you.
Yet more evidence that he deserves your attention and respect for what he’s done/doing for Manc music
5. Dirty Blonde
Last but certainly not least is another duo that unlike Push Baby aren’t just active but are absolutely rip-roaring through the infancy of their alt rock story already and have all ferocity of a pair of Manc music pioneers that are going to go far – Spill The Sound seem to think so too.
Modern girl rock that kicks you in the face with punchy riffs, catchy hooks, great vocals and plenty of confidence and all-round swagger that makes you think they’re made for this business. You could probably draw all manner of comparisons to contemporaries, but put simply they just sound sick.
There’s not absolute reams to get through yet as the two are ones for the future, but we’ve particular enjoyed ‘Rush’, ‘Run (When I Tell You)’ and you’d be a fool not to take a look at their new single ‘Adore Me’ which achieves exactly what the title says. Love ’em and we look forward to hearing more.
And we’re sorry to say that’s all she wrote for another month and we apologise to any of you die-hard readers for being a day late to it this time around, we promise we won’t make a habit of it.
In the meantime, you can always go back listen to our Manc music favourite from February to keep your playlists feeling refreshed – and all the other lists prior, come to think of it.
The funds will help improve the already incredible music scene in Manchester, benefitting staples likes Night and Day Café, Matt and Phred’s Jazz Club, SOUP and more.
All of the donations will be distributed across six independent music venues and will be used for various instruments, PA equipment, backline technology and other necessities depending on the requirements of each site.
Elbow have teamed up with Co-op Live in aid of supporting Manchester grassroots venues.Credit: Supplied
This initiative has been keeping Manchester’s Northern Quarter in the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to live music as well as the impressive Co-op Live.
Alongside providing vital resources for these local institutions, Elbow teaming up with Co-op Live also helps cement the North West as one of the main powerhouses in relation to live music.
The latest efforts from the largest indoor arena in Manchester fall in line with celebrating one year of bringing some of the best live music to the city, being officially open for 12 months in May.
Co-op Live have made a commitment to the people and the planet, promising to donate £1 million annually to the Co-op Foundation.
The stunning Co-op Live venue, Manchester’s largest indoor arena.Elbow performing at Co-op Live, marking history as the first act to grace the venue.Credit: Audio North/Supplied
Manchester’s latest live music venue also contributed significantly to selected charities, including Happy Doggo – chosen by Liam Gallagher and Eric Clapton’s addiction recovery centre, Crossroads.
As Elbow teams up with Co-op Live, even more money is making its way to necessary resources, this time in the likes of crucial live music establishments.
Elbow front-person Guy Garvey says: “Playing Co-op Live’s opening night will stay with us for a lifetime, not least because of how incredible the room sounded.”
“When the venue donated funds in our name to support the city we love, it made complete sense to carry that through to the Northern Quarter and to venues that have meant so much to my bandmates and I throughout our career.”
Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Co-op Live, adds: “In the past year, I have been proud to see Co-op Live become an integral part of such an incredible city.”
“Teaming up with Elbow to directly support the venues that first put Manchester on the map, and to share something so intrinsic to us as venues – proper sound – is something truly special.”
The Manc -
29th September 2020 
