Live music in Manchester this week: 9-15 Nov

This week it's all about Julia Holter as she brings her compositional prowess to Manchester Cathedral, a night curated by Flamingods at The White Hotel, Gilles Peterson signees Yusseff Kamaal and snagging tickets for Bonobo and De La Soul in 2017

Feature by Jess Hardiman | 09 Nov 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 9 Nov

Just over a decade from the release of prolific debut album, Boulevard, French acid jazz pioneer St Germain (aka Ludovic Navarre) is back at it with his first album of new material in 15 years. Released last October, the eponymous fourth release sees Navarre bring new life to his sound by drawing inspiration from the music of Mali, having enlisted the likes of Malian kora player Mamadou Cherif Soumano, Malian guitarist Guimba Kouyate, Brazillian percussionist Jorge Bezerra and Martiniquais keyboardist – and long-time associate – Didier Davidas. The Albert Hall, 7pm, £25

Thu 10 Nov

The combined effort of hotly tipped new Gilles Peterson signees Yussef Dayes and Kamaal Williams, Yussef Kamaal take inspiration for their jazz from London's jungle, grime and broken beats, while riding the new wave of jazz-funk with aplomb. They’re debuting their self-taught sound with a spate of new shows across Europe in support of first album, Black Focus; definitely worth catching 'em now while you can still appreciate their unique stylings in the nation’s intimate venues. Islington Mill, Salford, 7.30pm, £12

Sat 12 Nov

Soundway Records signees and rhythm-driven psychedelic pop five-piece Flamingods headline and curate Majesty, a late night special at The White Hotel presented by Grey Lantern. The bill features producer and live sampling mastermind Anchorsong and former Egyptian Hip Hop member Aldous RH, while Flamingods will also be scoring Wolfgang Lehmann’s Dragonflies With Bird and Snake, commissioned by Video Jam. The White Hotel, Salford, 8pm, £9

[Shield Patterns]

Contemporary art organisation Broken Grey Wires teams up with Islington Mill’s events hub Fat Out to bring you Liberate Yourself From my Vice Like Grip, an exhibition launch from exhibiting artists Lizz Brady, Kirsty Harris, Robert Good, Amy Mizrahi, David Sherry, Paul Kindersley, Jared Pappas-Kelley and Alexander Storey Gordon, along with plenty of live music from the likes of Mother, ILL, The Yossarians, Shield Patterns and Andy or Jenny. Islington Mill, 6pm, £5

Sun 13 Nov

And the next day it’s a return to the Mill for a Surplusbeats FoodCycle Fundraiser, this time pairing live tunes with food for an evening of eats and beats in aid of FoodCycle, a charity tackling good poverty and social isolation, reducing food waste and strengthening local communities. Along with food from vegan peddlers Mother May I and the Manchester FoodCycle team – who’ll be using whatever food that might have otherwise been wasted – there’ll be music from riff-loving Mancs Dirty Flowers, frantic pop-disco-rock outfit Omit Sleep and Scottish singer-songwriter Caitlin Gilligan. Islington Mill, 5pm, £5

Tue 15 Nov

[Julia Holter, photo: Iain Scott]

With a compelling gift for merging high concept ,compositional prowess and experimentation with pop sensibility, LA-based musician and CalArts grad Julia Holter makes a welcome return to UK shores, just over a year on from the release of her latest album. Go marvel. Manchester Cathedral, 7pm, £18.50

Meanwhile, Canadian blues/psych rock lot Black Mountain, whose sound is influenced by the reliable likes of Led Zeppelin and the Velvet Underground, are heading out on the road in support of their fourth studio album, aptly titled IV. Gorilla, 7.30pm, £16

Now booking:

[Bonobo]

Brighton's Bonobo (aka Simon Green) will be showing his face at the O2 Apollo next March to follow up the January release of his sixth album, Mirgration. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10am, so get ready to pounce. 

Also coming up next March are De La Soul, the Long Island hippidy hoppity heads who've been crafting their own genre-bending blend of alternative jazz rap since 1987. Catch them at Albert Hall on 2 March, where they'll be celebrating 30 years of breaking new ground. Tickets also go on sale at 10am this Friday, so double pouncing might be required...