Neighbourhood Festival returns to Manchester this weekend and promises to be bigger than ever.
For those uninitiated, the massive city centre festival is Neighbourhood Weekender‘s sister event and has been running every October since 2016. Well, barring the pandemic, of course.
Springing from a fledgling one-day festival that boasted the likes of Circa Waves, Blossoms, White Lies, Twin Atlantic and Lonely the Brave, it has now become one of the biggest events of the year with over 100 acts spread across multiple venues dotted around the city centre. And just in time for the students.
Since its conception, crowds have seen everyone from Sam Fender, Easy Life and Holly Humberstone, to Mahalia, Declan McKenna, Miles Kane and many, many more of Britain’s biggest names take the Neighbourhood stages on their way to making a splash on the UK music scene.
Luckily for you, this year’s line-up looks an absolute whopper too.
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Neighbourhood Festival Line-Up 2022
As well as those we already knew about such as The Snuts, Sundara Karama and local lads Everything Everything, Wigan-based indie band The Lathums have also confirmed that they will be joining the Neighbourhood headliners at this year’s festival.
You love to see it. You love to see everyone on this list, to be honest.
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The special guests don’t stop there either, though, as The K’s will also be making an appearance at Albert Hall and the organisers promise even more surprises around the corner.
HUGE news! @TheLathums will be performing at Neighbourhood Festival this weekend. They take on Manchester Academy at 4.15pm. We are buzzing!
As you can see, there are big names everywhere – punters can also look forward to seeing the likes of Alfie Templeman and Baby Queen; Lauran Hibberd and Ten Tonnes, as well as Far Caspian and Brooke Combe, just to name a few.
There’s plenty of Mancunian music being represented as well, with Corella, Afflecks Palace, The Covasettes and The Stanleys all repping 0161.
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Neighbourhood Festival 22 Venues
One of the best parts about Neighbourhood Fest is that aside from the acts themselves, there are some seriously mint venues on the list every year, from gig-going favourites to some locations you may have never seen live music before or even been full-stop.
Here is the full list of Neighbourhood venues we know of so far:
Manchester Academy 1 and 2 (14+)
Albert Hall (14+)
The Deaf Institute (14+)
Gorilla (14+)
O2 Ritz Manchester (14+)
Revolution – Oxford Road (14+ until 9pm, then 18+)
Canvas (14+)
Bunny Jacksons (14+ until 9pm, then 18+)
YES – The Basement and The Pink Room (18+)
The Bread Shed (14+)
The Zombie Shack (18+)
That being said, it’s still worth keeping your eye out on social for any updates as more special guests and surprise appearances are expected, and who knows where they could pop up?
For instance, we already know that Hard-Fi will be playing their first gig in eight whole years at the brand-spanking New Century which we peeped not long ago. It’s quite an impressive space, guys.
Ah, the dreaded stage splits. They cause us inevitable headaches every year but they’re a necessary evil.
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Want to know who’ll you manage to see and who’ll you have to prepare yourself for potentially missing? We do the dirty work so you don’t have to:
Are there any Neighbourhood tickets still left?
Put simply, yes, but you better get moving if you wanna snap the remaining few up.
Tickets for Neighbourhood Festival 2022 will set you back £39.50 face value (£43.45 all told with your booking fee) from their official retailer, Gigs and Tours. Wheelchair access tickets are also available.
Not only is that a much more affordable option for those who didn’t want to fork out more than £115 for the two-day pass at Neighbourhood Weekender back in May, but the wristband grants you access to every single venue on the list.
Even a one-day ticket at Weekender cost £59.50 + booking fee, whereas with Neighbourhood Fest you still get the chance to see some serious box office names at Neighbourhood Fest for less money. More spare pennies for food and pints, init.
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It’s also worth noting that you can grab tickets on the day as a last resort, but we’d obviously advise getting yourself sorted before then.
As announced on Wednesday, this year’s box office and wristband exchange will be located at the University of Manchester Students Union building (M13 9PR) – the Lime Grove entrance, to be specific.
This will be open from 9.30am and will close promptly at 7.30pm, meaning there will be no wristbands issued after this time, so we would obviously recommend arriving as early as possible to avoid the large queues.
