Hello there. That greeting may be giving Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars vibes, and we can’t lie, we have listened to some cantina music while working this month… but not as much as we’ve been immersing ourselves in more new Manchester artists.
You should know the drill by now, and it is very much a what-it-says-on-the-tin scenario, but every few weeks, we round up some of the music – all crucially hailing from the Greater Manchester area – that we’ve been listening to of late.
We don’t discriminate when it comes to genre either. There’s only one simple rule: if it’s good, then we listen to it and then, hopefully, so do you.
Get your playlists at the ready.
Five Manc music artists we’ve been listening to recently
1. Arkayla
First up for June are relative newcomers Arkayla, whose name is inspired by “a terrible Oasis demo” from 1991 (their words, not ours – thought it is…) of the same name, a.k.a. ‘I Will Show You’, in which describe Liam Gallagher’s now legendary as once sounding “like a dodgy Ian Brown impressionist.”
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However, there’s nothing dodgy about these lot and, thankfully, they’re in an era when you don’t have to hand out tapes recorded in the Boardwalk basement on the street to be heard. The Manchester band, which only formed in 2020, may be Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, but they’ve already got a sound.
There’s an unmistakable British indie element to them and hints at everything from The Kooks to The Lathums, but most notably, there are ’60s guitar notes and some real maturity already. Standouts include ‘Ella Malone’, the acoustic version of ‘Lost In a Valentine’, where the lead singer, Cal Blakebrough, really shines, and ‘Rita’ is such an addictive track.
They don’t get more unknown, undiscovered, but sure to be up-and-coming than iNNAFIELD, who are a female-fronted psychedelia-forward five-piece with roots in Brighton but building a career in 0161. Having recently shone at The Deaf Institute playing a support slot at Academy 1, they have our interest.
If a glimpse of lead singer Jessie Amy Leask’s curly hair, 70s belts and long, flowing skirts plants Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac in your mind, you’d be right in thinking so; a listen to their other live tracks scattered across their socials confirms there’s plenty of other influences going on too, though.
Now, they’ve only got one proper recording out on Spotify called ‘Tell Me What’s On Your Mind’, but we’ve had it popping up on our algorithms everywhere, and we can see why: there’s soft, twinkly strumming, soft almost sleepy vocals before a nice big breakout at the end. Glorious stuff.
No, not that one, the Princess of Monaco isn’t back from the dead, but ‘r Grace Kelly, who is based right here in Greater Manchester, is playing her part in the ongoing country revival taking place across the music world, offering her soulful voice and faux American-folk vibes to our ears.
She may not be a Mancunian by birth, having moved from New Zealand to our shores back in 2022, and although the weather change might have been a big sea change for her, there’s no culture shock to be found in her style; from the audio to the aesthetic, it still somehow feels pretty authentic.
Uplifting acoustic guitars, drum brush strokes, solos, Southern-twang harmonies – you name it, all the ingredients are there. The thing is, if you spend enough time immersing yourself in a genre, you can still pull off tracks like ‘Carry On’, ‘San Jose’ and the intimate ‘For Us To Change’.
We’re really lane switching when it comes to genre this month; maybe it’s because festival season is in full swing and we’re just being exposed to so much different stuff in a short space of time, all we know is we’re not complaining about it.
And neither should you, especially when you’ve got names like hip-hop, grime, soul and flag-flying Afrobeats rising star, Prido, being platformed. Blending all the above with R’n’B and a sprinkling of not just Northern but easily detectable Manc slant, it makes his music stand out in the ever-thriving space.
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‘Free Ur Mind’ was the first track we ever heard, so we’ve struggled to shake that as our favourite, but ‘DND’ is a supremely dancey but chill example of laid-back of the genre that you need in your mixes this summer, and we also have a soft spot for his verse on the sensual ‘Lifeboat’ by Prima.
Last but not least on our list of new Manchester artists for this June, we’ve got local DJ Josh Baker, whose name you might recognise from the headlines surrounding Parklife 2025, as his set was unfortunately cancelled due to problems out of his control.
Festival-goers flocked to The Matinee Stage for a highly anticipated back-to-back bill of Baker followed by Dutch counterpart Chris Stussy, both of whom have thrilled some of the biggest club crowds in the country – sadly, he didn’t get to do so this time. That being said, we thought we’d give him a shout-out.
We’ll confess to only having got around to his discography following this news, but ‘Back It Up’, ‘Something To Me’, and ‘You Don’t Own Me’ with Prospa and RAHH are all bangers. We’re looking forward to listening to more.
And that should just about do you; there are five artists and, at the very least, 15 new tracks for you to give a go – there should be at least of few of them you like.
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But, let’s be honest: be it unheard, new, current, old or anything in between, Manchester music very rarely ends up being filed in the skippable category.
Then again, you can always check out last month’s list of Manc artists from last month and see if you get a better hit ratio.
Featured Images — Prido (via Facebook)/Arkayla (via X)/Grace Kelly (via Facebook)
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Mancs are being urged to bring tins of beans to upcoming gig – for a very wholesome reason
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Gig-goers in Manchester are being urged to bring tins of beans and other non-perishable items to a concert with them this month, for an excellent cause.
Squeeze are once again calling on fans, if they are able, to support UK charity helping those struggling this winter.
The band will be installing collection points at venues right across their tour, including their upcoming gig at the O2 Apollo in Manchester.
As Squeeze’s biggest ever UK headline tour, Tried, Tested and Trixies, joined by special guest Billy Bragg, launches this week, the iconic rock band are encouraging fans to help tackle food poverty by donating whatever they are able to.
