As part of MOBO Fringe week, MOBØRIGINS takes over Renae for a day-to-night programme celebrating the influence of music of Black origin and the creatives shaping Manchester’s scene today.
The event is presented by 54 Agency, Melophile. and Transmission Archive, bringing together live music, DJ sets, conversation, visual art and archival material across both floors of the venue – including Renae’s upstairs space, The Other People Place, named after Detroit techno pioneer James Stinson.
Throughout the day, different strands of the programme unfold simultaneously. Amelia Fearon of Transmission Archive will host a series of in-conversation sessions exploring music, culture and identity, featuring guests including Ellen Beth Abdi, Art Not Evidence and the legendary DJ Paulette.
Alongside the talks, visual work and sound installations curated by 54 Agency’s Jahqira Henry and Josh Inyang will run throughout the venue. These include works from Portrait of Britain winner Kymara Akinpelumi and Nigerian-Italian interdisciplinary artist Denzel Omoefe Uwumarogie, whose practice spans painting, sculpture and community-focused work.
Musically, the programme moves between a live lounge spotlighting emerging artists and a roster of DJs curated by Adele Tondu of Melophile. Expect a blend of indie, alternative and neo-soul performances early on before the night shifts into a club setting.
By the end of the evening the focus turns fully to the dancefloor, with Melophile bringing together a lineup of Manchester DJs to carry the energy late into the night.
Less a traditional gig and more a cultural gathering, MOBØRIGINS brings sound, conversation and visual art into one shared space — celebrating the city’s Black creative community while creating room for the next generation to step forward.
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