City centre grassroots music venue The Yard has just announced its new outdoor festival, where you can expect lots of impressive local live music.
Independent and grassroots music venue, The Yard, is known for hosting some of the best gigs, creative events and live music in the city, and this festival is no different.
Titled ‘Stranger Ways’ – if you don’t get that reference, then we don’t know what to tell you – anyone attending can expect to hear music that champions Manchester’s indie spirit, with a lot of local talent represented in the lineup.
Alex Spencer is set to headline day one of Stranger Ways Festival.The Yard is a brilliant venue known for hosting a variety of live music events.Credit: Supplied
This talent has seen praise from the likes of Lady Gaga and The Coral, even getting his track ‘Nightmares’ featured in EA Sports FC25 (FIFA).
They’ve seen massive success this year playing at the Isle of Wight Festival earlier this summer and supporting ‘Every Breath You Take’ penman Sting in Cardiff.
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Another of our picks for Manc artists of the month for June, Arkayla. Named after “a terrible Oasis demo” from 1991, the band will be stopping by to sing a couple of their hits, too.
The band are already making waves, quite literally, receiving plays from one of the biggest rock radio stations in the UK, Radio X.
Wigan band The Lilacs are set to headline day two of Stranger Ways Festival.Arkayla are one of the headliners for The Yard’s new outdoor festival.Credit: Supplied
And of course this festival falls during Oasis’ massive reunion tour, so it would be rude not to have a tribute act, or two, performing at this outdoor festival – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Carpets and The Oasis Experience.
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Now, as far as tribute bands go, that’s up there with one of the best and quietly clever names we’ve heard since we came across, well… Stranger Ways.
Speaking of Oasis, every ticket purchased for The Yard’s outdoor festival, Stranger Ways, gets entered into a prize draw to win tickets for one of the Burnage boys’ Wembley gigs with an overnight stay.
Stranger Ways Festival is taking place at The Yard across 19 and 20 July – To access the full lineup and grab your tickets, you can find everything you need to know HERE.
Anyone who has managed to bag themselves those precious Oasis tickets is in luck too, as if you can show proof on arrival to The Yard, you can guarantee yourself free entry.
Featured Images – Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
Gigs & Nightlife
You can line dance to Lily Allen’s West End Girl in full right here in Manchester
Thomas Melia
After a fun way to kickstart the New Year? Some people might suggest hobbies like ‘Tennis’, but how about a line dancing class playing Lily Allen’s new album in its entirety – we know which we’d rather do.
Grab your nearest ‘Nonmonogamummy’ or take ‘Madeline’, if you know one, because there’s a line dance class where you get to line dance to Lily Allen’s West End Girl in full right here in Manchester.
Hosted by Red Rodeo Club, a queer line dancing group based in Manchester, who have hosted monthly artist-inspired events city wide including Chappell Roan, Beyoncé, Charli XCX and more.
This troupe even managed to line dance all the way to one of Manchester’s most reputable LGBTQIA+ nights of the year, performing on the Archive stage at Homobloc just last month.
Now, Red Rodeo is returning with another special night that is sure to interest all the West Endand North West girls across Manchester, as it prepares a Lily Allen line dance spectacular later this month.
If you’re ‘Ruminating’ about attending this event, there’s absolutely no pressure or dance experience needed as the group prides itself on providing ‘classic boot-scootin tutorials with a party vibe’.
You’ll definitely be in good company regardless of your dance partners, as hosting the event is Violet Blonde, known for their extraordinary outfits and love of Country icon Dolly Parton.
We’re already onto a winner…
Your dance instructor for the night is the remarkable Shanika Sunrise, a rapper and producer, who boasts a seriously impressive roster of acts they’ve opened for, including Chappell Roan, Cupcakke and Moonchild Sanelly.
Opportunities like this aren’t always feasible for everyone, which is something this line dance group is aware of as they’re offering a ‘Red Rodeo Club Low Income Ticket’, suited for students, unwaged and disabled attendees.
Red Rodeo Club is bringing the ‘Lily Allen edition’ line dance class to Fairfield Social Club in Manchester on Thursday, 29 January 2026, from 7-10:30pm.
If you’re interested in grapevine stepping or electric shuffling your way to the Lily Allen West End Girl line dance event in Manchester, you can find tickets HERE.
The smash-hit daytime rave where you can still be in bed early is returning to Manchester
Clementine Hall
That’s right: Day Fever, the daytime rave designed to still get you tucked in at a reasonable hour, is coming back to Manchester city centre this year.
Following their biggest raft of shows across the UK and Ireland in 2025, the smash-hit night out that is very much aimed at those of us 30 and over – but fellow sleepy heads are obviously more than welcome – Day Fever are targeting big things in 2026.
Launched in early 2024 by actress Vicky McClure and Reverend & The Makers frontman, Jon McClure, Day Fever has become a cultural sensation.
From its debut in Sheffield to a tour that sees thousands of ravers hitting the dance floor each month, the message is clear: people want to dance and let loose, but still be in bed before 9pm – and let’s be honest, who can blame them?
The founders (L-R): Jon McClure, James O’Hara, Jonny Owen, Vicky and Chris McClure. (supplied)
Running from 3-8pm, Day Fever provides a proper night out that doesn’t completely write you off for the entire weekend.
“It started as a WhatsApp idea”, says Jon McClure. “Jonny just said, ‘A daytime disco, how good would that be?’ We’re all a bit nuts, so we just said, ‘Come on then!’”
“It feels like a massive house party at your nan’s,” laughs Vicky. “No drama, no egos, just people acting daft, getting dressed up, and having the best time.”
From here in 0161 and our mates over in Leeds, to Newcastle, Glasgow and many more, each Day Fever event has its own unique flavour.
There’ll be local DJs who know their crowds keep the energy high with a nostalgic mix of Northern Soul, disco, indie, and 90s classics. “Manchester goes mad for Oasis,” says Jon, “and if Vicky’s there, we have to play Whitney, it’s non-negotiable!”
For starters, just look at the turnout they got over Christmas:
Thomas Melia -
4th July 2025 