Squeeze’s chosen charity, Trussell, is committed to alleviating nationwide poverty, through supplying emergency food and support to those in need and have been involved with the band for eight years and counting.
Since the beginning of the relationship back in 2018, generous fans attending Squeeze and Glenn Tilbrook shows have supported the initiative by donating an extraordinary 5.15 tons of food and raised £72,552 for Trussell’s food banks.
For the Manchester gig, collection points will be available at the O2 Apollo on Monday 23 November, where fans can donate non-perishable food items or make financial contributions towards the appeal. All donations will go directly to Trussell’s food banks, making a tangible difference to members of our communities.
It is important to note that fans are encouraged to check what their local food bank needs most before donating. Further guidance can be found HERE.
Glenn Tilbrook says: “When I first started collecting for food banks back in 2018, I had no idea how much our fans would take it to heart. The response has been overwhelming, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together.
“But it’s deeply troubling that, eight years later, so many people are still struggling to put food on the table. The need hasn’t gone away, and neither has our determination to help.
Squeeze are urging people to bring food bank donations to their gigs. Credit: Brett Jordan on Unsplash
“If you’re coming to see us, please bring something along if you can, whether it’s a few tins of food or a couple of pounds. The audiences have been brilliant in the past, and I’m hoping we can make this our biggest collection yet.”
Chris Difford adds: “Our fans have been absolutely incredible in the way they’ve supported Trussell over the years. It’s genuinely moving to see people arriving at our shows carrying bags of food, knowing that what they’ve brought will help someone in the local community.
“We’ve always been very lucky to have such loyal and generous audiences, and this is another reminder of just how special they are. We’re hoping everyone will get behind the collections again on this tour. Even a small donation can make a real difference.”
Food banks across the UK continue to face enormous pressure, especially during winter, with households struggling with the rising costs of heating, food and other essentials that many of us take for granted.
Trussell recently shared that food banks in its community provided more than 2.6 million emergency food parcels last year, with over 900,000 of those parcels for children, as well as the amount of parcels provided to the elderly more than tripling between 2019 and 2025.
Emma Revie, co-chief executive of Trussell, said: “Too many people this winter will be struggling to make ends meet, as families are forced to make impossible decisions like whether to put food on the table or turn their heating on.
“Shockingly, we expect our community of food banks to distribute around 600,000 emergency food parcels to people facing hunger and hardship this winter. This isn’t right, and we refuse to stand by while so many of us can’t afford to eat, keep warm and pay the bills.
“That’s why we are so grateful to Squeeze for supporting Trussell once again on their upcoming tour. The band and their fans generosity will make a huge difference and allow our food banks to continue providing vital support to people without enough money to live on.”
Aside from this initiative, Squeeze will also be donating £1 for every ticket sold throughout their 16-date UK tour, to support grassroots music venues, artists, and promoters, recognising the role the independent music scene plays in nurturing future generations.
This tour, celebrating the release of the band’s critically acclaimed new studio album, Trixies is to be one to remember, combining new music with classics such as ‘Up The Junction,’ ‘Cool For Cats,’ and ‘Tempted.’
Trixies is both the band’s first studio album in eight years as well as being the first album the band ever wrote which has received widespread acclaim, with MOJO awarding it five stars.
Trust us this isn’t one to miss – click HERE to get your hands on some of the last remaining tickers of rthe Manchester gig.
KPop Demon Hunters’ HUNTR/X announce huge arena show in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Animated K-pop sensation KPop Demon Hunters will take to the stage in Manchester as part of a huge global arena tour.
Fans of Netflix smash hit KPop Demon Hunters will have the chance to see HUNTR/X live in Manchester next year, as the group brings its highly anticipated Golden World Tour to the AO Arena.
Rumi, Mira, and Zoey will arrive in the city next autumn, as part of a UK tour which will also visit Glasgow, Birmingham and London.
Announced by Netflix and AEG Presents, the KPop Demon Hunters Golden World Tour will kick off globally in June 2027, with almost 50 cities and more than 150 performances planned across 2027 and 2028.
Promising to be much more than a traditional concert, the production will bring the world of KPop Demon Hunters to life through cutting-edge technology, live-action performers, spectacular stunts and the film’s hugely popular music and choreography.
Fans can expect appearances from HUNTR/X members Rumi, Mira and Zoey, alongside the Saja Boys and Derpy Tiger, in an immersive experience designed to make the audience part of the action.
The show will feature music from the Netflix film, including its record-breaking hit Golden, with fans invited to sing and dance along as HUNTR/X take on their next adventure.
Since its release in June 2025, KPop Demon Hunters has become Netflix’s most popular film of all time, attracting more than 670 million views. Its soundtrack has also become a global phenomenon, with more than 15 billion streams worldwide.
The track Golden has enjoyed huge international success, becoming the first K-pop song to win both an Oscar and a Grammy.
Tickets for the KPop Demon Hunters Manchester show at AO Arena will go on general sale at 10am on Friday 20 November 2026.
There will also be opportunities to access tickets earlier, with the Mastercard presale beginning at 10am on Wednesday 18 November, followed by the FOR THE FANS presale at 10am on Thursday 19 November.
KPop Demon Hunters UK tour dates 2027
The UK leg of the Golden World Tour will visit four cities in October:
Tuesday 12 October – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Saturday 16 October – Utilita Arena Birmingham (matinee and evening)
Tuesday 19 October – AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 22 October – The O2, London
Saturday 23 October – The O2, London (matinee and evening)
Further international dates are expected to be announced.
Danny Jones -
30th June 2025 
