After a quiet January (we’re just sweeping away the tumbleweed), Manchester nightlife is officially back open for business.
As evidenced by the wealth of gigs across the city, from outsider electronica to soaring indie-pop.
Here are the best gigs and club nights in Manchester in February…
Ezra Furman
Describing their latest album as ‘twelve variations on the experience of completely losing control, whether by weakness, illness, mysticism, BDSM, drugs, heartbreak or just living in a sick society with one’s eyes open’, it’s fair to say that Furman is a complex and compelling artist with much to say. They bring a distinctive, genre-blending performance to the atmospheric surroundings of New Century Hall, with support from Modern Woman.
Eraserhead Xiu Xiu
There are ‘experimental’ bands, and then there’s Xiu Xiu. Formed in 2002 by singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart in San Jose, California, the line-up currently consists of multi-instrumentalists Stewart (the only constant member since formation), Angela Seo, and percussionist David Kendrick. This show is new a live concert with accompanying film that uses ‘field recordings, concert specific homemade instruments, organ, modular synths, vocals, flashlights, electrical interference and elements of musique concrete’ to honour the work of legendary the David Lynch. One for fans of the strange, uncanny and deeply curious.
Midlake
Midlake return to Manchester to perform at Gorilla, fresh off the release of A Bridge To Far, their most emotionally expansive record in years. Blending cinematic folk-rock with unexpected touches like dueling saxophones and a standout duet with Madison Cunningham, the album leans into themes of hope, renewal and quiet perseverance. It’s a chance to see a band two decades in still pushing their sound somewhere deeper and more soulful. Support comes from The Brethren.
Ezra Feinberg
Composer, guitarist and practising psychoanalyst Ezra Feinberg heads into the YES basement on 6 February, bringing a sound that drifts between cosmic jazz, ambient repetition and quietly transportive minimalism. Based in New York’s Hudson River Valley, Feinberg’s work sits in that space where acoustic warmth meets deep-listening electronics, shaped by his background in psychology and the improvisatory circles he’s long moved through. A rare chance to catch one of experimental music’s quiet innovators up close.
Motionless In White
Metalcore band Motionless In White bring their epic live show to Manchester. Formed in 2004 and hailing from Scranton, PA, the band have enjoyed over one billion streams and views to date. Watch them perform hits from albums including Reincarnate, Graveyard Shift and latest effort Scoring The End Of The World live at the AO Arena.
Mark Knight
Tech house don Mark Knight is heading back to one of his favourite UK clubs – his words, not ours – for a rare six-hour journey from first record to last, shaping the night with no handovers and complete control of the room. Fresh from releasing new material on his iconic Toolroom imprint, the label he founded with his brother Stuart back in 2003, as well as his soulful offshoot Fool’s Paradise, this is a chance to hear him stretch out properly and showcase the full spectrum of his sound in a basement he’s long championed as one of the best clubs in the country.
Maxïmo Park
Newcastle indie mainstays Maxïmo Park return to Manchester as part of their 2026 tour, drawing on nearly two decades of sharp songwriting and high-energy live shows. Celebrating 20 years of the acclaimed debut ‘A Certain Trigger’, expect a set that moves confidently through the catalogue – a chance to catch one of the UK’s most reliable live acts, still playing with urgency, precision and loads to say.
Sleaford Mods
Nottingham post-punk duo Sleaford Mods are back in Manchester, this time at the Academy. Since forming in 2007, the duo have gone from outsiders to festival headliners, powered by records like ‘Divide and Exit’ and ‘Spare Ribs’, albums that channel anger, humour and bleak honesty into something strangely cathartic. Expect a live show that’s as sharp, confrontational and oddly communal.
Brazilian Carnival: Gustavo Andrade & The Brasukas + Zagotinho do Acordeon + Bacana
Gustavo Andrade & The Brasukas join forces with Zagotinho do Acordeon for a full-throttle Brazilian Carnival blowout, complete with samba, forró, bossa grooves and caipirinhas flowing all night. Expect colour, energy, and a room that moves as one as Rio’s warmth meets Manchester’s spirit in a celebration of rhythm, joy and proper dance-floor abandon.
