Audio

What’s coming up at Castlefield Bowl this month

Inner-city event series Sounds of the City takes over the Bowl for six nights next week.

Hannah Starkie Hannah Starkie - 14th September 2021

Whilst it feels like summer might be over now, there is still a whole load of open-air events you can get stuck into at Castlefield Bowl this week to help you prolong the summer feeling as much as possible into September.

Since 2013, Sounds of the City has been bringing some of the best UK bands and artists to the city. We’ve seen Manchester bands New Order, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Elbow and Courteeners have all been invited to perform in their hometown, along with the likes of Arcade Fire, The Kooks and Catfish And The Bottlemen over the years.  

But finally, after a year away, the series is back and bringing even more of the UK and Ireland’s finest to Castlefield Bowl this September in celebration of the 2021 edition.  

So, from next Tuesday there are six nights of top-class concerts happening down there – and here we’ve picked out our top three selections, all of which have still got tickets left.

Brit-award nominated Dermot Kennedy will visit on Tuesday 

Dermot spent some time touring America in August. Credit: @jessedeflorio/IG

Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy catapulted to stardom in 2019 following the release of his debut album ‘Without Fear’, and it seems there’s no chance of him slowing down any time soon. 

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On its release, the album became the fastest-selling album of 2019 in Ireland, topping the UK Charts too.  

Bridging hip-hop and folk genres, Dermot has developed a unique sound over the years. You’ll be able to witness the Irish powerhouse in action on Tuesday 21 September as he visits Manchester as part of the Sounds of the City series.  

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He’ll have support from Mimi Webb who is best known for her song ‘Before I Go’ which was featured by Charli D’Amelio on TikTok. This week, Mimi dropped her debut album which entered straight into the Top 50. 

This show will be a warm up for Dermot’s upcoming tour this Autumn which includes two sold-out dates at the O2 Victoria Warehouse.  

For your chance to see Dermot live at Castlefield Bowl, tickets are selling fast but grab them here.

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Lively Wednesday night antics with Kaiser Chiefs  

Kaiser Chiefs visited Halifax’s Piece Hall last weekend. Credit: Kaiser Chiefs/IG

Indie-rock band Kaiser Chiefs have been in the game for 21 years and on Wednesday 22 September they’ll bring their years-worth of stage experience to Castlefield Bowl.  

The band’s last album ‘Duck’ went to number three in the charts in 2019 and was followed by a Europe and UK tour before lockdown in early 2020. 

So far this summer, the band have been busy with a number of one-off gigs and festival appearances including Isle of Wight Festival last Saturday. Now, they’ll add Sounds of the City to their 2021 calendar.

Support will come from fellow renowned UK band Razorlight, plus all-woman rock band PINS who are born and bred right here in Manchester.  

So, if you fancy heading out for a bit of midweek live music, you can find tickets for this one here.

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End the weekend with the melancholic sounds of Snow Patrol  

Snow Patrol were finally back in action last weekend. Credit: @bradleyquinnphotos/IG

Rounding off the Sounds of the City series this year will be indie rock group Snow Patrol. Throughout their stellar career, they’ve racked up five UK platinum albums, along with Grammy, BRIT and Mercury Music Prize nominations. 

Not only that, but the band has the accolade of the most-played song of the 21st century on UK radio with ‘Chasing Cars’. And now, you can hear the iconic anthem live at Castlefield Bowl on Sunday 26 September. 

Irish-born singer Lucy Blue will provide support on the night. The bedroom pop artist also supported Snow Patrol for their first gig back in a while last weekend at Scarborough’s Open-Air Theatre.

As well as Lucy, Wigan band The Lathums will complete the bill. The band has been tearing up the indie music scene in Manchester recently. And with the announcement of their special one-off gig at the legendary Empress Ballroom in Blackpool the band is expected to go from strength-to-strength in the next couple of years.  

To witness Snow Patrol, The Lathums and Lucy Blue in the final instalment of this year’s Sounds of the City, get your tickets here.

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Tickets for all the shows are selling quickly, so don’t wait around. For more info on the Sounds of the City series and all the ticket links, head here.   

And don’t forget to follow The Manc Audio on Instagram to stay up to date with music and events in Manchester.

Featured image: Sam Neill

Audio

Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | May 2025

Danny Jones Danny Jones New Manchester bands and artists May 2025

Oh, hey, didn’t see you there. Come looking for more top Manc tunage, have we? You’re in luck, because Greater Manchester just keeps pumping out top bands and artists all the time, hence why we do this.

If you’re new around these parts, first of all, welcome and secondly, the whole thing is very simple: every month, we round up some of the best talents coming out of 0161 and talk about why we like them. I know, groundbreaking stuff, right?

They don’t have to be born and bred in Manchester, but they do need to have made this their music home – the first the correct career decision they made, the second being working their way into our ears.

