Live music in Manchester this week: 21-25 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. 

Fri 21 Apr

Bristolian five-piece The Shimmer Band bring their self-combusting psychedelic rock sound our way, with a timely recent release of latest single, Jacknife and the Death Call. Soup Kitchen, 7pm, £7

Sat 22 Apr

[Kyotoya, photo: Jack Kirwin]

Record Store Day, innit! Which, along with middle-aged men in parkas queuing outside Piccadilly Records at 5am, also means a plethora of live music across town, including an all-dayer at Soup Kitchen with ILL, Great Ytene, Peaness, The Showers, Kyotoya and Aaberg, live bands at Common from 5pm (Wedding, Menage a Trois and Former Bullies), and DJs spinning tunes left, right and centre.

Sun 23 Apr

There you are, sat in your pants on a Sunday afternoon working your way through a bag of Kettle Chips (you got the posh ones, coz you’re hungover) and planning to have what they call “an early night”. Then, all of a sudden, you realise that the Vengaboys are in town and your evening takes the biggest U-turn it could ever take, as you hot foot it to the Ritz to catch retro hits from your childhood – support from Cheeky Girls and Lolly, too, would you believe? All aboard the Vengabus, big kids. O2 Ritz, 8pm, £21.50

Mon 24 Apr

[Deafheaven, photo: Kat Gollock]

Post-black metal success stories Deafheaven continue their unexpected ascent following a line-up change back in 2013. Catch them as they hit the stages off the back of last year’s darker, brooding album New Bermuda. Gorilla, 7.30pm, £16

Emerging London-based solo artist Bryde steps out after releasing her second EP – produced by Bill Ryder-Jones, no less – at the end of last year. The Castle Hotel, 7.30pm, £7

Tue 25 Apr

[Happyness, photo: Kit Harwood]

London-based trio Happyness are back with new album, Write In, and – spoiler – we rather like it. Here they swap their moody, shoegazey sensibility for something a little more optimistic, a maturation that proves the band can maintain the essential quality of their sound even as they develop, thanks to “an understated ingenuity and irreverence.” Gullivers, 7.30pm, £9

Now booking:

Manchester’s own Menage a Trois launch their debut album, Australia III, later this month with a late night party at Aatma. NTS’ Annabel Fraser will take over the reins after their live set, spinning tunes until 4am. More info here.