Get Out: Neighbourhood Festival goes mad fer it in Manchester, plus this week's best tours | Dork
Get Out: Neighbourhood Festival goes mad fer it in Manchester, plus this week's best tours
Leave the house? Seems quite likely with all of this going on.
Leave the house? Seems quite likely with all of this going on.
GIG OF THE WEEK
NEIGHBOURHOOD FESTIVAL
Manchester's Neighbourhood Festival is back, ready to turn the city into a Pollock-like splatter of sonic delights faster than you can say "mad fer it." This year's lineup reads like a who's who of indie darlings and future stars, with more up-and-coming talent than you can shake a Gallagher's tambourine at.
For those still unfamiliar, Neighbourhood is less a traditional grass and pints festival, and more a musical treasure hunt across Manchester's finest venues. It's the kind of event where you might pop in to see a band you've only heard of in passing, and stumble out having discovered your new obsession. From the hallowed halls of the Albert Hall to the sticky floors of YES, every nook and cranny of Manchester's music scene will be pulsing with the sound of the next big thing.
Now in its eighth year, Neighbourhood has become a rite of passage for bands on the cusp of greatness. It's where future headliners cut their teeth, where buzz bands prove their mettle, and where music lovers come to say, "I saw them when…" This year's lineup is no exception, boasting a mix of hometown heroes and out-of-towners ready to leave their mark on the rainy city.
MORE FROM THE AGENDA
So, grab your most comfortable shoes (you'll need them), grab your big coat, and dive into the acts you absolutely cannot miss at this year's Neighbourhood Festival. Just remember to pack your brolly – this is Manchester, after all.
CHLOE SLATER
Chloe Slater is the songwriter your diary wishes it could be. With lyrics that cut deeper than your ex's last text and melodies that'll have you swaying like it's last orders at the local, Slater's music is a journey through the highs and lows of young adulthood. Her Neighbourhood performance promises to be equal parts catharsis and celebration – and another marker for one of the most exciting new talents for 2025 ahead.
PALE WAVES
Fresh off the release of their fourth album 'Smitten', Manchester's own Pale Waves are set to headline this year's festival with all the swagger of a band that's gone from local upstarts to indie royalty. Heather Baron-Gracie, armed with her signature goth-pop aesthetic and a penchant for alt-pop bangers, is ready to prove that home is where the biggest cheers are. Expect a set that's part homecoming victory lap, part "look how far we've come," and entirely unmissable.
ANTONY SZMIEREK
If words were weapons, Antony Szmierek would be a one-man army. This spoken word sensation has been turning heads faster than a whiplash victim, armed with nothing but a microphone and an uncanny ability to make the mundane magnificent. Fresh off being named one of BBC 6 Music's Artists of the Year, Szmierek's Neighbourhood set promises to be part poetry slam and entirely enthralling.
FEET
Prepare your eardrums for a sonic assault courtesy of FEET, the band that's been described as everything from "art-rock mavericks" to "that lot that caused us minor trauma googling for press photos." With their new album 'Make It Up' under their belts, FEET are ready to prove that they're more than just ham with a set that's equal parts frenetic energy and sardonic wit – just make sure you're wearing appropriate shoes.
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
Don't let the name fool you – Good Neighbours are here to make some noise. The up-and-coming outfit has been turning heads with their blend of jangly guitars and earworm melodies, and their Neighbourhood set is sure to be a masterclass in how to make good friends and influence people – through the power of catchy choruses and irresistible hooks.
OVERPASS
Birmingham's Overpass are on a mission to prove that the Second City is second to none when it comes to churning out indie bangers - though they may have to argue the point on both counts when it comes to Manchester. These Brummie boys' n' gals deliver soaring choruses, guitar lines sharper than a Peaky Blinder's razor, and enough Midlands charm to give the Mancunian swagger something meaty to front up against.
PICTURE PARLOUR
Picture Parlour are the band your cooler sibling probably told you about eighteen months ago, before your less cool mate started spouting bollocks industry conspiracy theories three months later. With a sound that's equal parts retro swagger and modern indie cool, this London-based quartet are ready to paint Manchester in shades of rock 'n' roll. Fresh off the release of their EP' Face in the Picture', Picture Parlour's potential is still pulling at the leash. Prepare for a viscous bite.
