Find Your New Favourite Band at these Autumn Music Festivals

The nights are fair drawing in, but there's new music to be found! We look at some of the music festivals happening near and far this October and November

Feature by Tallah Brash | 02 Oct 2024
  • Live at Leeds

As the temperature plummets, and it starts getting dark by 6pm, it's easy to lean into your yearning for cosy evenings on the couch, binge-watching trash TV, but some of the best new music from future talent is waiting to be discovered in sweaty basement venues, cosy record shops, holy chapels and on boats in all corners of the globe. We take a look at some of the multi-venue music festivals taking place this October and November from as near as Glasgow to as far away as Montreal.

Neighbourhood Festival

Manchester, 5 Oct

Kicking things off in Manchester is Neighbourhood. Launched in 2016, they’re proud to have hosted a lot of artists over the years who have gone on to be the next big thing – Sam Fender, Mabel, Holly Humberstone, the list goes on. Taking place across 16 venues around the Oxford Road area of Manchester’s city centre, famed venues like the Albert Hall, Gorilla and the O2 Ritz will all be in on the fun of this all-dayer that boasts a lineup of over 100 artists. 

Near the top of the bill you’ll find 2023 Scottish Album of the Year Award-shortlisted R’n’B, soul and indie artist Brooke Combe, whose next record, Dancing at the Edge of the World, is due in January, and Manchester’s fast rising stars Pale Waves, fresh from releasing their latest album Smitten. Further down the bill, it’s all about discovery – Liang Lawrence, Nxdia and Vincent’s Last Summer are good places to start. neighbourhoodfestival.com

Beyond the Music

Manchester, 9-12 Oct

Staying in Manchester, Beyond the Music's global music conference and festival recognises the difficulties currently being faced by the music industry and are 'here for the future of music.' Led by its ‘No artists. No music’ ethos, Beyond the Music are ambitious, hoping to turn challenges into opportunities. Now in its second year, the festival has a mammoth list of stage curators, from publications like Clash and Rodeo Mag to labels like Melodic and Nice Swan via the likes of BBC Introducing, with a strong focus on platforming and celebrating early career artists.

Alongside the music, there’s a full programme of informative panels taking place in the daytime too, discussing topics like the evolution of Black British music, mental health in the industry, and misogyny in music, with rapper Aitch giving the keynote speech. While 25% of the lineup is made up of artists from the north west of England like Werkha, Heavy Salad, Dog Sport and Good Grief, the rest are from far and wide with Zoe Graham and Goodnight Louisa representing Scottish talent. beyondthemusic.co.uk

Photo of a crowdsurfer at Tenement Trail music festival

Tenement Trail

Glasgow, 12 Oct

For a day of musical discovery on home soil, look no further than Glasgow’s much-loved Tenement Trail. Launched in 2013, this all-dayer takes place over eight spaces in the city’s East End, from smaller spots like McChuills to the iconic Barrowland Ballroom, with a devotion to Scottish talent of all genres. Alongside bigger names like Declan Welsh and the Decadent West, Neon Waltz and VLURE, you’ll find recent SAY Award longlisters rEDOLENT further down the bill alongside exciting up-and-comers like neverfine, Dutch Wine, Humour and Fourth Daughter. The festival has also teamed up with BBC Introducing in Scotland for their Barrowland 2 lineup. tenementtrail.com / Photo above by Cameron Brisbane

Left of the Dial

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 17-19 Oct

Named after a song by The Replacements, Rotterdam’s Left of the Dial are proud to have no headliners at their three-day international showcase festival in Rotterdam. With a focus on alternative music, all artists that play are by default of equal importance, and with past performers English Teacher having just won the Mercury Prize, you’re guaranteed their taste is just as good as their ethics. 

Split between a whole host of venues – including a boat(!) – more than 100 artists are set to play, with many, like recent DFA signees Mermaid Chunky, performing more than once. A handful of Scottish talent is set to play this year too, including Savage Mansion, No Windows, Samuel Nicholson and Man Of Moon. Alongside the music, there's also a finely tuned conference schedule with discussions around programming the perfect lineup and the Bands Boycott Barclays protest movement. leftofthedial.nl

Photo of Ocen performing among a crowd of people.

