Sometimes, life loves to throw a great big curveball at you. 2020 was that curveball.
But even after the most shambolic year in recent history, it hasn’t silenced our city’s music.
Now more than ever it’s important to take care of ourselves and each other. Musicians are finding their own ways of addressing mental health issues within the strained music industry.
When DJ and producer Liam Hyphen learnt that a close friend had taken his own life during lockdown last year, he wanted to pay tribute in the only way he knew how – through music. “This is for him, and everyone else we’ve lost,” Liam told Audio.
Dormancy is a project born out of grief, pain and loss – and the end result is a product of Liam’s resilience and determination.
But his inspiration for the project was not only the loss of his friend, but actually the loss of his own path over the past year.
Knowing he needed to make some changes, he invested in some new music and photography equipment to embark on a new venture. He hoped it would inspire and enable him to express himself – and it did.
“It came from a place of anger initially. I was getting sick and tired of feeling like I didn’t deserve a place within the music community in Manchester,” he told us.
“Everyone seems to have a team or group of people around them, but I mainly do it all on my own. Whenever I play a gig, nine times out of 10 I’m rocking up on my own. I’m in the studio on my own. I enjoy it, but it makes things that extra bit difficult.
“So, I decided right, I’m gonna finish this [project] and prove to myself that I can do it. Then came the idea of not just doing it for myself, but for everyone else that is struggling in Manchester. All the bartenders, the photographers, the DJs, the chefs, the waiting staff – everyone who makes it tick.”
Liam Hyphen/Instagram
Unaware of the scale of task ahead, Liam went on to produce the track. But along with it, a fitting video that pays tribute to Manchester’s hospitality and music heritage, which he says took a painstakingly long time to get right. Ever the perfectionist, it seems!
“There were lots of trips around Manchester during daily exercise collecting clips of as many places as possible – and then loads more when I remembered somewhere I’d missed. Which happened a lot.
“Then came the editing – oh my god. I didn’t have a clue where to start. Originally, I just stuck them all together. Then figured out that I could place them to fit with the music and just kept learning and finding other ways to make it look like it wasn’t done by someone on their phone.
“I’m really happy with how it’s turned out because of how much effort and love has gone into it. But I know in the production world it’s actually very basic. Big respect to videographers and filmmakers.
Liam Hyphen/Instagram
The track itself takes inspiration from Manchester’s acid house era, fused with breaks and hard-hitting drums. Liam wanted to create something versatile – something for the clubs as well as easy-listening. He’s done just that by producing something with such an atmospheric vibe.
Liam knows everyone will interpret the track differently, but that’s the beauty of music. “I imagine it’ll mean something different to everyone. Manchester is a city full of great culture and connects people from all different backgrounds,” he said.
“The hospitality and nightlife industry bring those people together and it is incredibly important. For me, it reminds me of all those people. It doesn’t matter who you are. That’s what makes Manchester so great – no judgement.”
Liam Hyphen/Instagram
Liam hopes Dormancy will raise a bit of money in the process. A percentage of the sales will be going to So Let’s Talk, a mental health charity who are supporting people within Manchester’s nightlife and hospitality industry.
“Paddy, who runs it, is doing amazing things and I wish there was more I could do. If anyone reading this is struggling, please reach out to them, or someone, or anyone. You’re not alone.”
This isn’t the first time Liam has had a crack at lifting Manchester’s spirits. A few months back, he drove around the streets of city centre on an open top bus, together with some other top-name DJs and blasted tunes.
Now that Dormancy is ready for release, Liam looks back on the “emotional journey” and admits he’s bloody knackered after it all.
But he does reckon that Dormancy is the first record he’s actually finished. It just shows that good things come with determination and passion – and they’re always worth the work. There’s nothing like that sense of achievement, is there?
It’s a wholesome story and Liam should be proud of himself. By the sounds of it, he needs a nap now, though.
Dormancy is out on 6 February, check it out! You can also listen to his Manc Mixtapes episode here.
