Live music in Manchester this week: 20-27 Jul

This week's live music reaches astronomical new heights with the debut of Bluedot festival at Jodrell Bank, while Psyblings touch down with local psychedelia. All this and more, including Manchester Jazz Festival and Jungle by Night at Band on the Wall.

Feature by Jess Hardiman | 20 Jul 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 20 Jul

Prefer your folk less twee and twiddly; more dark and brooding? Sun Kil Moon – aka Ohio-born singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and sometime-actor (yup, putting us to shame) Mark Kozelek – has been treading that path for over a decade now, and this week he’ll be performing songs from that celebrated 12-year career of his. Joined by Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley on drums and Jesu guitarist (and one-time Napalm Death member) Justin Broadrick, expect unflinching, personal accounts of pain, despair and loss.

Royal Northern College of Music, 7pm, £25

Thu 21 Jul

Praised for their progression of Afrobeat by the genre’s forefather Tony Allen, Jungle By Night are a nine-pronged instrumental collective. Having carved out the beginnings of a promising career after working with and supporting the likes of Ebo Taylor, Mulatu Astatke, Gaslamp Killer, The Roots and Mayer Hawthorne, they’ll be brining their Afro-funk, hip hop, soul and rock-infused brand of Afrobeat to Manchester for the first time.
Band on the Wall, 7.30pm, £12

Fri 22 Jul

Local five-piece psych/noise-rock outfit Psyblings mark the release of their debut single, Where’s Your Moon, with an evening of psychedelic sounds at Night & Day Café. Support comes from Stockport’s latest trippy psych output Thing, Manc trio Crimsons and, just to throw things off course somewhat, a five-piece indie/reggae group currently studying at BIMM Manchester, Mister Twisted.
Night & Day Café, 7pm, £6

Sun 24 Jul

No doubt you’ll remember the surprising and volcanic split of Glasgow’s The Amazing Snakeheads last year, just under a year after releasing their aptly-titled debut album, Amphetamine Ballads. But having left just enough time for dust to settle, former frontman Dale Barclay returns with a new direction, a new band, and, er, “nothing but revenge in his heart”, we're told. We’re intrigued. And a little bit scared. 
Soup Kitchen, 7.30pm, £6

Tue 26 Jul

LA noise duo Deap Vally hop across the pond for a special intimate summer show ahead of their tour later this year in support of forthcoming new album, Femejism – though with no dates planned for Manchester yet for that, you’d better jump on this one, eh? Support comes from The Cut.

Night & Day Café, 8pm, £10

Festivals

[Jodrell Bank]

Arguably the North's most anticipated festival this year, Bluedot takes over Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre for three days of music and science. The venue's been used before for large-scale gigs from the likes of Elbow, Sigur Ros and New Order, but this brand new festival seems to be bringing its A-game for its debut year.

You'll find scores of high profile names including Air, Underworld, Jean-Michel Jarre, Caribou, Beth Orton, Everything Everything, art from Brian Eno and much more – though if you wanted our top-line recommendation, check out the five acts we think you should catch here.
22-24 Jul, Jodrell Bank, Macclesfield, weekend passes £139; Friday and Sunday tickets £35-£49; Saturday sold out

With a mission this year to urge the city to ‘rethink jazz’, Manchester Jazz Festival kicks off this week for 10 days of musical goodness. Along with a full programme of free live music at the festival pavilion, which provides the perfect incentive for summery al fresco beers in Albert Square, there will also be gigs at Band on the Wall, Central Library, The Portico, RNCM, St Ann’s Church, The Midland and Matt & Phred’s, while over at HOME, you can also catch a special season of Jazz on Film, exploring the interaction between jazz and cinema.
22-31 Jul, various venues, times and prices 

Band on the Wall’s annual Beer & Blues Weekender returns this weekend to whet thy whistle with guest ales from locals like Seven Brothers, Wilson Potter, Green Mill and First Chop gracing the 20-pump bar. On music duties you’ll find Jo Harman, winner of Best Female Vocalist at the British Blues Awards in 2014, Big Boy Bloater and The Limits – the titular frontman of which was lauded by Jools Holland as one of the greatest bluesmen of our time – and a special collaboration between Connie Lush and Kyla Brox.

Individual gig tickets cost £10, but we suggest you lap it all up with a full weekend pass at £25.
Fri 22-Sat 23 Jul, Band on the Wall, times vary, £10-£25

Now booking:

Tickets go on sale this Friday for nu/acid jazz pioneer St Germain, aka French musician Ludovic Navarre. He’ll be playing the Albert Hall this November in what will undoubtedly be a packed out show that unites Manchester’s jazz fans, old school clubbers and today’s deep house lovers.

Meanwhile, Feeder are back on the touring circuit with their forthcoming ninth album, All Bright Electric. Due for release at the end of September, they’ll be hitting up the O2 Ritz on 3 Oct. 

[Goat, photo: Stuart Moulding]

Swedish alternative and experimental fusion troupe GOAT are also back out airing some new material later this year, with the October release of Requiem and a full European tour. Stopping off at Manchester's Albert Hall on 22 Oct, they’ll be joined by Hookworms, Jane Weaver, Mugstar, Josefin Ohrn, The Liberation and Andy Votel for an evening of sheer cosmic proportions.