So, now all the housekeeping is done and dusted, let’s dive into some delightful new Manchester music, shall we?

Five Manc bands and artists we’ve been listening to recently

1. IST IST

This month we’re starting off with one of those Manchester bands that may not be new but still crop up for us at regular intervals to remind us of two things: first of all, that they’re brilliant and secondly, that they should have featured on our regular round-up of artists a long time ago.

We’re talking about IST IST, who returned with another live, multiple LP-spanning compilation (plus some extras) this past March, which we’ve had on plenty over the past month. It goes without saying that they sound brilliant live, and we feel bad for only just remembering how good and prolific they’ve been.

You always get plenty of New Order, but also White Lies and Editors; Future Islands, The National and lots of other baritone-driven bands that bring that element of melodrama to layer over the instruments themselves. ‘You’re Mine’ might be their biggest track, but ‘The Kiss’ and ‘Exist’ are also favourites.

2. Robbie Cavanagh

Now, we all know that country music is having a real moment right now and we, for one, couldn’t be happier about it, to be completely frank. Though arguably simplistic at times, it’s soulful, often impressively pared-back, and when something does impress you lyrically or technically, it sticks.

With that in mind, we recently realised that award-winning songwriter Robbie Cavanagh has been on somewhat of a comeback since 2023, and we hadn’t noticed until painfully recently. Returning after a six-year hiatus – bar some little ditties during lockdown – his latest project has some of his best work yet.

Fully tilting from folk into country and folk, the stunning vocalist belatedly blew us away with the bluesy single ‘Helpless’ and a gorgeous new collaboration with solo artist, Abby Gundersen (equally talented sister of Noah), but please still start with his 2016 Mahogany Session, where it arguably all began.

3. Afflecks Palace

Named after Manchester city centre’s famously eclectic indie emporium, Afflecks Palace have never quite blown up in the way they way we thought they would when we first came across them years ago, but there’s still plenty of time and we’ll be damn it if they don’t deserve more regular listeners.

You’ll also be glad to know that, despite the name, they aren’t one of those trite, overly performative bands who wear a stereotypical Manc-ness on their sleeve that we sometimes come across; they’re just good and deserve a lot more recognition for their contribution to the neo-pysch genre.

As for where to start, we’ll admit we prefer their first album; ‘Forever Young’ is noodley and catchy, ‘Everything Is an Attempt to Be Human’ has those shoegazey guitars, but it just doesn’t get better than the incomparable ‘Pink Skies’, which still makes us feel some type of way – we just can’t quite describe.

We just love it. ‘Nu-Madchester’, or whatever you want to call it, its distinct sunniness never fails to tickle a part of our brains.

4. Findlay

Next up is Stockport singer-songwriter Findlay, who released more new music this past February, and has been making indie pop that ropes in plenty of other influences for more than a decade now.

That being said, she’s always experimenting with her sound, as her collabs with Blossoms, Miles Kane, Bill Ryder-Jones, Joris Delacroix have shown, and this latest iteration seems to have her tapping into everything from almost 50s and 60s female soul singers to slow electronic and more.

We love the smooth sexiness and sheer ambition of her latest single, ‘Stay Kinky’ and ‘Waste My Time’ always feels like a late-night chiller fit for music video set in a dingey bar, however, we still have a soft spot for her debut, ‘Your Sister’, with the riff that’s almost reminiscent of ‘Blockbuster’ by Sweet.

@findlaymusic

Its a pleasure music video out now!

♬ original sound – Natalie

5. Alex Spencer

Last but not least, it’s the second time we’re featuring a returning artist and it comes in the form of young Alex Spencer, whose journey from busking around the streets of Greater Manchester to sold-out headlines shows and featuring on the likes EA Sports FC 25 (yes, FIFA) is a truly remarkable one.

The charming and still fresh-faced local lad from Droylsden is nothing short of proof that hard work and determination can pay off, and those ‘Bucket List’ dreams really are within reach. Obvious talent aside, this teenager has grafted his arse off and we couldn’t be more proudof how far he’s come already.

He last featured in this round-up back in April 2024 but even in the time between then, he’s released plenty and developed even further as musician, so much so that we’re not going to suggest which songs to try; instead, you can watch our most recent interview with him and relive his last year or so with us.

Read more:

So, the next time you hear someone foolishly complaining that the Greater Manchester music scene ‘isn’t what it once was’, you can go right ahead of show them these bands and artists.

In fact, you could just point them in the direction of this very page and Audio North, in general, as we do this round-up every month and plenty more every week, meaning you’re headphones never dry up.

For instance, you can check out which Manchester bands and artists we were listening to back in April, both new, current and old, down below. We’ll see you again very soon.

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

Featured Images — Audio North/Press Shots

Audio

Parklife 2025 – dates, line-up, day splits, tickets and more

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Parklife is back for 2025

Parklife is, hands down, the biggest party of the year in Manchester, luring tens of thousands of music-lovers to Heaton Park for two days of live music.

