A second wave of artists has been added to the lineup for this year’s Green Island Festival, the hidden gem Manchester music festival tucked away inside a garden centre.
Genuinely one of our favourite festivals anywhere in the region, Green Island Festival 2024 is already looking set to welcome more people through its verdant doors at
Taking place for its fourth year, the fundamentally grassroots Manchester music festival takes place across three parts over at Hulme Garden Centre just on the outskirts of the city centre and has quickly become a cult classic.
Promising three spectacular days and nights this summer and championing all things new and local on the music scene, you won’t find many more diverse lineups or crowds on this year’s calendar. Speaking of, here’s a look at who they’ve added as part of their second wave:
Taking place on 15 June, 27 July and 7 September this year, Green Island 2024 is now set to welcome nearly 100 acts from Greater Manchester and beyond as well as more than 1000 festivalgoers in their biggest edition yet.
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Local experimental hip-hop jazz band Jointhedots have been added to the main stage in July, joining the likes of Def MaMa Def – two powerful women and rising stars of Senegal’s music scene – as well the smooth as silk R&B soul singer, Victoria Jane and contemporary jazz artist, corto.alto as headliners.
As for the other four stages spread throughout the beloved Manchester garden centre, which has served as a significant cultural hub in the Hulme neighbourhood since the Millenium, names like Ni Maxine, Ubunye the Zulu, Manchester legend of Finders Keepers Records fame, Andy Votel, upcoming DJ Jade Li and many more will be leaving their mark. Even local artist Stanley Chow is getting involved.
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With the Forest Stage firming itself as instant success from day one and The Bandstand stage now a permanent fixture at the garden centre even outside of the festival, this thing just keeps growing every year and it won’t stay the best-kept secret for long, so don’t miss out what is sure to be a belter.
Better still, Green Island Festival serves up great food from local independent vendors every year, plenty of sunny cocktails and alcohol-free options, places to chill like the soothing chamomile bed and so much more. Trust us, when the sun shines on this thing it is unmatched vibes.
As well as live music at NIAMOS next door, there’s also a whole host of afterparties for each of the three all-day festivals over at YES in the city centre and the organisers are encouraging everyone to donate an extra quid for every ticket sale to local charity Eat Well MCR, because they’re a sound bunch as well.
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In case we haven’t made it abundantly clear already, we’re very big fans of Green Island Fest not just simply because of the live music or the slightly quirky setting, but because of the all-day schedule, family-friendly approach and the immensely wholesome summery atmosphere it gives off every year.
Get yourself down there to at least one of them, if not all three, and we’ll see you there (most likely at the Forest Stage). Grab your tickets HERE.
Andy Burnham’s favourite Manchester pub, restaurant, neighbourhood and Sunday roast
Daisy Jackson
Andy Burnham’s favourite pub, restaurant, neighbourhood, and Sunday roast have been revealed – and the man’s got taste.
Old footage of now-PM Andy Burnham chatting to content creator Isaac Likes has been doing the rounds again, and while the interview dates back to before Andy left us and headed down to the big smoke, his Manchester recommendations still stand.
From his go-to neighbourhood and favourite pub to where he heads for a Sunday roast, and even the song he likes to play when he gets behind the decks, Burnham gave us a glimpse into his ideal Manchester day.
First up, there’s the Northern Quarter, which Burnham reckons has to be his favourite neighbourhood in the city.
He said: “Got to be the Northern Quarter. It’s the place where it’s all happening.”
When it comes to food, he singled out Firehouse, sitting on the edge of the Northern Quarter, as one of his favourite places to eat. He also gave a shoutout to its sister venue Ramona, where he’s been known to get behind the decks.
Andy said: “On the edge of the Northern Quarter, Firehouse is a place I love to go. Ramona Pizza, I’ve DJ’d there – if the mayor DJs there it’s gotta be alright.”
For a proper pint, Burnham’s choice is a little more traditional, saying his favourite pub is the ‘proper old school’ Peveril of the Peak.
The beautiful tiled pub was recently named the best in the UK, just days before its legendary landlady Nancy passed away.
When Sunday rolls around, Burnham said he has a couple of options up his sleeve. The Wharf in Castlefield gets a mention, as does Edinburgh Castle up in Ancoats.
The Peveril of the Peak pub in ManchesterThe Edinburgh CastleFirehouseSome of Andy Burnham’s favourite places in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
He said: “We love our gravy, we drink it by the pint in Manchester.”
Of course, no conversation with Burnham about Manchester would be complete without talking music.
Asked to name the best Manchester band of all time, he offered a few contenders – The Smiths, New Order, and, ultimately, The Stone Roses.
“The band I think are quintessentially Manchester is The Stone Roses. That was peak Manchester,” he said.
Fontaines D.C. announce massive return to Manchester on new European tour
Daisy Jackson
Fontaines D.C. have just announced their biggest headline tour to date, including a massive arena gig here in Manchester.
The wildly popular Irish rock band are set to play a whopping 20 arena shows across Europe and the UK this autumn.
The tour has been announced in celebration of their upcoming fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber, which is set for release this October.
Fontaines D.C. will hit the road just five days after the album drops, kicking off their European tour in Lisbon on 21 October.
Then they’ll make their way over to the UK, with shows in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham and London.
Fans in their home country of Ireland are told to stay tuned for live news very soon.
As we speak, Fontaines D.C. are warming up to play one of the country’s biggest festivals, with headline slots at Reading & Leeds Festival.
They’ve already released Marianne, the first single from their new album, and frontman Grian Chatten says of the album: “The album itself is a dopamine chamber. You step inside and we test these different mind- or mood-altering pieces of music on you.”
The new record has been recorded between London, the English countryside, and Palermo, where Chatten recorded vocals in a makeshift booth built from mattresses and cushions.
He said: “There’s a poignant sense of us being on the brink of some other kind of form of humanity, or non-humanity.”
Tickets will go on general sale at 10am on Thursday 3 September, with pre-sale live from 10am on Tuesday 1 September.
You can access tickets for Fontaines D.C. in Manchester HERE.
Fans who pre-order Dopamine Chamber from the official store by 6pm on Monday 31 August will gain access to the UK pre-sale.
Fontaines D.C. UK tour dates in full
Friday 20 November – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
Saturday 21 November – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
Sunday 22 November – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Tuesday 24 November – Leeds, UK – First Direct Bank Arena
Wednesday 25 November – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Danny Jones -
9th April 2024 
