The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has launched a brand new Artist of the Month scheme with BBC Radio Manchester to promote music from rising local artists.
Set up on Wednesday, 18 January, the new cultural initiative organised by the mayor and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will see a new artist spotlighted every month on Radio Manchester, with the scheme open to any and all emerging Manc acts.
The Artist of the Month will be chosen by a panel assembled by Greater Manchester Music Commission and is made up of musicians, promoters, venues and industry leaders, with Burnham himself making the final decision.
Once all the submissions have been reviewed, the mayor will announce the winner at the end of the month during his weekly ‘Hot Seat’ phone-in on Mike Sweeney’s show, before introducing one of their tracks to close the show.
📣 Are you a musician looking to break through in Greater Manchester?
🎧 You could be chosen as the Mayor’s Artist of the Month, have your song played on @BBCRadioManc, and get the chance to perform at one of the country’s biggest venues in 2024.
— Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham (@MayorofGM) January 12, 2023
The BBC Radio Manchester Artist of the Month will be promoted across both the station’s and the mayoral social media channels, with the aim of providing them with access to new opportunities like upcoming festivals and live events.
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For instance, winners will have the unique chance of performing to their growing fan base at the soon-to-be-completed Co-op Live, the UK’s biggest indoor venue, from 2024 onwards.
The combined GMCA and BBC scheme will also have a strong focus on representing the full diversity of backgrounds and genres that make up Greater Manchester’s iconic and ever-thriving music scene.
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Burnham’s love for music is plain to see; from his charity DJ sets to teaming up with The Courteeners to raise even more money for Manchester’s homeless population, he’s someone who clearly knows the power it has to bring people together. You absolutely love to see it.
Speaking in a statement on the GMCA’s website, Burnham said: “Everybody knows how rich our musical heritage is. But it didn’t happen by chance. Our city-region was lucky to have someone like Tony Wilson who relentlessly promoted our music and got it heard around the world.”
For anyone unaware of the important cultural figure, Wilson was not only a radio presenter for the BBC in the 70s and 80, but he was also the founder of Factory Records, responsible for producing Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays and more, as well as co-founder and manager of the legendary Haçienda.
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“We need to learn from Tony and do the same”, said Burnham. “There’s so much new music out there right now that deserves to be heard. I want to give emerging talent a platform but also make sure more established acts are getting the recognition they deserve. That’s what Artist of the Month is all about.”
Radio Manchester’s Executive Editor, Kate Squire, said, “we’re proud to be supporting this initiative of the Mayor’s in addition to our work promoting new bands through BBC Introducing in Manchester which has supported the likes of Blossoms, Aitch, Larkins … [there’s] so much talent in Greater Manchester we’re proud to showcase.”
The Chair of the Greater Manchester Music Commission, Jay Taylor, added: “More than ever we need to emphasize the connection between arena artists and the grassroots music venues they started in. This is a great opportunity to highlight and support the amazing talent we have playing on any given night in intimate venues across Greater Manchester”.
Nominations for January’s Artist of the Month are already open, so click HERE to find out more about the scheme and get voting for your favourite up-and-coming Mancunian artists.
Featured Image — Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Audio
Victoria Baths is ‘resurrecting’ its popular spooky silent disco this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
Halloween is on its way, and Silence of the Baths is being ‘resurrected’ for another year.
Returning for a ‘fright night of thrills’ after a sell-out debut in 2023, and then for a smash-hit revival of three of Manchester’s most iconic fallen nightclubs in 2024, Victoria Baths has announced that Silence of the Baths will be returning for its third year, transforming the stunning Grade II-listed building into one of the spookiest settings this Halloween.
For the popular one-off event, Victoria Baths is set to ‘show its darker side’, as the pool halls, Turkish Baths, and labyrinth of spaces undergo an epic Halloween makeover.
Victoria Baths is teaming up with Girls on Film for one of the best nights in the city this Halloween, as the historic space becomes a ‘haunted haven’ of glamour and ghosts.
Partygoers are encouraged to dress the part and wander through the empty pools and haunted corridors as each space is transformed into spooky playground filled with ghouls, spiders, bats, and coffins – but most importantly, good times.
From the balcony above the former pool, the Girls on Film crew will take over the silent disco with a trio of DJs on three different channels.
Hattie Pearson will be on Channel 1, Meme Gold on Channel 2, and the Channel 3 will have DJ MXw0rld.
Victoria Baths is ‘resurrecting’ its popular spooky silent disco this Halloween / Credit: Chris Payne (via Supplied)
As mentioned, ticketholders are being encouraged to ‘dress to distress’ on the night, not only because it’s Halloween, but also because the person with the most haunting look has the chance to win a Halloween Swag Bag.
There’ll be plenty of elixirs and spirits to sip on all night long, and don’t forget to strike a pose against the Baths’ iconic backdrop.
The Silence of the Baths III: The Return will take over Victoria Baths on Saturday 25 October, with doors creaking open from 7:30pm, and tickets are now on sale here and setting you back £20 each (plus a booking fee).
The event sold out last year, so early ticket purchase is recommended
All ticket purchases support the work of The Victoria Baths Trust to preserve Victoria Baths, so that communities can continue to enjoy this inspiring building.
Featured Image – Chris Payne (via Supplied)
Audio
DMA’s confirm highly anticipated Hills End 10th anniversary tour dates
Danny Jones
Indie favourites DMA’s have finally confirmed their highly anticipated Hills End anniversary tour, celebrating 10 years since their breakout debut album with several UK dates – including Manchester.
The Aussie band beloved by Brits and music fans all over have been teasing a reveal of some sort over the past weeks, but now the news is official.
Up there with the Sydney music scene’s finest exports right now, DMA’s have always had a strong following over here, but especially so up North and Manchester in particular, with their youthful, uplifting and moving style often striking up similarities to our own indie rock roots.
Revealing details of the Hills End 10th anniversary shows on social media this Monday, the talented trio have confirmed a number of Northern gigs.
Besides us Mancs being the first stop on the run of live shows (honoured, of course), perhaps the most exciting part about this announcement is that this will be the very first time DMA’s will be performing their maiden LP live in full.
At this time, we’re not sure whether or not they’ll be playing from start to finish in order, but either way, fans are understandably very excited; you can consider us here at Audio North firmly included in that group, by the way.
We’re sure we don’t need to remind you lot reading this per se, but cherished tracks from the record obviously include ‘Delete’, ‘Lay Down’, ‘In The Moment’.
They’ll also be playing working-class outposts like Newcastle and Glasgow, as well as paying a visit to our friends over at The Hoot in Yorkshire. You can see the full list of shows down below.
DMA’s Hills End 10th anniversary tour 2026 – UK dates
February
Friday 06 – O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester
Saturday 07 – NX, Newcastle
Sunday 08 – O2 Academy, Birmingham
Tuesday 10 – O2 Academy, Bristol
Thursday 12 – O2 Academy Brixton, London
Saturday 14 – O2 Academy, Leeds
Monday 16 – O2 Academy, Glasgow
May
Thursday 21 – Rock City, Nottingham
Friday 22 – UEA, Norwich
What an album this is.
“The UK has always felt like a second home for us. Hills End was where our story really began overseas, so it feels right to come back and celebrate it with the fans who’ve supported us from day one.”
Literally almost a full decade on from its release, the DMA’s anniversary tour kicks here in Manchester next Feb and, as of yet, no support act has been confirmed.
Tickets go on sale at 9am this Friday, 17 October; You can get ready to grab your tickets HERE.
Danny Jones -
18th January 2023 