Audio
Bob Vylan dropped from Manchester music festival following Glastonbury controversy
Danny Jones
English punk rap duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from an upcoming music festival in Manchester following the recent controversy surrounding their set at Glastonbury 2025.
The media storm surrounding their much-talked-about and heavily televised Glasto appearance has seen them reportedly dropped by their agency and their US Visas cancelled, along with multiple concerts – one of those being right here in Greater Manchester.
Bob Vylan were scheduled to play RADAR Fest at Victoria Warehouse in Stretford this weekend, but now the organisers have informed gig-goers that the artists will not be performing in their planned slot on Saturday.
The alternative music event did provide any additional details, posting nothing but this image:
For anyone unaware, Vylan were heavily criticised for the pro-Palestine chants, which Glastonbury itself has deemed as having “crossed a line”, labelling the chants against the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as antisemitic.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also commented on the situation.
In addition to RADAR, Vylan were also due to appear at Kave Fest in France the following Sunday, 6 July, but the music event has also decided not to host them.
The BBC also opted not to broadcast Northern Irish band Kneecap as part of their coverage this year, as the Belfast rap trio have also been outspoken on the issue, among many other musicians of late.
Responding to the decision on social media not long after the news broke, the act simply shared the post on their Instagram story along with the caption: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester, we will be back.”
Manchester crowned one of the world’s best cities for music lovers
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been crowned one of the world’s best cities for music lovers, even beating out New York along the way.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known and loved for over anything else, it’s music.
From Oasis and Joy Division, to Happy Mondays, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, The 1975, and even more modern-day acts, there’s no end to the amount of talented artists this city has produced or been home to over the years, all contributing to Manchester being one of the most prestigious music cities there is.
The city’s live music scene has always been thriving, and that continues right through to this very day, as you’ll see big-name musicians including Manchester as a destination in their UK tour schedules more often than not.
This summer is all set to be a sensational celebration of sound, as not only is an immersive art trail, Music for the Senses, taking over the city from this week, but this year’s annual Manchester Day will be music-themed too, marking one of the biggest years for Manchester music in a long time.
Manchester has been named one of the best cities in the world for music lovers / Credit: Manchester City Council | Eldhose Kuryian (via Unsplash)
Oh, and there’s also the small matter of Oasis reforming for a UK tour, including a run of gigs at Heaton Park this month.
So it’s no surprise that Manchester has been named one of the best cities in the world for music lovers, especially as the IFPI Global Music Report has revealed that the UK has the third largest music market globally – with the music industry’s contribution to the UK economy being £6.7 billion on average.
Taking this recent report into consideration, the experts over at SeatPick have collated data to uncover the best UK cities for music lovers, analysing factors such as the number of concerts, homegrown talents, music businesses, and the total number of music venues, to reveal each city’s overall music score out of 10.
Coming in at second place with a music scene score of 8.97/10 is Manchester.
2025 is all set to be a sensational summer of sound in our city / Credit: Supplied
“Manchester remains one of the UK’s most iconic music cities and with 1,204 concerts between 2025-2026, 116 live music venues, and 380 homegrown acts, the city’s live music offering is as strong as ever,” SeatPick said of its findings.
“2025 is shaping up to be a historic year for Manchester, with Oasis reuniting for the first time in over a decade, with a massive comeback show at Heaton Park – the very spot where they played their last hometown gig in 2009.”
While Manchester may have missed out on the UK’s top spot, with that title going to London, in the global rankings, our city has claimed an impressive sixth place, beating out New York’s influential music scene.
Liverpool and Leeds are two of the other northern cities in the UK’s top 10, taking fifth and sixth place respectively.
“Cities which have a larger number of music businesses are key in creating the perfect city for music fans, as this impacts the city’s cultural, economic, and social vibrancy,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO of SeatPick.
“A thriving music scene within a city means it can provide more artistic expression, support a wider range of genres, and enrich the cultural landscape, as well as attracting creative talent.”
Hannah Starkie -
5th February 2021 