Fatboy Slim: Acid Ballroom
One of the UK’s most enduring party-starters comes to Manchester as Fatboy Slim marks 40 years behind the decks with his Acid Ballroom tour. Across two nights in the cavernous Warehouse at Aviva Studios, expect wall-to-wall classics, curveballs, and the kind of joyful chaos only Fatboy Slim can deliver. The celebrations also line up with the release of his new illustrated book ‘It Ain’t Over Till the Fatboy Sings’, marking four decades in the rave business. Support comes from L.P. Rhythm B2B Locky on 13 February, with Elliot Schooling and Liam Palmer stepping in on 14 February.
Kaiser Chiefs
Indie heavyweights Kaiser Chiefs roll back into Manchester in February, bringing two decades of shout-along anthems with them. Formed in Leeds in the early 2000s, the band became one of the defining voices of post-millennial British guitar music, breaking through with ‘Employment’ and a repetoire of songs that still feel deeply connected to sweaty dancefloors and festival fields. Their Manchester date comes as part of their ongoing ‘More Employment’ tour, where they are supported by emerging Manchester indie stars Corella.
Earl Sweatshirt
Earl Sweatshirt returns to the UK with the 3L World Tour, arriving off the back of last year’s critically acclaimed set Live Laugh Love, his most personal and free-flowing album yet. Blending cracked soul loops, introspective writing and the off-kilter swing he’s made his signature, Earl’s set will pull from across his catalogue and offers a rare chance to see one of rap’s most singular voices up close in the glorious Albert Hall.
RAYE
It’s RAYE’s world, we’re all just living in it. The hugely talented singer songwriter performs at Manchester’s Co-op Live as part of her informatively titled ‘This Tour May Contain New Music’. Providing direct support are her younger sisters, ABSOLUTELY and AMMA, who recently joined RAYE at All Points East – offering fans an early glimpse of the powerful family dynamic they can expect live.
Deyu performs MF DOOM
Bristol outfit DEYU are tearing into the legendary MF DOOM’s catalogue with a full-band blend of experimental jazz, live hip-hop and loose, high-voltage improvisation. Featuring members of Snazzback, Waldo’s Gift and Binbag Wisdom, their reimagining of one of the greatest MCs to ever do it goes way beyond tribute, shifting from deep cuts to wild jazz fusion with surprise guests and plenty of unpredictability baked in.
Florence + The Machine
Florence Welch hits the road with Florence + The Machine to celebrate the release of sixth album ‘Everybody Scream’, taking her trademark mix of theatrical intensity and emotional release into a bold new chapter. Expect brand new material alongside the huge, heart-on-sleeve anthems that she’s become known for over nearly two decades of stardom. The dog days are, indeed, over.
Roman Flügel, Lola Haro & k.h0lle
Active since the early 1990s, iconic German producer and DJ-par-excellence Roman Flügel is known as a chameleon, adopting many styles from ambient/IDM to house, techno and electro. He lands at Salford’s ever-innovative White Hotel for a party way into the early hours. He’s joined by Belgian artist Lola Haro as well as local Crop Radio resident k.h0lle.
Mogwai
Scottish space-rock titans Mogwai head to Manchester’s O2 Apollo, performing songs from across their 30-year-spanning discography, including their 11th studio album The Bad Fire, released earlier this year to considerable critical acclaim. Produced by John Congleton (St Vincent, Angel Olsen, John Grant) at Chem19 studios in Blantyre, Scotland, the album features the singles ‘Lion Rumpus’, ‘God Gets You Back’ and ‘Fanzine Made Of Flesh’. This will be the final night of their tour, and it is sure to be very special indeed.
Back In The Daytime with Clint Boon
Manchester icon Clint Boon is hosting a full-throttle over 30s day party filled with indie classics, dance anthems and live vocalists, all set inside Freight Island’s industrial Mezz space. Expect a nostalgia-heavy soundtrack, big energy and the kind of daytime session that keeps the dancefloor moving without the late-night fallout.
