The Best Gigs and Club Nights in Manchester this October

Including Peter Hook at Ramona, Sampa The Great at Gorilla and loads of gigs for newly renovated New Century Hall…

By Emma Davidson | 4 October 2022

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Another month of the city’s best gigs, and it’s finally getting busier as the evenings draw longer and colder!

From full day festivals to performances from noughties icons, October is packed full of album launches, landmark achievements and debut DJ performances at Salford’s hidden rave dens.

New Century Hall has opened its doors, too, and this month you’ll be able to catch the likes of Toro Y Moi and Kamaal Williams in the newly renovated venue…

Neighbourhood Festival 2022

Saturday 1st October
Taking place across the city centre this weekend, Neighbourhood Festival’s 2022 headliners are Manchester giants, Everything Everything, Sundara Karma and The Snuts. Joined by a host of local and international bands, the event will be held across Albert Hall, The Ritz, Gorilla, Bunny Jacksons and many more of the city’s music institutions.

Mouse Outfit Soundsystem at The Blues Kitchen

Thursday 6th October
One of the UK’s premium hip hop bands, Mouse Outfit Soundsystem are finally back on the road post-lockdown with Chini on DJ duties, alongside their resident vocalists KOJ and AyiTe. The live show has always been the band’s secret weapon, wowing audiences around the globe with their unmatched dynamism.

Mark Blair & aalice at Hidden

Friday 7th October
Resident Meat Free DJ aalice will be joined at Hidden by Mark Blair next week for a night in the confines of Salford’s rave den. Originally from Belfast, Mark’s aim is to get people grooving, and alongside aalice you can expect techno, house, jazz and lo-fI beats all evening long.

The Orielles at The Stoller Hall

Friday 7th October
The Orielles make music with the eagerness and abandon of youth, while also looking to the past for inspiration. To celebrate the launch of their brand new album Tableau, the band will play an exclusive gig at The Stoller Hall giving fans a glimpse into their eagerly awaited third studio album. 

Cooper T at Night & Day Cafe

Friday 7th October
The brainchild of Manchester producers, Kong and TMNMS, Cooper T is a hybrid of a variety of music genres that has Inspired the duo over the years, ranging from; punk, hip hop, indie, soul and jungle. Between them, to date, the duo have produced tracks for artists that include; Chunky, Black Josh, EVABEE, KEYAH/BLU, Skittles and Blind Mic.

@benrosetv / Instagram

Hidden Spheres at NAM

Saturday 8th October
Manchester music producer, DJ and NTS resident, Hidden Spheres will be live and direct from NAM. As a DJ Hidden Spheres draws from all his musical knowledge, always aspiring for togetherness and inclusiveness on the dance floor. Expect five hours of Deep House, Balearic Beat, Downtempo and Electro.

SOAK at YES

Sunday 9th October
Northern Irish Mercury Prize nominee SOAK, aka Bridie Monds-Watson, pens music with lyrics that move through the songs almost as effortlessly as they sing them, and the songs when read, read like poetry. Performing at YES on the fitting day of Sunday, the artist will celebrate new album If I Never Know You Like This again, which has been described as a ‘stripped back melancholic dream’.

@derickphotography / Instagram

Peter Hook at Ramona

Wednesday 12th October
Best known as being one of the founding members of Joy Division and New Order, Peter Hook will take over Ramona Radio for the evening on the 12th of October. A true Manchester icon, his musical legacy spans some of the most pioneering tracks that came out of the post punk and experimental electronic eras. 

Roxy Music at AO Arena

Wednesday 12th October
Since their formation in 1972, multi-platinum Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, Roxy Music have left an indelible mark on the worlds of music, fashion, and art, merging the three with a singular vision that brought them immediate, global success. 2022 marks a year of celebration for Roxy Music as throughout the year, each of their eight studio albums, all heralded as modern classics, have been reissued as special anniversary editions.

@alissonlouback / Instagram

Sampa The Great at Gorilla

Wednesday 12th October
A truly unstoppable force in British music, Sampa The Great returns to Manchester this month after relocating home to Zambia during the pandemic. During this time, Sampa reconnected with a different side of herself, one closer to the younger artistry that was nourished growing up in Africa. From collaborations with South Africa-based creatives Rochelle Nembhardand and Imraan Christian, to time spent recording with a long-established network of close friends and family, Sampa unlocks an age of authenticity, and debuts a 360 Sampa to the world. 

Toro Y Moi at New Century Hall

Thursday 13th October
Touring quite possibly his best album yet, Mahal, Toro Y Moi blends jazz, psych, electro and his own genre creations to create a masterful live performance. Taking place at the newly refurbished New Century Hall, this rare chance to catch him live will no doubt be snapped up by anyone interested in symphonic wizardry. 

