More than 100 exciting artists are set to perform on 17 stages dotted across Salford this spring.
In case you hadn’t heard, 2026 is the year Salford is celebrating 100 years since it was first declared its own city, and to celebrate such a monumental occasion, the popular Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC) festival has now released its full lineup ahead of its return on the early May Bank Holiday weekend.
Salford’s long-running independent festival of new music is known for its genre-spanning showcase of new artists from across the UK and beyond.
This year’s festival is curated by some of the most exciting promoters, record labels, radio stations, magazines, and tastemakers in the North.
Music lovers will get the chance to see artists in a wide range of independent venues and unconventional spaces across the city – with 17 stages around Chapel Street and The Crescent, from pubs and churches, to concert halls and galleries.
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Artists announced today include the uncategorisable masked provocateur Lynks, South African ‘future ghetto funk’ trailblazer Moonchild Sanelly, Manchester-based artist jasmine.4.t, who has recently been named BBC 6 Music Artist of the Year 2025.
Other artists to look out for include Grey Lantern, FaT OuT, ambient pop artist Pollyfromthedirt, genre-straddling South London six-piece, Blue Bendy, South London trio ashnymph, and Manchester quartet Pyncher.
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The Sounds From The Other City festival has released its 2026 lineup / Credit: Breige Cobane (Supplied)
One of the undeniable highlights of the lineup is that the spiritual home of the festival, Islington Mill, will be programmed day and night by the legendary Band on the Wall, multi-award-winning Reform Radio, Manchester’s infamous queer day-rave BENT, and the LGBTQ+ POC collective Swagga, with performances from Sorvina, Renee Stormz, and Chimpo.
“This year, we’re shining a spotlight on Salford’s independent venues and the selectors in the North who shape our programme,” commented Emma Thompson, Co-Director of From The Other, as the lineup was announced this week.
“Giving these organisations the space to showcase the artists they champion is vital, not just for discovering emerging talent, but to recognise how important these spaces are for our scene.”
Sounds From The Other City 2026 takes place on Sunday 3 May, and tickets go on sale this week – with Early Bird ticket access available to mailing list subscribers from tomorrow (Thursday 29 January) and the remaining tickets going on general sale from Friday 30 January.
Prices remain unchanged from 2025 with tiers at £30/35/40/45, and you can get tickets when they go live here.
Featured Image – Breige Cobane (Supplied)
What's On
Oasis are back…in surreal new Britpop comedy ‘The Battle’ at the Opera House Manchester
Clementine Hall
The greatest pop rivalry of all time has been turned into a quick-witted, razor-sharp comedy.
And do you know what? It’s a proper laugh.
Oasis vs Blur, north vs south… it really is a tale as old as time, and one that symbolised a divided nation back in 1995.
This new play, written by past record industry bod John Niven, explores the testosterone-fuelled tantrums that came after the decision to release Blur’s Country House singlealongside Oasis’ Roll With It.
Image: Supplied (Helen Murray)
We’re plunged into backstage Britpop bickering right at the very start at none other than the Brit Awards, which is quite apt for a Manchester audience who have just witnessed the city hosting the awards for the first time.
From the offset, Paddy Stafford and George Usher who played Noel and Liam Gallagher, proved themselves as standout performances.
The physical mannerisms, the vocal nuances, they both had it down to an absolute T and looked exceptional in parkas, might I add.
Images: Supplied (Helen Murray)
By portraying such icons, in Manchester no less, you’re opening yourself up to a lot of criticism but their performances, which could’ve been perceived as awkward impressions, were the highlight of the evening.
The first act explores the rivalry between the two bands in depth, featuring countless slinging matches that are peppered with quick-witted remarks and plenty of swearing.
The between-scenes animations by John O’Connor portray radio DJs stoking the hysteria with the latest gossip, which is a nice way to keep the audience in check with whats going on amidst the chaos.
Image: Supplied (Helen Murray)
But it’s in the second act when things start to get really, really weird – and equally as fun.
I’m not going to spoil it for you, because that’s the whole point.
But what I will say is if you’re going for an Oasis singalong then you’re not going to get it, but you may want to brush up on your Take That lyrics.
The Battle is on at the Opera House Manchester until Saturday 21 March and you can get your tickets here.
The best beer gardens in Manchester for when the sun is shining
The Manc
With the arrival of spring comes the first promises of sunshine and, being British, of course we’re already thinking about where to go for that first sun-soaked pint.
With the sun finally starting to stick its head out, even if his visit is brief, we expect we’ll be seeing plenty of packed beer gardens soon enough.
We all know the pain of walking pub-to-pub trying to find a seat on a sunny and/or warm Manchester day, so we’re rounding up the best, the biggest and the most hidden beer gardens in the city to help you to make the most of the good weather.
You might actually stand a chance at getting a seat in one of these, if you’re quick enough.
Thomas Street and Edge Street, Northern Quarter
Common on Edge StreetAd Hoc on Edge Street
This was one of the few positives to come out of the pandemic – removing vehicles from a back-to-back stretch of the Northern Quarter.
It means that the bars along Thomas Street and Edge Street can now fill the roads with tables and chairs in one giant beer garden, but being such a busy stretch it’s often the first place punters think to go for a drink in the sun.