Organisers also had some important top tips to share with you:
Important information on wristband collection👇
You'll need to collect your wristband from the University of Manchester Students' Union before you can start your NBHD Festival. Please read the below carefully🤝 pic.twitter.com/4Y9yKkSD0D
Last but not least, make sure to keep a lookout on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram for the latest updates and, most importantly, grab your tickets HERE while you still can.
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | April 2025
Danny Jones
Fashionably late to the party this month, but we’re sure you’ll forgive us because we’re back with yet another stellar lineup of Manchester bands and artists for you to get your teeth into – some new, others criminally unsung, and all equally brilliant.
Your playlists are about to get a good old refresh.
In case you’re new around here, we here at The Manc and Audio North set aside some time every month to look back on the local musicians we’ve been listening to over the last few weeks.
Whether they are Greater Mancunians born and bred or they’re adoptees who have made Manchester their musical home, anything goes and there’s always something for everyone. Let’s get stuck in.
New Manchester bands and artists we’ve been listening to lately
1. Strawberry Lemonade
First up is the delightfully dubbed Strawberry Lemonade, who sound even sweeter than their name, not in a sugary pop music way, but in the sense that sliding guitar riffs as well as plenty of fast-paced strumming and drumming feel like you’ve just necked a glass of, well…
There’s a classic rock and roll swagger to their music, and while many might argue that a lot of new Manchester bands are trying to nail this kind of sound – already a challenge in a city so oversaturated within this genre – they’ve managed to catch our eye.
Having recently headlined a sold-out show at the iconic Deaf Institute, one thing we know for sure is that they’ll be moving on to even bigger venues sooner rather than later. In terms of standout tracks, we rate ‘Nightime’ and ‘Control’; plus, you’d be a fool not to give their latest single ‘Bother At All’ a go.
Next up is the alliterative Danny Darlington, who seems to have emerged out of nowhere to pique our curiosity with some of the most sprawling and varied songs in less than 12 months. He quietly released his first song back in March 2021 but we’re definitely paying attention to his most recent work.
To call it indie would be a major oversimplification; alt-pop doesn’t quite fit either – all we can tell you is that the solo artist from Bury seems to be more than happy pushing in different directions and experimenting with different sonics, with more effects, pedals and electronics being thrown into the mix.
‘Freya’ is a fantastically chill tune, ‘How To Feel’ ends with a really pleasant and punchy surprise, and we’re big fans and one of his older tunes, ‘Parma Violets’, which has a recognisable contemporary indie vibe with some great production for someone who was still just starting out.
3. Nightbus
Fittingly for number three, we’ve got a trio and a band that feels like one of the Manchester music scene’s best-kept secrets somehow. Seriously, we’re genuinely kind of annoyed that more people don’t know about Nightbus because they’re absolutely brilliant.
The xx, New Order and Cocteau Twins are some of the names that come to mind when making our way through their still limited discography, though there is a very fun collection of remixes of their work so far, which genuinely rival some of the original versions.
Also, it might only be a little thing, but we really like the very uniform aesthetic and visual style too; the album artwork typeface almost hints at limited gig poster prints with that self-contained theme per album cycle, a la The 1975. ‘Way Past Three’, ‘Average Boy’, and the E24 mix of ‘Mirrors’ are our three.
Such a jam.
4. Conor & The GreensKeepers
The penultimate name on our list is a collective that has actually been around for a while now and is steadily starting to earn some of the profile they’ve been long overdue in our opinion, but we’ll never tooting our horns about these lot. They’re also utterly incredible live.
Fronted by lead singer and charismatic performer Conor Michael, The GreensKeepers are some of the most underappreciated artists anywhere in Greater Manchester right now, and no matter how many new bands come along, we firmly believe these 13 unbelievable musicians deserve your attention.
As for picks, recent release ‘Roundabouts’ has that UKG and rap flavour they enjoy; ‘U + I’ is now a go-to lo-fi work soundtrack, and ‘Sip from a Rose’ is their spin on jazz and neo-soul in a nutshell. Put simply, it’s music that makes you feel something from the first note and almost never fails to inject a bit of joy.
Arriving by way of Birmingham, the Manchester-based group will be returning for MJF 2025 as well as Green Island Festival.
