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Sounds From The Other City is celebrating 20 years in Salford

Greater Manchester is about to be filled with even more live music.

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia - 4th February 2025

Salford’s well-established and much-loved new music festival, Sounds From The Other City, is returning to celebrate a landmark 20 years this May.

Festival season will soon be upon us and it’s safe to say Manchester knows how to do it best; with the Parklife full line-up dropping just last week, it’s now the turn of this popular emerging artist event.

Boasting two decades of experience, Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC) are pioneers when it comes to discovering new artists, giving everyone involved a chance to showcase their work to the masses.

As this esteemed festival is turning another year older and reaching its monumental 20th anniversary, what better way to kick off the celebrations than with over 100 of the freshest artists in the industry?

Although every act that has been selected is truly phenomenal, there are a few standouts that should hopefully pluck your interest…

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events at Sounds From The Other City
Good vibes and good times in Bexley Square.
live performances at Sounds From The Other City
Crowds gather for Sounds From The Other City 2024.
Credit: Breige Cobane

Ever heard of a triple threat? How about a quintuple threat? Du Blonde is a musician, composer, artist, animator and video director.

This English star has caught the attention of music lovers with their loud and proud punk/ rock instrumentals and their infectious personality to match – Salford is up next.

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Alternative singer and producer, Grove, knows how to put on a show and we have no doubt they’re set to deliver considering their recent roster of events.

Last year saw this outspoken vocalist at Burning Womxn – a feminist festival held in Paris that coincided with the 2024 Olympics – and even a Boiler Room show in partnership with fashion giants, Levi’s.

Halifax talent, The Orielles, teased they’re working on more of their indie-avant pop goodness and now they have just the stage to do it on as they’re set to play Sounds From The Other City too.

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Du Blonde is performing at Sounds From The Other City
Du Blonde is ready to wow the Salford crowd.
Grove is performing at this upcoming artist festival in Salford
Grove, who is set to play Sounds From The Other City 2025.
Credit: Rob McGee/Josh Cohen

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In case you needed any more convincing when it comes to how big these names go on to bed after being given the nod by SFTOC, you only have to look back at the acts that have played the festival in the past.

Some of the talents that have graced this festival in years gone by include Greater Manchester locals, The Ting Tings; the Mercury Prize-winning Sampha, rising alt-rock and indie outfit, Black Country, New Road, and many more.

Sounds From The Other City is coming to Salford on Sunday, 4 May 2025 and tickets are on sale from 7 February or right now if you’re a registered subscriber to SFTOC HERE.

In the meantime, you can also check out some of the names playing Castlefield Bowl this summer as part of the festival’s twinned event in Manchester city centre. They’ve already notched some big ones…

The Black Keys are coming back to Manchester for their Castlefield Bowl debut

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — Breige Cobane/Press Images (supplied)

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Wet Leg announce huge outdoor gig in Manchester as part of landmark live dates

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall Wet Leg Castlefield Bowl Manchester gig tickets

Isle of Wight five-piece Wet Leg have announced their biggest headline shows to date, announcing a trio of huge outdoor gigs, including one right here in Manchester at Castlefield Bowl.

The multi-award-winning indie and alt outfit rose to fame back in 2022 with iconic tracks like Chaise Longue and Wet Dream, packing out stages at Glastonbury not long after releasing their critically acclaimed debut album.

Scooping up Grammys for ‘Best Alternative Music Album’ and performance, they’ve quickly established themselves as one of the most exciting indie acts of the moment and just dropped their sophomore album earlier this year.

Becoming their second consecutive number one in just as many attempts, moisturizer, is equally as fun and fabulous as the first – we cannot wait to hear it live in these.

Comprised of two lead singers in Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, Ellis Durand on bass, drummer Henry Holmes and guitarist Joshua Mobaraki, this lot can make plenty of noise.

And as you can see, to make things even better, they’ll be joined by Leeds’ very own English Teacher as the main support act at each one of the landmarks shows.

