A new Manchester festival and music conference, Beyond The Music, will take place across the city in October 2023.
The new festival will be launched by a show at SXSW in Austin Texas in March, headlined by Beyond The Music’s first artist ambassadors and Manchester legends New Order.
Beyond The Music looks to explore, define and tackle the issues facing the music industry and shape the future, overhauling and advancing music in the city.
New Order will launch Beyond The Music with an exclusive SXSW concert, at The Moody Theatre on 13 March 2023, with support from Manchester avant-pop rockers The Orielles and post-punk quartet Loose Articles. Both supporting acts are being supported to attend SXSW by GMCA (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) and were selected by the Greater Manchester Music Commission and Manchester Music Cities Network.
Manchester music – New Order – image courtesy Warren Jackson
Beyond The Music will then host a SXSW showcase of new artists the following day, 14 March.
Beyond The Music co-founder Oli Wilson says, “It’s a pivotal time in the history of the music industry and for Manchester, so it’s only right the two are coming together again to decide what the future is going to look like.
“Building on our civic traditions of innovation and cooperation we are creating a forum for the music industry to shape its future in the new cultural economy, and delivering a new music festival that will realign Manchester as the global capital of music.
“Whether it has been with technology or creating new business models within the industry, from the very beginning of their career, New Order have always led the curve. Now in 2023 we are proud to have New Order as our first artists ambassadors, as they embody the spirit of Manchester and share the same commitment to innovation as Beyond The Music.”
Beyond The Music will create a global forum and live music festival, defining the music industry’s place in the new cultural economy by bringing together tech, AV, gaming, brands, and literature to build a creative alliance for the future. Beyond The Music is a place to gather artists, entrepreneurs, creatives and music industry professionals over the course of three days with funders, businesses and organisations in order to maximise impact and take solutions to scale whilst putting the spotlight back on live and new music discovery alongside world class artists.
When does Beyond The Music take place in Manchester?
Beyond The Music takes place across Manchester from 11-14 October 2023
Image of New Order courtesy Warren Jackson
