Manchester International Festival (MIF) has announced two initiatives to support the city’s music scene – which is still reeling from the devastating aftermath of COVID-19.
The first of the initiatives is MIF Sounds – which will pledge £10,000 to ten Manchester music creatives in producing new work.
Since lockdown, Manchester’s music scene has received very little governmental support. Creatives and musicians have been left without work and venues are in despair.
Two kingpins of the city, Gorilla and Deaf Institute, were even on the brink of total shutdown a few months back only to be saved by the skin of their teeth by Tokyo Industries. But the risk of closures elsewhere remains high.
Manchester artists Children of Zeus performing at MIF 2019
This financial support from MIF will provide some much-needed hope and encouragement to keep the city’s musical spirit alive. MIF organisers are open to ideas and want to hear from musicians, producers and creatives alike that have been hit by the pandemic and need help finding their feet.
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Jane Beese, Head of Music at MIF said: “MIF want to support the next generation of Manchester’s music industry who have been affected by the pandemic, to continue to create work.
“Maybe you need help to make or complete a recording project or you are a label promoting new releases or you are working in production and have a new piece of technology you want to advance.
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“Perhaps you are a promoter looking for support to present a socially distanced gig with a small audience with a live stream, or you just need some headspace and some time to make new music. We want to hear from you”
Festival in My House and Yours in action
The second initiative is funding for MIF’s online series Festival in My House and Yours: A programme launched during lockdown.
The idea brings together local people online to host digital micro-festivals in their own homes.
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It will offer six artists £1,800 to develop projects for the series.
Punam Ramchurn, Talent Development Manager at MIF said: “We’re really excited to offer these opportunities for creatives to develop and create work in these current times.
“From financial support, mentorship and learning new skills, we’re investing in artists across Greater Manchester, and passionate about building long lasting relationships as we head towards MIF21 and The Factory.”
Festival Square at MIF
MIF is one of the biggest dates in the city’s music calendar – bringing together people from all over Greater Manchester whilst introducing new art, music and theatre.
In the past, work displayed at the festival has gone on to reach worldwide audiences. Take a look back at previous festivals here.
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This is an amazing opportunity to play a part in maintaining Manchester’s world-renowned music heritage.
The deadline for proposals for MIF Sounds andFestival in My House and Yours is midday on Monday 5 October, and you must be a Greater Manchester resident to be eligible.
Good luck!
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Boyzone to reunite for exclusive New Year’s Eve special on the BBC
Danny Jones
2025 has very much been the year of the comeback – be it Oasis, Britpop fashion in general, or short bobs and pixie cuts – so it’s only fitting that we round off the calendar with one last reunion, as throwback boyband Boyzone are set to feature on a TV special on the BBC this New Year’s Eve.
Turns out ‘All That I Need’ to make a year memorable is a load of 1990s nostalgia.
Now, obviously, despite plenty of other music names enjoying a second renaissance over the past 12 months or so, nothing is ever going to be quite as big as the Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour.
However, if you asked us to guess which group from the era were also going to reunite this year back in January, there’s not a chance we would’ve said Boyzone.
Boyzone are telling us about coming back together for one final run in their most unforgettable concerts yet 🎤
After news first began circulating earlier this week, it has now been confirmed that musician turned presenter Ronan Keating will be getting back together with two of his former bandmates.
Joining the 48-year-old for ‘Ronan & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party’, ex-Boyzone members Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch are part of an exciting live music lineup.
Other names include actor and singer, Shona McGarty, who recently starred on season 25 of I’m A Celeb, as well as fellow 90s pop artist Louise Redknapp and singer-songwriter Calum Scott.
The exclusive reunion comes after the success of the recently aired Boyzone: No Matter What documentary show.
Spread across three parts on Sky, the docuseries (named after their hit song from 1998) looks back on the career and journey up the charts back in their heyday, all the way up to the present. After seemingly striking a chord with fans and the lads themselves, it looks like they’re not done after all…
Yes, not only is the festive TV special going to see three of the original members performing alongside each other again, but
Here’s hoping that turns into a springboard for something even bigger, and we get a Manchester arena show sometime soon.
As for the programme itself, ‘Ronan & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party’ will be broadcast on BBC One and made available on BBC iPlayer from Wednesday, 31 December 2025.
A candlelit Queen tribute concert is returning to Manchester
Danny Jones
Yes, you read that right: a candlelit concert dedicated to the one and only Queen, with a spectacular West End Cast and a talented live rock band, is coming to Manchester city centre in January.
In fact, it’s coming home, as this wonderful event started right here in 0161 back in 2021.
Concerts by Candlelight themselves host concerts up and down the country at various points throughout the year, but their much-loved ‘Queen by Candlelight‘ special knows all about lighting up Manc venues.
Having since gone on to become an internationally acclaimed live concert experience, we’re glad we still get to see the ‘Princes of the Universe’ on our doorstep.
Credit: Concerts by Candlelight (supplied)
With the likes of Bridgewater Hall and the magical Manchester Monastery all having played host to the promotion on many ocassions, this time Queen by Candlelight is coming to the legendary Manchester Opera House in the new year.
One of our most historic and legendary theatres, it’s only fitting, really, that they be chosen to welcome a night of equally iconic tunes.
But it’s worth reminding more casual fans that these aren’t just British rock and pop anthems; Queen‘s discography is one that still has global recognition to this day.
That’s why this specific show has been taken to virtually every corner of the world, with the incredibly talented cast of singers and musicians delighting audiences in Dubai, Australia, New Zealand and New York, to domestic crowds here in town and down in London’s West End.
‘Queenies’ or ‘Darlings’, as Freddie Mercury used to call them, can expect all the big hits, from ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘We Are The Champions’, to ‘It’s a Kind of Magic’ and ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ and plenty more from the back catalogue.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store this coming January:
With tickets already flying out fast, we really would recommend securing your seats early before they inevitably sell out.
To quote the promoters themselves, “this spectacular celebration of Queen’s biggest hits is guaranteed to rock you.”
Coming to the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday, 6 January, you can book your tickets for Queen by Candlelight right HERE.
And if you’ve never been to one of their candlelit events before, you only need to see how much of a ball we had at their country event earlier this year to find out how much fun they are…
Hannah Starkie -
9th September 2020 