Come on – how CLASS is that?

It’ll be especially sick to see them opening up for them when they perform at one of two amphitheatres next year, playing none other than Millennium Square.

As for their down south show, they’ll also be playing Alexandra Palace Park down in the capital to round out this run of live dates next summer.

It goes without saying that we’re obviously buzzing to see them become the latest name on the lineup for the 2026 Sounds of the City series, with a hometown hero also joining the ranks as of this month:

Johnny Marr announces huge hometown show at Castlefield Bowl
Wet Leg are in good company when they rock up to Castlefield Bowl.

Set to play the Bowl on Wednesday, 8 July, before heading to Leeds and then London for consecutive nights, we’re sure you’ll see them playing tonnes more big stages throughout festival season.

Tickets for all three of Wet Leg’s confirmed dates for 2026 go on sale this Friday, 31 October from 9:30am, and you can get ready to grab yours HERE.

We reckon this one will be a real ticket scramble, so we wouldn’t mess about if you want to bag yourself a ticket; in fact, given that all of their live shows this year sold out, we know it will…

See you there!

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Iris Luz/Alice Backham (supplied)

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Miles Kane announces massive European tour, with multiple big Northern gigs

Danny Jones Danny Jones Miles Kane Manchester gig Albert Hall tickets 2026

Miles Kane has just announced a massive UK and European tour and has listed a healthy number of Northern dates for us to enjoy.

TOP la’.

The Merseyside musician recently released his latest album, Sunlight In The Shadows, and it’s gone down a treat with fans a critics alike; you can consider our Audio North firmly in the camp, too.

His sixth studio LP to date, the record was produced by the prolific Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, and sees psychedelia rolled into classic rock and more, with plenty of the usual Miles Kane swagger that we’re looking forward to hearing live.

At 39 years old – and looking incredible for it, by the way – we constantly have to remind ourselves that the Birkenhead hero is no longer the unsung underdog that we first fell in love with, but is now arguably one of the coolest and iconic artists to come out of the North West in the past decades or so.

Confirming a dozen domestic dates, including one supporting Kasabian at Finnsbury Park in London next summer, Kane is due to play a total of 37 gigs across Britain and mainland Europe in 2026.

That being said, with a pair of sensational shows scheduled for Sheffield‘s Crookes Social Club alone (a cult favourite 500-cap venue), we’re hoping even more gigs will be added as we expect the demand for this tour to be just a huge as the run itself.

Note there is currently no Liverpool on the list…

More cause for excitement is the fact that, as well as East Yorkshire singer-songwriter Fiona-Lee joining as the tour opener, the other main support act is Villanelle, fronted by Liam Gallagher’s son Gene.

Other chosen cities up in the best end of the country include Newcastle, Leeds, Glasgow and, of course, us lot here in Manchester.

Mancs will be treated to what we guarantee will be a sell-out show at the beloved Albert Hall on Saturday, 31st January.

There’s nothing like a tour announcement for next year when most of the gigs are slated for the first few months, don’t you think? Suddenly, the early but dark days of 2026 don’t sound so bad.

Speaking on the new material, he said: “All roads, over 20 years, have led here. Dan and I love mixing T. Rex, Motown and The Easybeats, and the result is this record.”

“When we were chatting and sharing references, we were so similar in taste it was frightening and you can hear that shared passion through the music. I can’t wait to take it out on the road. It’s an album that needs to be played live.”

We actually had the pleasure of chatting to Miles ahead of the upcoming UK and EU tour ourselves recently, and if you already thought the Kane clothing style was the peak of chic, you’re absolutely right – keep your eyes out for when the full interview drops soon.

As for tickets to see Miles Kane on the road, fans can sign up to his mailing list by 11pm GMT this Tuesday, 28 October, for exclusive pre-sale access, which will open from 10am the following day, and you can get ready to grab general admission when they go live at the same time on Friday, 31 Oct HERE.

Happy Halloween!

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – Press shots (supplied)/The Manc Group

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