Live music in Manchester this week: 6-11 Apr

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. 

Thu 6 Apr

Jesca Hoop, photo: Paul Wolfgang Webster

The music of Manchester-based, California-born songstress Jesca Hoop is rich with layered harmonies, cavernous production and slow, sombre seduction. We awarded her recent album, Memories Are Now, a full five stars – as we did her show at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds t'other week. Go figure. Then go watch, of course. Gorilla, 7pm, £11

With a new album out, Scottish-Australian troubador Colin Hay is back on the razz. Fingers crossed for plenty of that juicy back catalogue, too, which you may remember from his cameos in Scrubs. Or featuring on the soundtrack for Garden State. Basically you'll mostly remember him from his links to millennial fave Zach Braff... and that's okay, but just remember he's got ten albums' worth of the good stuff. The Dancehouse, 7.30pm, £20-£24

Pulled Apart by Horses, photo: Justin Moir

Leeds-based band of lunatics Pulled Apart by Horses run to a tight check list of torturous vocals, distortion, serious riffage, and hardcore clatter. All in the name of some pretty bloody awesome balls-to-the-wall rock, y'understand. Read our interview with them discussing new album The Haze here, before catching them in action here in Manchester. Sound Control, 6.30pm, £6

Fri 7 Apr 

The Wytches, photo: Simon Butler

Round the working week off with The Wytches, a Brighton band making dark and flowery psychedelia with surf riffs straight outta 1950. You can also read our interview with frontman Kristian Bell from a few years back here. Sound Control, 7.30pm, £10

Sat 8 Apr

Hold On. Don't Let Go. Free Your Mind. And all kinds of other En Vogue imperatives to indulge in ahead of the nostalgia fest this weekend. Manchester Academy 2, 7.30pm, £29.50

Scruff of the Neck welcomes indie/alt rock lot Glass Caves, who'll be hitting up Gorilla alongside support from local rockers Feed the Kid (who count Terry Christian among their fans) and indie-pop quartet Puppet Theory. Gorilla, 6.30pm, £8

Tue 11 Apr

PWR BTTM, photo: Ebru Yildiz

PWR BTTM are an American queer punk duo with Ben Hopkins on guitar and vocals and Liv Bruce on drums and vocals. We loved their last album, Ugly Cherries, and then their set at Trans Musicales festival, and now we love them even more after they recently spoke to us about rediscovering themselves on new album, Pageant, before getting sidetracked and taking us through their favourite queer rappers. Go see 'em! The Deaf Institiute, 7pm, £10