No Bounds

Sheffield and Rotherham, 11-13 Oct

Celebrating music, art and technology in Sheffield and Rotherham this October, the more experimental No Bounds returns for its seventh outing taking over spaces like Sheffield Cathedral, Our Lady On the Bridge Chapel and Hope Works, a former WWI gun barrel factory. Their packed music schedule features live sets from the likes of Oram Award winners Lola de la Mata and The Silver Field, Grammy winning hip-hop artist Flowdan and a collaborative performance from producer Nueen and rapper Iceboy Violet, while their visual art strand includes an installation from Sheffield-based artist Melville.

Elsewhere, their wellness strand brings Drone Yoga, and Dreaming (live), a six-hour durational sleep performance to the festival, while a collaboration between LGBTQIA+ collective and The Beatriarchy features a two-hour DJ workshop and a three-hour improvisation and play workshop, with priority given to women, non-binary and marginalised people. And the day before the festival officially starts, catch a panel hosted by John Chowning, developer of the FM synthesis algorithm back in 1967. noboundsfestival.co.uk / Pictured above: Ocen, performing with Rian Treanor at No Bounds 2024, photo by James Ward

Mutations Festival

Brighton, 5-9 Nov

Running since 2015, Mutations Festival takes place across nine different independent grassroots venues in Brighton. Over the years they've platformed acts like Yard Act, Baxter Dury, Pussy Riot, Working Men’s Club and Billy Nomates, offering the unique chance to see artists destined for bigger stages up close and personal in more intimate settings. This year, over 100 artists are set to play, with names you likely already know like Warmduscher, Arooj Aftab, Kneecap and Alabaster DePlume playing alongside names you should, like Boston alt-indie rockers Horse Jumper of Love, jangly, angular London outfit Folly Group and New York-based folk-pop singer-songwriter Bloomsday. There's also a smattering of Scottish acts on the bill too with Hamish Hawk, rEDOLENT and VLURE set to play. mutationsfestival.com

Photo of a concert venue, with the crowd and band both visible.

Iceland Airwaves

Reykjavík, Iceland, 7-9 Nov

There are obviously many reasons to visit Iceland – the Blue Lagoon, Gullfoss Falls, the Strokkur geyser, the northern lights, the list goes on – but heading there to attend the country’s longest running music festival should also be on your list. Celebrating its 25th year, Iceland Airwaves returns to downtown Reykjavík this November taking place across record shops, launderettes, bars, art museums, churches, nightclubs, concert halls and more.

Having platformed artists like Young Fathers, Sigrid, Hot Chip, Florence and the Machine and Caribou early on in their careers, this year, alongside international talent like bar italia, Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul, Charlotte Day Wilson, Magdalena Bay, Personal Trainer, Overmono, Lynks and English Teacher, there’s a glut of Icelandic artists rounding out the bill across a diverse cross section of genres – go discover the next Björk! icelandairwaves.is / Photo above: Trentemøller at Iceland Airwaves, by Florian Trykowski

Live at Leeds In the City

Leeds, 16 Nov

Running in November for the first time, Live at Leeds In the City takes place across numerous independent venues for what will be the festival’s 17th edition. While there are some bigger names on the bill like Everything Everything, Marika Hackman and the aforementioned English Teacher, who’ll play their first hometown show since winning the Mercury Prize, there are plenty of new musical discoveries to be found too. With a strong devotion to grassroots talent, and in particular to platforming local talent from the West Yorkshire area, they do still cast their eyes and ears further afield, and so you'll find Scots like Indoor Foxes, Humour and No Windows also on the bill. liveatleeds.com

M for Montreal

Montreal, Canada, 20-23 Nov

Okay, so this one is far away, but well worth your time, we promise. Celebrating its 19th year showcasing local and international talent in the bars, clubs and strip joints – no, really – of Montreal, over the years M for Montreal has platformed Canadian and international talent like Grimes, Mac DeMarco, BadBadNotGood, M83, Fucked Up, Death Grips and more. This year, the official selection includes Quebec talent like Afrobeat artist Ya Cetidon, folk-pop from Velours Velours, synthpop from KROY, R’n’B from Naomi, and queer pop from Fleece as well as the return of two of our noisy faves from last year – psych band Population II and punk-rock outfit DVTR. As well as the music programme, for industry types you'll find a whole host of networking events, panel discussions and off-the-beaten track events to sink your teeth into. mpourmontreal.com