This year’s is shaping up to be the biggest in years, with huge headline slots from Charli XCX and 50 Cent, plus festival favourites like Bicep, Pawsa and Confidence Man.

With just a few weeks to go, festival-goers will be deep in their Parklife prep, whether it’s planning how to get there or what to wear all weekend.

Parklife is now releasing plenty of information about this year’s festival, including VIP upgrades, travel passes, and a few changes to the festival site, including new stages.

So we’ve rounded up a load of essential information you’ll need if you’re heading to the fields of Heaton Park.

When is Parklife 2025 and what times?

Parklife 2025 will be taking place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June, at Heaton Park.

Parklife gates open from midday on Saturday 14 and 1pm on Sunday 15 June. On both days the event finishes at 11pm.

Last entry to Parklife is strictly 5pm.

Who’s on the line-up for Parklife 2025?

It’s a whopping year for the Parklife line-up, pulling in two huge headliners – artist of the moment Charli XCX, and hip-hop heavyweight 50 Cent.

Next up will be performances from incredible talent like soul singer Jorja Smith, Parklife favourite Peggy Gou, Pawsa, Bicep, Overmono, Confidence Man, Hybrid Minds, Rudimental, and Chris Stussy.

There’ll also be slots for Mancs like Interplanetary Criminal, Antony Szmierek, and Morgan Seatree.

Sadly, one of the hottest names on the bill, Lola Young, has pulled out of the festival this year, but it’s still shaping up to be a massive weekend.

You can see the full Parklife line-up below.

The Parklife 2025 line-up poster

How to get tickets, and ticket prices

Tickets for Parklife are still on sale, with decent availability for most ticket types – but they’re selling fast as the festival gets nearer and nearer.

Below are the prices for the main ticket options.

  • Weekend tickets – £164.45 each
  • VIP weekend tickets – £218.90 each
  • Saturday day tickets – £95.20 each
  • VIP Saturday day tickets – £137.50 each
  • Sunday day tickets – £95.20 each
  • VIP Sunday day tickets – £137.50 each

How much is a VIP or Backstage upgrade, and what does it get you?

If you’ve already bought a ticket but want to upgrade yourself to VIP, it’s not too late (and speaking from experience, WORTH IT).

You can upgrade your whole weekend to VIP for £72.80 each, or £44.80 each for day tickets.

The Parklife VIP area has jumped across to the other side of the festival site this year and is now right in the heart of the action near the Valley Stage.

From here, you have an exclusive viewing area of the stage, plus exclusive food and drink, priority entry, VIP toilets, a hair and makeup pamper station, and plenty more.

Then there’s a new Backstage ticket type this year, which gets you on-stage access to the Hangar stage, an exclusive viewing area of the Valley Stage, a backstage bar and a chill out area – it’s £165.00 each to upgrade for the weekend.

How to get to and from Parklife festival 2025, plus travel pass

Parklife takes place up at Heaton Park, so it’s a little way out of the city centre – but it’s a doddle to make your way up to the fields.

The festival still advises using the dedicated shuttle bus to get there and back, which is the quickest and easiest route.

The shuttle bus leaves from Lever Street in the Northern Quarter and will drop you right outside the festival site within about 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can get a Bee Network tram to Bowker Vale or Heaton Park tram stops, and walk up to the gates.

As for getting home, buses will operate from early evening until everyone has safely left the festival site.

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Trams will operate on their normal schedule but note that Heaton Park station closes at 9pm on both evenings, so that crowds can be safely managed at Bowker Vale instead.

There’s a special Parklife Travel Pass that allows you to travel on any bus or tram service including the shuttle bus – it’s £8 per day, or £14 for the weekend, and is available on the Bee Network app.

Parklife 2025 festival map and stages

There are some big changes on site at Parklife this year – including The Parklife Stage disappearing altogether.

Now, The Valley will act as the main stage, and there are two brand new stages to check out too.

Both Matinee and Big Top will be new this year.

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Magic Sky will move a bit more centrally into the festival site, while the truly impressive Hangar stage dominates the western side of the event.

And at the top of the hill will be the small but mighty G Stage.

What you can and can’t bring to Parklife 2025

There’s strict security in place getting in and out of Heaton Park for Parklife festival, for everyone’s safety, and a long list of what you can and can’t bring with you.

You can bring your own water bottle on site with refill stations all over Parklife, but it mustn’t be larger than 500ml and can’t be metal.

You can also take sun cream as long as it’s 200ml or less and in original containers, and if the weather goes the other way, compact umbrellas are okay.

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As for the banned list, it includes obvious stuff like alcohol, drugs, knives, aerosols and flares/fireworks, as well as less obvious things like hoverboards and skateboards, hi vis jackets and selfie sticks.

Check the full list and more information HERE.

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Featured image: Jody Hartley

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