5. Slap Rash
Last but not least, we’re finishing the loudest, most raw, raucous and in-your-face artists we’ve probably ever put on one of these lists, and it comes in the form of the ferocious duo known as Slap Rash. Great name, even better ragers.
This absolutely riotous project is the brainchild of locally-based brother-and-sister partnership, Amelia and Huw Lloyd, who might just have knocked the likes of Royal Blood off the top spot for making the most noise that is physically possible for two humans to make.
We honestly love this pair. It’s the epitome of thrashy hardcore with an unhealthy dose of distortion, boasting hints of Drenge, early IDLES, Demob Happy and more. We genuinely don’t know where to best to start, but ‘Holy Smoke’ puts hairs on your chest, ‘Griefcase’ is class, and so is ‘Histrionic’.
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Swordplay and rock ‘n’ roll: A Knight’s Tale comes to Manchester Opera House
Danny Jones
From the moment the curtain rises at Manchester Opera House, A Knight’s Tale bursts into life with exhilarating energy. This stage adaptation of the beloved 2001 film expertly blends medieval spectacle with a bold, modern twist.
Full of jousting tournaments, noble quests, and underdog triumphs, the production delivers both heart and high drama – all with a heady dose of rock ‘n’ roll.
At the centre of it all is William Thatcher, a young squire who dares to defy his lowly birth and enter the world of high-born knights. Played with charm and confidence by Andrew Coshan, William’s journey from peasant to jousting champion is rousing, if occasionally veering into heroic cliché.
Still, Coshan’s likability and natural charisma keep the audience cheering for him through every lance charge and dramatic monologue. The supporting cast also shines.
A standout is Eva Scott, whose comic timing and delivery consistently land laughs, often stealing scenes with her sharp one-liners.
Meanwhile, Meesha Turner brings elegance and spark to the role of Princess Jocelyn. Her powerful vocals during the show’s pop-classic ballads transform the character into a fiery, modern princess you can’t help but root for.
The production’s standout sequences are undoubtedly the jousts, theatrical set pieces that are an absolute masterclass in stagecraft. Using a clever combination of rigging, physical choreography, and dynamic sound design, the creative team conjures a truly immersive atmosphere.
Dramatic lighting and resonant sound effects make you feel the thud of hooves and the crash of lances. The cleverly designed set, featuring an arena-style jousting field, draws the audience into the action in a way that feels fresh and cinematic.
However, the show stumbles slightly in its quieter, more emotional scenes. The dialogue, while laced with humour, sometimes dips into melodrama. The villain, Count Adhemar, feels a touch underwritten, with motivations that don’t quite match the emotional weight the story strives for, but is still well-acted.
Don’t just take it from us: the A Knight’s Tale reviews from Manchester crowds are already very strong.
The stakes between him and William never fully build to the payoff they could – leaving certain dramatic beats a little flat. Musically, the show makes a bold departure from traditional scores. Instead, it leans into a soundtrack of classic rock anthems; think Queen, AC/DC, The Who and more.
At first, it seems like an odd match for a medieval tale, just as it did with the movie, but it works brilliantly. The music injects the show with rebellious energy and gives it a timeless quality. It’s loud, bold, and exactly what this high-octane tale of ambition and identity calls for.
A special mention must go to the ensemble and choreography. The jousting scenes are beautifully choreographed, blending acrobatics, dance, and swordplay with seamless precision. Even in quieter moments, the movement on stage supports the storytelling with subtle grace.
But the unexpected stars of the show? The horses. Designed with clever costume and movement illusions, they create the convincing effect of riders in full gallop – and at times, they very nearly steal the spotlight altogether.
Credit: Supplied
Though clearly aimed at adult audiences, with its cheeky humour and classic rock soundtrack, the show flirts with the spirit of panto, oversized characters, regional accents, and exaggerated physical comedy. And it works.
The regional dialects add warmth and levity, grounding the fantasy in a cheeky, very British sensibility. In the end, A Knight’s Tale is a triumphant and entertaining spectacle, an electrifying mix of medieval mythology and modern musical theatre.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the original film or seeing the story for the first time, this production offers a fun, fast-paced, and surprisingly heartfelt night out. It’s not perfect, but it’s hard not to be swept up in the clashing swords, galloping hooves, and power chords.
Put simply, this is a knight to remember – with a soundtrack that slays.
Danny Jones -
29th September 2022 