You’ll find the likes of The Morris, Common, Ad Hoc, Terrace, Smithfield Social, the Bay Horse Tavern, Cane and Grain and Wolf At The Door all being given the al fresco treatment.
Terrace also has a gorgeous little hidden beer garden upstairs, and if you find yourself really struggling to find a perch head over to Trof which has a tiny little hidden beer garden on its middle floor.
The Wharf and Dukes 92, Castlefield
Two beer garden institutions both stand in the canal-side setting of Castlefield.
Both The Wharf and Dukes 92 are stuffed to the brim with pub-goers in spring and summer, thanks to their massive terraces, with more people spilling out onto the green lawns surrounding them.
Down here you’ll also find Bar Barca and Albert’s Shed, both in prime position for soaking up some rays with a broad array of seating on offer.
It’s one of the prettiest spots in the city centre too, right on the water with narrow boats and plenty of lush greenery in view.
Stevenson Square, Northern Quarter
Stevenson Square has turned into one giant beer garden in ManchesterPublic’s beer garden in Manchester
Very much in the same wheelhouse as the aforementioned Thomas Street is Stevenson Square, another pocket of the Northern Quarter that’s really still benefitting from those relaxed pavement licenses of 2020.
A number of local operators vie for precious outside space here, including Flok (which does a roaring trade in Aperol spritzes and peach Jubel in the summer), Public, The Faraday, and Eastern Bloc.
There are even a handful of seats outside Soup and Noho when the weather is good, even if they don’t get quite as much sunshine.
The Oast House, Spinningfields
Manchester’s massive free festival Manifest is back for the August bank holiday weekendManchester’s massive free festival Manifest is back for the August bank holiday weekend. Credit: The Manc Group
Beer gardens seem to be everywhere in Manchester these days, which is of course a good thing, but we still have a soft spot for the original outdoor watering hole.
Cast your mind back a few years and The Oast House was one of the only venues that really focused on an open-air offering.
It’s still the same today – masses of tables in the heart of Spinningfields, with bleacher seating all the way round, plus live entertainment and a belting Aperol Spritz.
The Corn Exchange
Banyan is one of the Corn Exchange bars with a great beer gardenSalvi’s sunny terrace at the Corn Exchange
Another corner of the city where bars and restaurants spill outside alongside one another is the Corn Exchange.
Its residents – including Salvi’s, Banyan and Cosy Club – almost all have their own terraces, but it’s the ones on the Exchange Square side who get the most sunshine.
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Neighbouring it, meanwhile, are two of Manchester’s oldest pubs – Sinclari’s Oyster Bar and The Old Wellington – both of which also boast large sun trap beer gardens, for those after something a little more traditional.
You might have to queue a little while, but with so much seating, you’ll be sipping a drink in the sun before you know it.
Cutting Room Square, Ancoats
Set in the middle of Ancoats, also known as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, Cutting Room Square is guaranteed to get the sun all day long – and with plenty of bars here to choose from you’re pretty much guaranteed to find a seat one way or another.
There’s the classic pub reborn Edinburgh Castle, brilliant cocktail bar Jane Eyre, and local brewery bar from Seven Brothers – drinkers are spoilt for choice.
You can even soak up some rays outside Rudy’s (and the Ancoats one is the OG pizzeria), perch outside the award-winning Erst with a nice glass of wine, or jump in to Elnecot’s patio, where you might even find a BBQ on sunny days.
Waterside neighbourhoods are difficult to find in Greater Manchester, which is what makes New Islington marina feel so special.
In the warmer months, the bars and cafes along here throw out the furniture so you can sit with a pint overlooking the water.
There’s Flawd, an award-winning wine bar; Cask, a brilliant local craft beer bar; and Pollen, if you fancy a pastry garden rather than a beer garden.
Piccadilly Trading Estate, East Piccadilly
Drinking around the Beermuda Triangle in Manchester
Beer paradise awaits just past Manchester Piccadilly, with plenty of beer garden space too, in an industrial estate that’s nicknamed the ‘Beermuda Traingle‘.
There’s the lovely Track Taproom with a huge outside space out the back; Cloudwater Taproom, which is an absolute sun trap; and then Balance Taproom and Sureshot just around the corner, which have less space but just as many vibes.
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It’s the perfect activity if you’re looking to drink really great beer and not walk very far whilst still visiting a range of top class spots, because after all…variety is the spice of life.
Society, central
Manchester bar Society to give away FREE Aperol Spritzes to gig-goersThe beer garden at Society Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Not only is this spot right on the water, with excellent views of the Bridgewater Hall, but it’s also home to the biggest beer collection in Manchester.
Society has a whopping 44 beer taps, with a vast range from loads of different top northern breweries, including Cloudwater, Pomona Island, and Rivington (along with a few globally-brewed favourites).
The new beer range is flowing now, alongside all those amazing food traders that call Society home too.
Mala, Northern Quarter
This ‘secret garden’ bar is right in the heart of the Northern Quarter in the midst of the pandemic and is another great outdoor space for getting the drinks in when the sun is shining.
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Tucked behind those big mint-green wooden boards on Dale Street is a cluster of picnic tables and wooden huts festooned with fairy lights and plants.
It might not be the tropics, but they’ve got the cocktails to trick your tastebuds into thinking it is – we’re talking frozen strawberry daiquiris and frozen pina coladas. Oh, and there’s beer too.
Emily Sergeant -
28th January 2026 
