Now in its 11th year, Sounds From The Other City returns to celebrate musical innovation locally, nationally and internationally, tied together by the city’s impressive gang of independent promoters, collectives and club nights.
Taking place over the May Day bank holiday each year, it’s a rare chance to doff your cap to Manchester’s thriving music and arts scene, whilst also having a really, really good time.
Sounds From The Other City Festival 2014 from Plastic Zoo on Vimeo.
Ex-Easter Island Head and BBC Philharmonic Ensemble at Vimto Gardens
A brand new commission between Liverpool trio Ex-Easter Island Head and the BBC Philharmonic – the former a celebrated ensemble composing and performing music for solid-body electric guitar percussion and many other instruments; the latter, of course, Salford’s world-renowned broadcasting orchestra – this one-off collaboration has been curated by music residency programmers Samarbeta. You’ll find two performances for this one, both of which are free but ticketed on a first come, first served basis from the wristband exchange on the day.
Red Deer Club presents The Battle of Bexley Square
What started life as a live music night in Manchester, Red Deer Club has not only matured into a small but flourishing record label, it’s now also celebrating its 10th year of supporting new folk and delectable alternative sounds. A SFTOC regular, Red Deer Club marks the milestone with ‘The Battle of Bexley Square’, a selection of ten artists each playing a specially commissioned new composition, featuring the likes of Songs For Walter, Sarah Lowes, Liz Green and others.
Now Wave at Islington Mill
Tastemakers of Mancunia and beyond, Now Wave return to SFTOC with another stellar line up. It's hard to single out just the one highlight from their stage, as this year they arrive in tow with sounds from new kids on the block, dreamlike grunge four-piece Beach Baby and London’s electro-pop band Real Lies, along with two of the festival’s most hotly-tipped acts, Gengahr and Domino Records’ new signing LA Priest.
Jane Weaver at St Philips Church
Playing for Hey Manchester at one of Salford’s best and most beautiful venues, Jane Weaver is a singer, songwriter and guitarist hailing from Liverpool. Alongside her solo endeavours, she has a label, Bird Records, that she runs with Finders Keepers Records in Manchester - but it’s her self-produced synth-driven new record ‘The Silver Globe’ that’s currently causing a stir, featuring global collaborators such as soundtrack composer David Holmes and co-founder of Twisted Nerve Records Andy Votel.
Video Jam at The King’s Arms
Audio-visual wizards Video Jam pretty much have the sonic/optical crossover monopolized here in Manchester, hosting various events at our key cultural institutions including Islington Mill, Whitworth Art Gallery's re-opening shindig, Manchester Art Gallery, Abandon Normal Devices festival and more. They return to SFTOC for 2015 to play a round of specially selected film and original scores that explore the relationship between moving image and live sound.
Video Jam at Manchester Art Gallery from Plastic Zoo on Vimeo.
Bad Uncle presents Inception
Flaunting this year’s duo of new SFTOC venues under the New Bailey Rail Arches (both of which have never been used by the public and neither of which will exist this time next year) the aptly named Inception sees a mini festival within a festival take advantage of the first of the two spaces. With non-stop music all day, the line up features the likes of David Birchall, Fists, Danny Saul vs Sam Weaver, Baby Brave, Doctrines and more.
Brown Brogues x PINS
Two of the city’s favourite names and finest exports team up to debut a supergroup of heroic proportions. One half of said mash-up is Brown Brogues, a garage duo based here in Manchester otherwise known as Mark Vernon and Ben Mather. Boisterous. Very good. PINS, meanwhile, have most recently been touring with Sleater Kinney, establishing their name globally whilst continuing to be our most cherished foursome. The two bands will play each other’s songs in the stunning setting of St Philips Church, a unique venue that’s has been increasingly putting Salford’s music micro-culture on the map.
Normal Love at Islington Mill
The new project from Roxy of Brit indie-pop band Veronica Falls, this year’s SFTOC welcomes the debut of Normal Love. Witness the first ever performance from the Veronica Falls founding member as she takes to the Comfortable on a Tightrope stage in the intimate setting of Islington Mill Gallery.
Sham Bodie at New Oxford
Sham Bodie is a clever, regular comedy night that mixes laughs with brilliant live music, snacks and witty chat for a seemingly perfect set-up. For this SFTOC special you get a choice of two shows at 5pm and 8pm, with the earlier slot filled ably by comedy from Quippodrome, funnymen Sam & Tom and Sheffield’s Sean Morley, plus a pretty exciting acoustic set from the PINS girls. The Sham Bodie crew then return later in the evening for their second stab, this time armed with comedians Will Setchell, Tony Basnett and Barbara Nice, and live music from those lovable Brown Brogues.
Micro Cosmic Delirium
Another brand new collaboration commissioned especially for the festival, Micro Cosmic Delirium sees the pairing of Liverpool-based performance and art duo Faux Queens with The Costumologists, who have recently been busy plotting huge parties with The Kazimier crew and making videos for psych-folk group Stealing Sheep. The result, inspired by ideas of micro-organic ecosystems, sets to engulf the festival in party spirit through an infectious epidemic of costume, installation, performance and interventions.
You can buy advance tickets online here, or if you prefer the old school system, you can get your mitts on physical tickets from The Kings Arms, North Tea Power, Piccadilly Records or Font bars.