Thursday 12 May – The Travelling Band – The Deaf Institute
Manchester based folk-rockers The Travelling Band, just back from tour with Lissie, are set to perform a home-town gig at Manchester’s Deaf Institute before they launch into festival season. After the excellent reviews of their 2014 release The Big Defreeze, the band have been hard at work on new material. Support comes from A Dyjecinski and Curse of Lono. Tickets £12.
Friday 13 May – Hannah Trigwell – Sound Control
Having made a rapid rise from busking on the streets of Leeds to scoring a number 1 single on the other side of the world and performing live in from of more than 30,000 people on a European tour, Hannah Trigwell performs at Manchester’s Sound Control. She’s one of the most tipped artists for 2016 (and rightly so) and has had praised heaped on her by the likes of Ed Sheeran. Support comes from Kelvin Jones and Corey Fox Fardell. Tickets £7.
Friday 13 May – James – Manchester Arena
Having recently released their latest album Girl At The End Of The World, James perform at Manchester Arena during a 15 date tour of the UK. Known for their unique and diverse style over their 13 studio albums, they’re both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, having sold over 12 million albums worldwide. The band originally signed to the iconic Factory Records in 1982, and have since gone onto produce a string of massive hit singles, including: Sit Down, Come Home, She’s A Star and Born of Frustration. Support comes from Jack Savoretti and The Slow Readers Club. Tickets £36-£45.
Saturday 14 May – Laura Cantrell – The Ruby Lounge
Over the past 16 years, Laura Cantrell has been a familiar presence on the U.K. music scene. The Nashville-born, New York-based artist has developed a loyal audience through consistent touring, and numerous radio interviews and sessions for BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 Music, most notably with Bob Harris and the late John Peel, who famously championed her debut album, Not The Tremblin’ Kind, and described it as, “My favourite album of the last ten years and possibly my life”. She now tours in support of her new release, Laura Cantrell At The BBC, which compiles the best of her UK radio performances from 2000-2005, including several previously unreleased songs, and traces the arc of Cantrell’s rise as an Americana artist on the airwaves of the venerable British Broadcasting Corporation. Support comes from Liam McClair. Tickets £18.
Saturday 14 May – Richard Ashcroft – Albert Hall
Richard Ashcroft makes his return to the stage in the UK with two intimate gigs at Manchester’s Albert Hall and London’s Roundhouse. The performances come ahead of these release of These People, his fourth solo album. These People is the first new album in six years from the Brit and Ivor Novello award winning and Grammy nominated artist. Tickets £35.
Saturday 14 May – The Joy Formidable – Manchester Academy
The Joy Formidable appear at Manchester Academy 2 in the midst of a 13-date UK tour. The band released their latest album hitch in March. Hitch is the product of the band adopting a more minimal approach in production style. Dubbed by Ritzy as “one of the most rhythmical and driving records we’ve made but also the saddest. This album takes you to places that we might not have taken you before”. Tickets £35.
Saturday 14 May – Space Monkeys – Gorilla
A one off hometown show, sees the band perform 20 years on from the release their debut single on Factory Records, Keep On Tripping On. The last band to be signed by Tony Wilson to Factory Records, Space Monkeys saw their 1997 debut album The Daddy Of Them All sell 250,000 copies worldwide. The band were resurrected last year for a series of special one off events including Glastonbury. Support from The Spitting Pips. Tickets £10.
