Following a successful inaugural year in 2023, Beyond The Music is set to once again take over venues across the Northern Quarter this week. Showcasing and celebrating a diverse range of upcoming talent, the live programme runs alongside a world-class conference, held just across the city at Aviva Studios.
The line-up for the three day festival has been selected by a group of selected curators, which includes the likes of Chris Hawkins (BBC Radio 6 Music), GigPig, Unity Radio, Headstock and more. Acts performing across stages include Adjua, Little Strange, Renee Stormz, J Chambers, Lucy Deakin and loads more.
Here’s where you’ll find us across the festival this week…
Beyond The Music: Aitch In Conversation at Aviva Studios
This year’s keynote speech comes from Manchester’s very own Aitch. The Moston-born rapper has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top of Rap. His debut studio album, Close To Home, was released in 2022 and reached #2 in the charts. Adding to that he’s got a BRIT Award under his belt, a bunch of top ten singles and collaborations with the likes of Ed Sheeran, AJ Tracey, Anne Marie, Stormzy and loads more. He kicks off the conference in conversation with Apple Music’s Dotty, talking all things Manchester music, his personal experience in the industry and the decentralisation of London as the home of UK rap.
Beyond The Music: The New Economic Frontier – Building the Next Music Industry Paradigm
In this discussion featuring influential individuals from the worlds of music, journalism and economics, the ways in which the music industry makes money will come under examination.
As the old ways of releasing and monetising music come under pressure, creatives and right-holders alike are seeking an economic transformation of the music and content business. As the DCMS’ Creator Remuneration Working group rumbles on, economists, artists, labels and creator groups come together to find working solutions.
Panelists include economist and author Grace Blakeley, YouTube’s Head of Music for Europe Dan Chalmers and Ben Winter, Director of Business Development and Partnerships at the Association of Independent Music.
Beyond The Music: Grassroots Summit at Aviva Studios
Whilst the top of the music industry may be thriving, as is often the case, the infrastructure at the bottom is crumbling, with music education in crisis causing huge issues in talent finding its way through the pipeline. Taking place at Aviva Studios, listen to Atlanta Cobb (music industry mentor), Sam Duckworth (Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and Music Venue Trust), Dr Jo Twist (BPI), Jon Collins (LIVE) and Kara Mukerjee (Warner/Restore The Music) in conversation about the reality of grassroots. The chat will be moderated by new music supporter and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.
Beyond The Music: Lisa Nandy MP
Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport speaks in the influential The Tony Wilson Keynote spot at Beyond The Music. Born in Manchester and a former MP for Wigan, she has deep ties to Greater Manchester so we’re excited to hear her talk at this festival at the cutting edge of the intersection between the music industry and our city.
Beyond The Music: Headstock presents – Building Partnerships To Improve Music Industry Mental Health at Aviva Studios
Music and mental health social enterprise Headstock host a session exploring mental health in the music industry. Discussing the importance of partnerships, Headstock founder Atheer Al-Salim will sit down with BBC 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins to chat about their new initiative with charity Music Support, which launches in Manchester this November. The conversation will be followed by a Q&A with Chris Hawkins and local Hip Hop artist OneDa, recently named as one of the key MC’s at the forefront of the Drum ‘n’ Bass renaissance and a networking brunch with music provided by house music rising stars Shimrise.
Beyond The Music: Indoor Pets at Night & Day
Indie alt outfit Indoor Pets perform at Beyond The Music as part of the BBC Introducing-curated line-up at Night & Day. Following a four year hiatus, the Kent-based band are back performing live celebrating the release of their latest album Pathetic Apathetic.
Beyond The Music: J.Chambers at Stage & Radio
Northern Quarter venue Stage & Radio welcomes J Chambers to perform as part of Beyond The Music festival. Fusing together reggae and hip hop, the Manchester lyricist will perform a set of his top hits alongside new project Homecoming, which saw him travel to Jamaica to explore the importance of heritage. The line-up at Stage & Radio has been curated by Pie Radio.
Beyond the Music: Low Pulse at AATMA
The debut performance by new project from Manchester-based singer songwriter Lady Lady and DJ Joey T. These prolific creators promise “songs of midnight impulse and unapologetic hedonism”. We can’t wait to experience the fruits of this collaboration. Not at midnight, but at 8pm.
Beyond the Music: The Red Stains at SOUP
Cooking up a plastic fantastic disco-punk sound from a collage of musical influences, Manchester four-piece The Red Stains embrace the kitsch and the tacky as a power to disrupt the male-dominated music industry. Their sharp and sarcastic lyrics hold a mirror up to domestic everyday life: consumerism, mental illness, public transport, discount supermarkets and being queer. See them in one of the Northern Quarter’s most beloved basements as part of Beyond the Music festival.
Beyond The Music: Werkha at Band on the Wall
Hailing from Manchester with roots in the Cumbrian north, Werkha (real name Tom Leah) and his foot stomping, jazz inflected beats have been gracing the airwaves for the best part of a decade.
Influenced as much by the rolling fells surrounding his village home as those hot sweaty times we share on the dancefloor. Werkha makes music for those crucial moments, the ones that make us feel connected as humans. When the bustle of city life comes up against the steadiness of rural perspective.
More used to performing in vast, sweaty warehouses, don’t miss the the opportunity to seeing him perform in an intimate bar setting.
