We're well and truly in British festival season now. Days are long, the weather is all over the place, and pints are lukewarm.
It means that Manchester's music scene has largely gone dormant, with artists, crews, and labels trucking it down to Worthy Farm, or another series of fields somewhere in south-west England. Don't lose hope, though.
As Mancs move out, we're welcoming in a range of overseas artists. Manchester International Festival is the standard bearer, but other tours and smaller festivals in July mean we have a plethora of options.
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From low-fi indie introspection, prog rock's unexpected revival, and a swathe of synthy, funky pop - there's something for everyone. Just because our lot have gone away doesn't mean we don't know how to have a party.
Noah and the Loners — Retro — July 2
Expect bucketloads of angst from punk band Noah and the Loners. Their songs capture the mood of Gen Z, and cover everything from teenage love to the trans experience.
Fronted by 18-year-old singer songwriter Noah Lonergan on vocals and guitar, with Amber Welsh on bass, Joseph Boyle on guitar and Noah Riley on drums, the band’s sound is influenced by the likes of The Clash and Paramore. You can catch them at Retro on July 2.
Kelsy Karter & The Heroines — Yes (The Basement) — July 3
Pop-punk artist Kelsy Karter was catapulted into the internet's limelight in 2019, when she faked getting a tattoo of Harry Styles on her face. It was an attempt to garner interest around her latest single at the time, titled 'Harry.'
Despite receiving hate from some Harry Styles fans, it certainly did bring the Australian singer to the public's attention. Four years on, she's released debut album Missing Person and was the opening act for Billy Idol's 2023 tour.
Now, with her band The Heroines - consisting of British musicians Sebastian Boyse, Matthew Peach and Tommy Gent - Kelsey is touring Europe, including a date at Yes (Basement) this month. Tickets are still available here.
David Kushner — New Century — July 3
You can hear the influence of Hozier in the music of David Kushner. But the American singer-songwriter was hardly a teenager when his Irish inspiration first hit the charts 10 years ago.
The 23-year-old began writing songs with a close friend while living in Florida. A few years later, his single "Miserable Man" went viral on TikTok and his songs received 556m streams within 12 months of releasing music.
A religious man, the up and coming musician will be performing at Manchester's New Cenutry Hall this month following the release of his first EP, Footprints I Found, last September. Get tickets here.
Adam Melchor — Yes (The Pink Room) — July 4
This New Jersey native got his start with a major label by recording lullabies, featuring on his debut album, Melchor Lullaby Hotline, Vol. 1. 'In 2020, Adam Melchor began a project he called the Lullaby Hotline, in which fans who texted him would get a weekly home recording, featuring both originals and covers,' reports streaming service Tidal.
That silky, sleepy approach has seeped through into a fully-fledged, singing-songwriting career. Melchor has quickly developed a cult following for his warm, acoustic tracks.
Often confessional, his personal folk tunes come straight from a long night in a dimly-lit bedroom, diary and pen in hand. Melchor is taking to Yes' Pink Room stage on July 4.
Body Type — Yes (The Basement) — July 6
Since the release of their debut album in 2022, Australian band Body Type have received a lot of much-deserved hype. They swiftly followed it up with the release of their second album Expired Candy earlier this year.
An all-female rock group, Body Type pack plenty of attitude into their music. They’re played support for the likes of Wolf Alice and The Pixies, even performing on the steps on Sydney Opera House. The band will be performing in the basement of Yes on July 6, and you can still grab a ticket here.
Mamalarky — Yes (The Basement) — July 20
Mamalarky are not exactly household names, but that’s not for a lack of talent. The four-piece can already successfully claim the M.E.N.’s new prestigious award for ‘Americans with the most-British-sounding-names’, in Livvy Bennett, Michael Hunter, Dylan Hill, and Noor Khan.
Nominative skill aside, the group have produced two wonderful, and underrated albums. Taking on low-fi indie, with a few innovative quirks in guitar playing, lyrically they’re adept at capturing life’s little moments.
The second of those albums, Pocket Fantasy, is our pick if you want to get into them. This tour is promoting the most recent of records, so it’ll be a small, but perfectly formed, show.
Ed Harcourt — Matt & Phreds — July 23
It’s nice to be in the company of Radiohead, Gorillaz, Basement Jaxx, and Elbow — but that’s where Ed Harcourt found himself just over two decades ago. He and those aforementioned artists were nominated for the 2001 Mercury Prize, and they all lost out to PJ Harvey.
That’s a hell of an achievement, though, given ole Polly Jean is the only person to ever win two of the elusive gongs. Since that moment, Harcourt has won acclaim for his baroque rock style, which also has elements of folk.
This show, therefore, is a bit smaller than you might expect, but it’s part of The National Lottery’s United By Music tour with Music Venue Trust. Grab tickets here.
Men I Trust — Albert Hall — July 24
This indie trio have been floating around for almost a decade now, but their wistful tracks have found a new home on TikTok with the likes of 'Show Me How' providing the soundtrack to many a rainy 'day in the life' loop. Still, to reduce Men I Trust to just ghostly melodies, heavy with longing, would be oversimplification.
Emmanuelle Proulx does bring wispy vocals, lighter than air, sure. But as much as the Canadian band leans into its dreampop DNA, they're often laced with funky bops and electronic hooks from keyboardist, Dragos Chiriac, and bassist-guitarist, Jessy Caron.
Tracks like 'Billie Toppy' show the group's 80s pop influences that bring driving energy to an otherwise chilled catalogue. Meanwhile, their most recent single, 'Ring of Past', harkens back to a 70s roller-rink drum beat.
Men I Trust are drifting into the Albert Hall on July 24.
Radar Festival — Victoria Warehouse & Various Venues — July 28 - 30
Greater Manchester is home to a fair few festivals now, from the mega-headliner-frenzy that is Parklife, to smaller affairs like Fair Play in the Northern Quarter. Now, we’ve got another to add to the list, in Radar Festival.
This one specialises in progressive music, which organisers say includes modern prog rock, prog metal, and technical or virtuosic guitar-led music. This is the first time the fest has come to Manchester, and bosses say they’re planning on staying here for ‘many years’.
Friday headliners Sleep Token fit into the modern prog rock category, while the other two big names — Periphery and Igorrr — are more in the prog metal category. Get tickets here.
Green Island — Hulme Community Garden Centre — July 29
Moments away from Manchester city centre, the urban oasis that is Hulme Community Garden Centre is home to Green Island. Held over three dates each year, July will see the music festival return for a second time this summer.
The grassroots garden rave, which is in its third year now, puts underground, underrepresented, emerging artists from across the UK at the forefront. Global sounds, funky grooves and local talent are on show across three stages.
As well as the main stage, the 500-person festival features the forest stage - a magical space for dancing under the cover of trees - and a third stage for takeovers. The Volume II line up includes Mim Suleiman, The Beautiful Sinners, Afrodisia, Meduulla, Sham Steele, Calyso Mix, Kisa and Kultura Collective with an after party planned at the neighbouring NIAMOS arts centre - although June's night-time event was moved to Canvas at Circle Square.
