Sounds of the City is back at Castlefield Bowl with a packed programme of outdoor live shows – and next on the agenda is Hozier.
Irish singer-songwriter Hozier will take to the stage in Manchester on 5 July, as part of his Unreal Unearth Tour 2023.
The Take Me To Church singer is back from a four-year hiatus, releasing EP Eat Your Young on St Patrick’s Day, which also happens to be his birthday.
His third studio album, Unreal Unearth, is due for release in August this year.
After his Castlefield Bowl gig, Hozier will embark on a further tour in December – but won’t be back in Manchester on that one.
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The stage is set canal-side in Castlefield, with other headline performances from Blossoms, Two Door Cinema Club, and Bastille still to come, as well as shows from Pulp and The Lathums already finished.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hozier at Castlefield Bowl.
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Who’s supporting Hozier?
Sounds of the City at Castlefield Bowl. Credit: Sam Neill
Hozier has two support acts joining him at Castlefield Bowl tonight.
One of which will be The Teskey Brothers, an Australian blues rock band from Melbourne.
They have three albums under their belts – Half Mile Harvest, Run Home Slow and The Winding Way – and will also be doing a signing at HMV Manchester from 5pm.
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Also joining Hozier is Victoria Canal, a rising star from Germany who has already supported some other big names, including JP Saxe and Emily King, on their tours.
Estimated stage times
Stage times haven’t yet been announced for Hozier, but based on The Lathums gig – which had the same number of support acts – these will be the rough times.
5.30pm – Doors and DJ 7pm – Support act one 8pm – Support act two 9pm – Hozier 11pm – Curfew
Tickets
Tickets for Hozier are, sadly, totally sold out.
They were initially priced at £45 including booking fee – a bargain in today’s world of concert prices.
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If you’re desperate to go, keep an eye on resale sites but make sure you’re buying from a trustworthy seller so you don’t get ripped off.
Weather forecast
Castlefield Bowl is an outdoor venue, with only a very small amount of cover by the amphitheatre seating.
The wet weather is set to mostly take a break for Hozier’s Sounds of the City gig on Wednesday night, thankfully.
Temperatures are set to peak at 18 degrees, with a low of 13 degrees, according to the Met Office.
There’s a 30% chance of light rain at 6pm, but otherwise things are looking dry if cloudy.
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Expected setlist
A previous Sounds of the City gig at Castlefield Bowl. Credit: FAC51 The Hacienda
The below is the setlist Hozier used for his gig at Piece Hall in Halifax last week.
Eat Your Young Jackie and Wilson From Eden To Be Alone Dinner & Diatribes Francesca Cherry Wine Like Real People Do All Things End Would That I Someone New Almost (Sweet Music) Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene Movement Take Me to Church Unknown/Nth Work Song
About Castlefield Bowl
Castlefield Bowl is an amphitheatre-style outdoor venue in the city centre.
Although all tickets are billed as unreserved standing, if you’re quick you can take a seat on the large concrete steps that curve around the stage.
Many people also take a perch up on the grassy banks at the back of the venue too.
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Castlefield Bowl is located at 101 Liverpool Road in the city centre.
The closest tram stop is Deansgate-Castlefield, which is only a six-minute walk away.
You can also walk it from the major train stations, or use the 101, 197, 255, 256, 41, 50 or X50 buses.
AJ Tracey is playing a VERY intimate gig in Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
London rapper and respected grime artist AJ Tracey is ‘live and direct’ once again, announcing a whole host of UK dates, one of which is a rather intimate gig right here in Manchester.
It’s official: one of UK rap’s leading gents is getting back on the road and he’s showing a ‘Little More Love’ to lots of cities, including Manchester.
In a post on the UK star’s socials, AJ Tracey trades his music persona for that of a sports pundit as he announces the dates for his upcoming tour while impersonating an F1 commentator.
Anyone looking to attend Tracey’s ‘Not Even A Tour’ can catch the star up and down the country on his over 20-date tour with a stop in Manchester as soon as this month.
The rapper has reached phenomenal heights since dropping the unforgettable ‘Ladbroke Grove’ in 2019 and is heading out across the nation to make sure everyone knows about it.
Get ready to spit bars left and right as this rapper’s discography is stacked with serious tunes like ‘Dinner Guest’, ‘West Ten’, ‘Thiago Silva’ and more.
More recently, he collaborated with Walsall’s finest Jorja Smith for a flirty garage beat also known as ‘Crush’ with the video being the two artists talking it out in a good old fashioned caff.
The latest collaboration with Smith marks the start of a new era for Mr. Live and direct as it fell in line with the announcement of his third studio album.
Titled Don’t Die Before You’re Dead, we’re sure he’ll be “building a vibe” wherever he goes and probably previewing a few exclusive tracks from his upcoming project too.
This gig may come as quite a surprise for any hardcore fans of the ‘Ladbroke Grove’ star as the venue in which he’s performing is definitely intimate only, holding just over 250 guests.
This rap giant is bringing his unbelievable beats to none other than the legendary small-cap city centre live music venue, The Deaf Institute, at the end of this month.
It’s safe to say you won’t get many more chances, if any, to see him in such a tight-knit space again.
AJ Tracey is bringing ‘Not Even A Tour’ to Deaf Institute in Manchester on 30 April, with tickets on sale Friday 4 April from 12 noon.
Manchester City’s Nathan Aké donates piano to grassroots music venue
Thomas Melia
Footballer and Manchester City star Nathan Aké has donated a piano to an iconic city centre grassroots venue in Manchester.
To celebrate ‘International Piano Day’, the Dutch defender has teamed up with legendary instrument-makers Casio by donating a state-of-the-art piano in one very lucky music venue.
Aké and Casio are donating pianos across the UK through their joint project titled ‘Playing For Change’.
The iconic grassroots venue that’s receiving this prestigious instrument is none other than Band on the Wall, which has been pumping out live music under this name since 1975.
Processed with VSCO with kp5 presetProcessed with VSCO with kp5 presetCredit: Supplied
This new addition will help the venue as a whole, but more importantly, it will come in very handy for their Saturday Music Club.
Running every weekend, this session helps young people discover music and develop their skills, now via the fantastic PX-S7000 Casio piano.
Band on the Wall is a much-loved and adored Manchester city centremusic institution, and they aren’t the only place benefitting from the Manchester city star and Casio.
So far, 12 disadvantaged schools in the UK have benefitted from this joint effort from Aké and Casio, all of which were surprised with their very own digital piano.
This newest partnership won’t come as a surprise to fans of the Man City centre-back, as he’s been known to play the piano since teaching himself in 2020, and now he’s spreading his love of music to communities nationwide.
Neil Evans, Head of Casio EMI, commented:“It’s exciting for us to support Band on the Wall with a gift of a brand new Privia piano.”
“We’re hoping it’s used often and inspires people into learning the piano and increasing their access to the joys of music, which is at the core of Playing For Change.”
As for Aké, while he might be sidelined for the foreseeable following surgery on a fractured foot, the Netherlands international will hopefully be able to get lots of practice playing those keys.
Daisy Jackson -
5th July 2023 
