Live music in Manchester this week: 7-13 Dec

This week you can catch New Jersey rapper Cakes Da Killa at Soup Kitchen, sumptuous psych-poppers Gengahr at The Deaf Institute, Dublin's Girl Band at Gorilla and more, all before booking yourself in for Stay Fresh Fest 2 in January!

Feature by Jess Hardiman | 07 Dec 2016

We dive into the listings to bring you this essential guide to gigs in Manchester this week plus the latest news on festivals, tour announcements and more. Think we've missed something? Hit up jess@theskinny.co.uk with the details. 

Wed 7 Dec

This week Soup Kitchen welcome back New Jersey recording artist and rapper Cakes Da Killa, aka Rashard Bradchaw, who made his Manchester debut at the venue back in July 2015. This time he’s arriving with fresh new material from his charged new record, Hedonism, which features appearances from the likes of Peaches, Rye Rye and Josh Dst. Soup Kitchen, 7.30pm, £7.50

Thu 8 Dec

Hypnotic North London quartet Gengahr are heading back to Manchester after a sell-out show last year, still riding high on the success of that psych-popping gem of a debut, A Dream Outside. Deaf Institute, 7pm, £11

Fri 9 Dec

Now Wave and The Warehouse Project combine forces to bring you achingly cool pop producer, singer and songwriter Shura (aka Aleksandra Denton when she’s off stage), who’s been busy causing quite the stir with her nostalgic and gauzy vintage pop and R’n’B. Manchester Academy 2, 7.30pm, £12.50

Meanwhile, Rough Trade’s potty-mouthed Irish post-punk hotshots Girl Band will be taking on Gorilla with something decidedly more visceral. Find out more in our interview with guitarist Daniel Fox from last year. Gorilla, 7pm, £10

Sat 10 Dec

Soup and Glass Onion welcome the woozy pop of Manchester’s psychedelic hunks Ménage à Trois, in an evening that also sees them joined by fellow Cracki Records signings Agar Agar – travelling all the way from France, bring the good eggs that they are. Soup Kitchen, 7pm, £5

Manchester’s African music collective Amani Creatives welcome Cameroonian superstar Coco Mbassi to Band on the Wall for their biggest booking to date, completing the evening with a showcase from Amani musicians and dancers. Band on the Wall, 7pm, £10-£12.50

Mon 12 Dec

Welsh singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon returns with her madcap wonder of a fourth album, Crab Day, which was released back in spring – you can read our four-star review here. Such is the demand to catch her up-close in the most intimate of the Trof venues (though still far from small, let’s face it), she’ll be stopping by for two dates, with support from Tim Priestly. Mon 12-Tue 13 Dec, The Deaf Institute, 7pm, £12.50

Now booking:

January may feel like a long way away and a bit of a shit month for gigs, but it's actually neither of those things, so you'd better get prepared for Stay Fresh Fest 2! Following last September's totally brilliant debut, we're teaming up with The Deaf Institute once again to bring you some of the best ruddy sounds in the North – and beyond.

The full line-up's now been unveiled, with the likes of cosmic explorers Henge, Halifax surf-poppers (and new Heavenly Records signings) The Orielles, and Luxury Death, the new project from Ben Thompson of Nai Harvest. Find out who else has been confirmed in our news story, then go buy yourself a ticket! In January, you will be over the moon.