The 20 longlisted festivals for the Favourite Festival of the Year award at the inaugural Nordoff and Robbins Northern Music Awards (NMAs) have been announced.
Some of the biggest music events from across the north of England have been selected, with The Manc’s audience completing the list this week.
Among those up for the title are huge names like Kendal Calling, Leeds Festival, Parklife, Creamfields North and Bluedot, plus smaller locally-loved festivals such as Highest Point and Moovin Festival.
After 19 festivals were selected by the NMA’s panel of music industry professionals judges, it was over to you to pick the 20th.
And we can now reveal that you’ve clubbed together to nominate Right to Roam festival in Bolton to complete the Festival of the Year Award shortlist.
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You can cast your vote below to choose the overall winner of the award.
The Nordoff and Robbins Northern Music Awards will be the first of its kind to celebrate the northern music scene, and will take place on 30 November at Aviva Studios, the home of world-renowned Factory International.
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The performance-packed show, headlined by Special Recognition Award winner Melanie C, will kickstart a new chapter in celebrating diverse talent from the North of England, year after year. Tickets will be on sale soon – sign up for early bird access.
After the inaugural event, the awards will be hosted in a different northern city every year and will continue to recognise the breadth of musical talent across the north of England.
The Northern Music Awards have been created by the UK’s largest music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins, to raise awareness of their transformative work and fundraise for more music therapy provision throughout the region, including the opening of a new dedicated music therapy centre which will open next year, in Salford.
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Awards categories range from Newcomer of the Year to Artist of the Year, Band of the Year, DJ of the Year, Disruptor and the Northern Music Award.
A special Music and Culture for Wellbeing award will showcase outstanding and innovative creative arts provision in the North, that uses music and culture to support and connect with people that face health, wellbeing and socio-economic challenges.
We here at The Manc will be proud sponsors of the Favourite Festival of the Year category.
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston, head of brand partnerships at The Manc, said: “We at The Manc are incredibly excited and proud to be sponsoring the Favourite Festival award at the Northern Music Awards.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to really champion the awesome festivals we have across the North of England. We have always been proud supporters of Northern music talent and events and we are thrilled that Nordoff and Robbins are bringing these awards to Manchester in November.”
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Indie icons The Kooks have announced a huge Manchester gig on UK arena tour
Daisy Jackson
The Kooks have announced a huge UK arena tour, which will see the indie icons performing here in Manchester this autumn.
The new tour, which features their biggest-ever headline show, has been announced in support of their upcoming seventh studio album, Never/Know.
And The Kooks will be supported by a big North West name for their tour – Breakthrough Act of the Year, The K’s.
The Kooks are icons of the British indie music scene, releasing their breakthrough album Inside In / Inside Out almost two decades ago, spawning huge hits like Naïve, You Don’t Love Me and She Moves In Her Own Way.
The group’s newly-announced major UK tour features a stop in their hometown of Brighton.
The Kooks will be performing at The Co-op Live in Manchester, as well as venues in Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham and London, this autumn on the Never/Know tour.
The Kooks will play Manchester on their new UK tour. Credit: Maria VillanuevaThe Kooks will play Manchester on their new UK tour. Credit: Jordan Munns
Their album of the same name is slated for release on 9 May, which has already featured springtime anthem Sunny Baby.
Speaking about the single, frontman Luke Pritchard said, “We’re told how bad everything is at the moment; everything’s sh*t; the world’s sh*t.
“And I was like, I’m just going to refuse to not let these be the best years of life, because I’ve got a young family. It’s about me getting to a balanced life; having a family. It’s a love song about someone making me fall back in love with myself.”
The Kooks will play at Co-op Live in Manchester on Friday 3 October, with general release tickets on sale at 10am on Friday 25 April HERE.
The Kooks 2025 UK tour dates
Friday 3 October – Co-op Live – Manchester
Saturday 4 October – Cardiff Utilita Arena – Cardiff
Sunday 5 October – Brighton Centre – Brighton
Thursday 9 October – Newcastle Utilita Arena – Newcastle
Featured image: Party in the Paddock and Renae Saxby
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Manc music legend Peter Hook is running his fourteenth Great Manchester Run for charity
Emily Sergeant
Manchester music icon Peter Hook is taking on an incredible endurance challenge for charity next month.
The Great Manchester Run is coming up next month on Sunday 18 May, with thousands of runners taking up the 10K or Half Marathon challenges either for their own personal achievements, or in the name of a number of worthy causes.
First staged in 2003 as a legacy event following the Manchester-hosted Commonwealth Games in 2002, the 10K has grown to be one of the largest in Europe, and in recent years, it has evolved to include a popular half marathon too.
35,000 runners are taking on the challenge this year, with 100,000 supporters set to line the streets… and one of those runners is none other than the legend himself, Peter Hook.
Incredibly, this is the fourteenth time the former bassist and co-founder of two of Manchester’s biggest bands, Joy Division and New Order, has taken part in the Great Manchester Run.
And it’s also the fourteenth time he’s raising money for The Christie Charity in the process.
Manc music legend Peter Hook is running his fourteenth Great Manchester Run for charity next month / Credit: Wikipedia Commons | Great Run Company
Hooky, as he’s affectionately known by friends and fans, took on his first run in 2006 and has continued over the years raising money for The Christie Charity – which supports the work of The Christie hospital in Manchester.
Peter’s relationship with The Christie and its charity started when he lived in Withington for many years and saw patients going into the hospital for treatment, and sadly things became very personal when two good friends, as well as family members were treated there – his former manager Tony Wilson, musician Dave Dee, and his aunt and father-in-law.
“I love running as it clears my head, and I can’t think of a better cause to run in support of,” Peter Hook explained ahead of the Great Manchester Run next month.
“The feeling of hope and solidarity on the day is fantastic and the sense of achievement when you finish is second to none, so I’m extremely proud to be representing The Christie Charity and supporting the wonderful work it does.”
Josh Hughff, who is the mass participation events officer at The Christie Charity, added: “Hooky is one of our longest standing event participants and we’re delighted he has chosen to support us again this year.
“He knows better than most just how important the work of The Christie is and how crucial charity fundraising is, as it allows us to fund life-changing and life-saving projects that will benefit cancer patients both now and in the future.”
Daisy Jackson -
15th August 2023 
