We’ve got some stuff in the diary for March, with the 6 Music festival arriving in town to some heavyweight African doom metal happening at – you guessed it – The White Hotel.
Get involved.
These are the best gigs and club nights happening in Manchester this month…
Okvsho + Experience at Band on the Wall
Okvsho is one of the most interesting and promising projects in the European modern jazz scene. The two brothers (Christoph & Georg Kiss) from Zurich, Switzerland, let their musical background in beat-making and electronic music flow through their sounds of the young and vibrant European jazz, discovering new grounds at the same time. Through playing with local jazz musicians their live-band project ‘Okvsho + Experience’ emerged, which celebrates improvisation, spontaneity, and jazz as dance music.
Chris McCausland: Yonks! at The Lowry
Comedian and 2024 Strictly Come Dancing winner Chris McCausland brings his live show to Salford this February. The comedian is hitting the road again with another masterclass in stand-up comedy. Despite being called an ‘overnight success’, he insists that he has actually been doing this for ‘yonks’. Catch him at The Lowry on Sunday 2 March.
Laura Marling at the Albert Hall
Laura Marling will perform a trio of live shows in Manchester, her only live dates expected for 2025. Last year, Laura released her eighth studio album Patterns In Repeat, to widespread acclaim across the globe. Fans can catch her on Wednesday 5 March and Thursday 6 March (including a matinee performance). These standalone Manchester dates will incorporate a string section helping to bring Patterns In Repeat to shimmering life on stage.
Birmingham Royal Ballet: Cinderella at The Lowry
Step into the magical world of Cinderella at The Lowry this March, where Fairy Godmothers triumph over cruel stepmothers, pumpkins turn into sparkling carriages and a jewelled slipper changes one young woman’s life forever. David Bintley’s Cinderella takes to the stage from Thursday 6 to Saturday 8 March 2025.
Gracie Abrams at Co-op Live
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams brings her The Secret of Us Tour to Manchester. Following a string of sold-out North America dates, she plays at Co-op Live on Friday 7 March 2025.
Suffragette City 2025 at YES
Suffragette City returns for 2025 with their biggest line-up yet, bringing together the finest female and non-binary DJ talent to raise funds for local grassroots charities. This time, they’re at YES for four floors of great music from the likes of Kim Lana, Eves’Drop, Abigail Ward, Muddy Feet and the one and only Afrodeutsche. Helmed by local legends including Kath McDermott and Rina Ladybeige, the not-for-profit event has raised over £32k since its first edition in 2018, supporting vulnerable women and gender minorities.
Teddy Swims at Co-op Live
Chart-topping American hitmaker Teddy Swims lands with his I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy tour. The singer-songwriter started to gain notoriety after posting covers online in 2019, before getting signed to Warner Records in 2020. He has since collaborated with the likes of Maren Morris, Meghan Trainor and Tiësto. You can see him at Co-op Live on Monday 10 and Sunday 16 March 2025.
Michael Kiwanuka at the O2 Apollo
Brit-soul icon Michael Kiwanuka is on the road with his latest album – his fourth – Small Changes, realeased at the end of last year and produced by Danger Mouse and Inflo, the luminary behind Sault. Their third project together, it follows the ludicrously high bar set by the eponymous Kiwanuka, released in 2019. It felt like an interminably long wait, but it was entirely worth it.
Sabrina Carpenter at Co-op Live
Arguably the hottest name in pop music right now, Sabrina Carpenter brings her Short n’ Sweet tour to Manchester. Coming off the back of supporting Taylor Swift last year, Sabrina has gone from strength-to-strength with two consecutive number one singles in the Billboard Top 100. She’ll be taking over Co-op Live on 13 March 2025, following the release of her new album Short n’ Sweet, which is dropping in August.
‘Ram Jam’ Rodigan and HIT & RUN presents: UPTOWN TOP RANKING at Mint Lounge
HIT & RUN bring the legend, the man, the myth David ‘Ram Jam’ Rodigan to Manchester for an extended vinyl-only set. The DJ and radio host will bring his unparalleled collection of dub, reggae, lovers rock, dancehall and all points in between to Mint Lounge, alongside a CHIMPO dubplate set, all powered by the Big Tone Soundsystem.
Mr. Scruff, Luke Una & MC KWASI: KEEP IT UNREAL Sunday Special at Band On The Wall
Two bonafide dons of the Manchester music scene Mr Scruff and Luke Una take to the decks at Band On The Wall for Scruff’s eminent Keep It Unreal, now in its 26th year. The six-hour sabbath day special will see them launching into everything from world jazz cuts, afro rhythms, hip hop, house, techno, disco and all points in between. The night will be hosted by the original smile factory himself MC Kwasi, who always keeps the vibe going, and is part of Mr. Scruff’s tour in support of the Music Venue Trust and Save Our Scene. This means £1 from each ticket sold will go to MVT and SOS’s Liveline Fund. Good eggs, the lot of them.
FKA Twigs at Aviva Studios
GRAMMY-nominated, multidisciplinary artist FKA Twigs stops off in Manchester for one night only in celebration of Eusexua – her highly-anticipated third studio album. Known for her avant-garde performance style, she will perform at Aviva Studios on 18 March 2025.
The Darkness at O2 Apollo
Legendary rockers The Darkness celebrate the release of their eighth studio album Dreams On Toast (come on, that’s a great name) by hitting the road. Their biggest headline tour of the UK in years includes a stop at Manchester’s O2 Apollo on Saturday 22 March.
Lord Spikeheart at The White Hotel
Lord Spikeheart – aka Kenyan artist Martin Kanja – has cemented his spot at the vanguard of the African metal scene, last year’s album The Adept, his first solo project, being a visceral assault on the senses. His gravel-growls and pulsating techno beats will be rattling through Salford’s White Hotel on 22 March. Strap in.
The Wombats at AO Arena
Indie rock band The Wombats celebrate the release of their sixth studio album Oh! The Ocean with a UK tour. Known for hits including Kill The Director, Moving To New York and Give Me A Try, the band will play at AO Arena on Saturday 22 March 2025.
Ezra Collective and Fat Dog at 6 Music Festival
As part of the 6 Music Festival, Ezra Collective are set to perform ‘a very special bespoke performance celebrating the importance of youth clubs across the country’, along side co-headliners Fat Dog. Support comes from DJ Jamz Supernova.
Mogwai and English Teacher at 6 Music Festival
Scottish ambient rock icons Mogwai and Leeds-based group English Teacher co-headline the second night of the 6 Music Festival at 02 Victoria Warehouse. DJ Tom Ravenscroft supports.
Kae Tempest and Perfume Genius at 6 Music Festival
Poet and performer Kae Tempest and singer-songwriter Perfume Genius co-headline the final night of the 6 Music Festival, with support from DJ and musician SHERELLE.
Yellow with Dave Haslam and Pops Roberts at Night & Day
Yellow DJs Dave Haslam and Pops Roberts come to Night and Day playing a joyous mix of rare groove, deep funk, disco, and soul. In the 1990s at the Boardwalk, where Yellow reigned supreme for seven years, it was described in Mixmag as ‘one of the best nights in the North’. Catch them at Night and Day Cafe on Friday 28 March.
10 Years of High Hoops with Jennifer Cardini at The White Hotel
Go help one of Manchester’s finest queer raves High Hoops celebrate a full decade in the dancefloor business. Joining resident Fastlove will be DJ Sense and the majestic Jennifer Cardini, driving force behind the CORRESPONDANT label and the leftfield Dischi Autunno imprint. It’ll be a riot.
