Live music in Manchester this week: 3-9 May

You've an eclectic week on your hands, as The Travelling Band unveil their new line-up, Matt Mondanile's Ducktails tear up the Soup Kitchen basement and Wheatus – yep, Wheatus! – head our way with those well-worn riffs

Feature by Jess Hardiman | 02 May 2017

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 4 May

[Blanck Mass, photo: Mihaela Bodlovic]

Blanck Mass (aka Fuck Buttons co-founder Benjamin John Power) tours third album World Eater, a dark and brilliant gem screaming with aggression, sonorous bass and thundering drums – which, crucially, has been given The Skinny seal of approval with our four-star review. The Deaf Institute, 7pm, £11

Manchester-based trumpeter, composer, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall is one of the leading names of the European jazz circuit, and for his latest project has teamed up with legendary LA vocalist Dwight Trible for new Gondwana Records release, Inspirations. Catch the collab in action as they showcase the record at Band on the Wall this week. Band on the Wall, 7.30pm, £14-£18

[La Bête Blooms]

Meanwhile, down the road at The Castle, Scruff of the Neck welcome Hull’s young post-punk outfit La Bête Blooms, who’ll be joined by fellow Northerners Fez and TriedDenied. The Castle Hotel, 7.30pm, £6

[Japandroids, photo: Justin Moir]

Canadian garage duo Japandroids are back with new album Near to the Wild Heart of Life, written clandestinely throughout 2014 and 2015 in Vancouver, Toronto, New Orleans and Mexico City. Catch their triumphant return to the stage following a much-needed break back in 2013, with support from Dasher. Gorilla, 7pm, £14

[Snarky Puppy]

With a rotating schedule of some 25 players, the US-of A collective Snarky Puppy share their unique musical enthusiasm for jazz-funk and world music. O2 Apollo, 7pm, £22

Fri 5 May

Local alt-folkies The Travelling Band end their week by unveiling their new line-up with a gig at Band on the Wall – expect to find a new face among the group, along with a decidedly less hairy Nick Vaal on drums. Support comes from South Island Son and Elle Mary. Band on the Wall, 7.30pm, £14

[The Comet Is Coming]

Enjoy some experimental cosmic funk inspired by everything from Sun Ra and Funkadelic to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, as Mercury Prize-nominated The Comet Is Coming swing by. Soup Kitchen, £12.50, 7pm

[Rat Boy, photo: Michael Barrow]

Parlophone Records' mischief maker Rat Boy (aka Jordan Cardy) brings his Jamie T vibes to the stage, as he tours debut album, Scum. Expect a proverbial spit in the face from the rising Essex singer-songwriter, as hip-hop and pop collide with Cardy’s assuredly cocky bravado. Manchester Academy, 7pm, £14

Sat 6 May

[The Parrots, photo: Simon Sarin]

Spain’s premiere garage/surf rock band The Parrots tour their debut album, with support from Peckham’s YOWL – rumour has it tickets are running dangerously low, so if you want in you’ll have to act fast. Soup Kitchen, 7.30pm, £8

Mon 8 May

 

[Ducktails, photo: Nuno Saque Ferreira]

Start your week off with some shimmery guitar pop sounds as Now Wave present Ducktails aka Matt Mondanile, who shares a triple bill slot with James Ferraro and Typhonian Highlife. Soup Kitchen, 7pm, £11

Tue 9 May

[Wheatus, photo: Meg Skaff]

Teenage dirtbags Wheatus hit us up with their well-known riffs and smart-aleck lyrics – and to get yourself in the mood, you can even listen to our guest playlist from frontman Brendan B. Brown, who takes us through what you can expect to hear on his stereo at a party, from Andrew W.K. and Band of Horses to Childish Gambino to LCD Sound System. Sound Control, 7.30pm, £17.50