PIXEY
Liverpool's Pixey is here to prove that Scousers know a thing or two about pop bangers, too. Armed with an arsenal of dreamy synths and hooks catchier than a cold in freshers' week, Pixey's brand of indie pop is the musical equivalent of a sugar rush – sweet, addictive, and liable to leave you buzzing for hours.
VINCENT'S LAST SUMMER
With a name that sounds like the title of a particularly moody indie film, Vincent's Last Summer are, bluntly, infectiously brilliant. File alongside Sports Team, Courting and Welly as a band who understand the value of chaos - firing across the spectrum with all the ramshackle joy of an android built entirely out of kitchen sinks.
SOFT LAUNCH
Naturally, if there's one band you must see at Neighbourhood, it may well be Soft Launch, the band that's been described as "indie's best-kept secret" (mostly by themselves, but we'll allow it). Indie's new favourite boyband are ready to prove that they're anything but soft. Expect a set that'll have you screaming like a child - in a good way - before declaring you've just seen the next big thing. Fitting, because you almost certainly will have.
Various venues, Manchester (5 Oct)
AURORA
Norway's ethereal pop magician AURORA is set to bewitch UK audiences with a trio of shows this week that promise more magic than a midnight rave in an enchanted forest. Our Nordic nightingale continues to push the boundaries of art-pop like a determined toddler with a crayon and a white wall, as she graces some of the UK's most hallowed halls. Expect an experience that's part concert, part spiritual awakening, and entirely AURORA. Just don't be surprised if you leave feeling like you've just had a chat with Mother Nature herself.
Royal Albert Hall, London (2 Oct), O2 Apollo, Manchester (4), Usher Hall, Edinburgh (5)
GEORDIE GREEP
Former Black Midi frontman Geordie Greep is stepping out solo, armed with his debut album ‘The New Sound’ and a voice that could make a sat-nav have an existential crisis. These intimate London shows come in the wake of Black Midi's recent split, which Greep himself confirmed in August. What comes next promises to be as unpredictable as a weather forecast in Glasgow - expect an evening of musical gymnastics that'll leave your ears feeling like they've just done a HIIT class.
ICA, London (4, 5 Oct), Rough Trade East, London (6 Oct)
SUNDAY (1994)
SUNDAY (1994) haven’t played many shows yet - but now they’re finally on the circuit, expect the buzz to expand considerably. This week, they’ll be turning Camden Assembly into a time machine, destination: peak atmospheric indie. With their 90s-tinged tunes and a knack for hooks proven by their debut EP, SUNDAY (1994), it’s a chance to see them up close and personal before things really kick off.
Camden Assembly, London (30 Sept)
SEA GIRLS
It’s been a busy year for Sea Girls, who’ve moved into exciting new territory with their third album ‘Midnight Butterflies’. It’s a record brimming with euphoric anthems that aim for the rafters and don’t miss. Their knack for heartfelt lyrics set to big, bold choruses continues to serve them well, as tracks like ‘I Want You To Know Me’ and ‘Back to the Wild’ demonstrate. With newfound creative freedom after setting up their own label, Alt. Records, Sea Girls have leaned into a sound that feels both expansive and personal. Their live shows remain a high-energy affair, where the sweat-drenched catharsis of youth is celebrated with every fist pump.
Rock City, Nottingham (1 Oct), Brixton O2 Academy, London (3), Trashed, Cardiff (4), Guildhall, Portsmouth (6)
BUZZARD BUZZARD BUZZARD
Cardiff's glam-rock revivalists Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard are on a mission to bring platform boots and power chords back to the masses. Fresh off their sophomore album ‘Curious Constellations’, the band continues to channel the spirit of Marc Bolan with a cheeky wink and a flamboyant guitar solo. Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard are the antidote to po-faced indie dreariness.
Brudenell Social Club, Leeds (30 Sep), Yellow Arch Studios, Sheffield (1 Oct), Cluny 2, Newcastle (2), The Hug and Pint, Glasgow (4), YES Basement, Manchester (5)
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