HIT & RUN vs White Peach at Hidden

Friday 14th October
Another huge line-up for HIT & RUN this month, one of the Noisia Triumvirate THYS comes to Manchester for the first time as a solo artist after that legendary project disbanded. Alongside TIM REAPER, DJ ADHD, DJ SOYBOI and the WHITE PEACH crew.

Sports Team at Manchester Academy

Friday 14th October
English alt-rock heroes Sports Team have been described as one of the UK’s most electric and chaotic live acts, so this definitely isn’t one to miss! Formed in London back in 2016, the band have since released two albums that capture the essence of their unstoppable energy. Newest album Gulp is a cocky flex of their musical abilities, something that can only be confirmed once you’ve experienced the band live.

Real Lies at YES

Friday 14th October
London electro trio, Real Lies return to Manchester with their late night city music full of atmospheric storytelling and pop influences. 2022’s album, Lad Ash is an inward look into masculinity and ego that’s influenced by 90s house-inflected pop and electronica. 

Irfan Rainy at SOUP

Saturday 15th October
Once part of Rainy City Music, Irfan Rainy has been collecting, curating and producing grooves since the late 80s. Manchester born, his life has been influenced and directly impacted by the city’s unstoppable music heritage and club circuit, which he is still a huge part of today. Expect rare disco, house and boogie amongst many genres you are yet to bear witness to.

Girls in Synthesis at The Peer Hat

Thursday 20th October
Formed in 2016, Girls in Synthesis are a post punk collaboration with a DIY ethic. Full of raw, authentic and infectious energy, the band have been singled out as one of the most intense and unique outfits in the UK. Latest single Pulling Teeth builds up over vibrating synths and viciously direct vocals, and this is carried out into the band’s live performance, too. Expect instruments to be pulled off stage, fully breaking down the audience / performer barrier!  

Gou Talk at The Warehouse Project

Friday 21st October
Peggy Gou has curated her very own show as part of this year’s Warehouse Project, which will be the DJs only live performance in the UK post summer. Joined by Chaos in The CBD, Job Jobse, TSHA, Laurent Garnier, Josey Rebelle and more, the eight hour party is one of the best in this season’s calendar.  

Sugababes at O2 Apollo

Friday 21st October
Performing as part of their first tour in over two decades, Sugababes are back with the original line up of Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena, and Siobhan Donaghy. Expect all of the crowd pleasers and incredible hits including Overload, Round Round and About You Now for a night of nostalgic fun!

Kamaal Williams at New Century Hall

Friday 21st October
A pioneer of modern day jazz, Kamaal Williams is a record producer and musician that rose to fame in 2016 as one half of jazz group Yussef Kamaal. Since, the artist has released music distinctively in his own rhythm that explores jazz, house, techno juxtaposed with elusive, spiritual sounds.

Crack Cloud at The White Hotel

Saturday 22nd October
Post punk individuality may be one of the best ways to describe Crack Cloud, a band that will descend on Salford in its literal masses this October. Canadian born, the art punk experimental band of seven have a back catalogue of intensely chaotic but nostalgic music that is a glimpse into the power of a creative outlet on the troubled mind. 

Supernature w/ Chris Massey at Joshua Brooks

Sunday 23rd October
To mark seven years of Supernature on Sunday, Joshua Brooks will host a birthday party in its basement from 3pm – 8pm with its resident DJs and good friend Chris Massey on guest duties! As always, the event is free entry to attend, and expect great music and seven years of unforgettable stories!

Avalon Emerson at The White Hotel

Thursday 27th October
Back once again in the beloved Salford hideout, American DJ Avalon Emerson is a supernova, regularly hosting parties and some of the world’s most famous clubbing institutions. She’ll be joined by Anunaku from midnight until 5am this month for another evening of percussive heat!

Fat Out Fest: Frixxxion with Blasha & Allatt, Esmé, Luke Daniels & Monas

Saturday 29th October
This year’s ever morphing Fat Out Fest will take the form of a series of shows across some of Salford’s best loved cultural venues, celebrating the queer underground through intense, experimental and downright rowdy music and performance art. There’ll be drag acts, art shows, music, as well as karaoke dungeons and a three-course cabaret meal…

@wolfgangdubieniec / Instagram

The Wytches at The Deaf Institute

Sunday 30th October
Can you think of anywhere better to spend Halloween? The Wytches’ uncomfortable, crooked guitar riffs haunt their listeners, creating melancholic yet intriguing music that wouldn’t go amiss in a dark Ryan Murphy series. Part of the scene since 2011, their music bursts at the seams with screeching lyrics and spooky melodies, something that makes sense to unearth on the 30th of October.


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