It’s happening again (for the 21st time, no less). Sounds From The Other City returns for another May Bank Holiday celebrating the very, very best of out-there music in all its forms, in some of the most interesting spaces in the city. That city, of course, being the great city of Salford.
As ever, there will be some wild events, taking in a church, an old mill, gallery spaces, old school pubs and what is probably the city’s most famous underground MOT garage.
This is some of the stuff we’ll be making a beeline for…
Blue Bendy at St Philip’s Church
Forming as an amalgam of Scunthorpe and London (as all the best bands do), Blue Bendy will be turning out angular baroque post-punk in the glorious auspices of St Philip’s Church, one of the best venues on the SFTOC trail. Expect cacophonous madness from the pulpit to the pews.
Moonchild Sanelly at Maxwell Hall
South African artist Moonchild Sanelly brings her ecstatic ghetto-funk to the storied Maxwell Hall, which has played host to everyone from The Smiths and U2 to Blondie. She’s worked with Beyonce and Gorillaz, so she’s more than qualified to command this particular stage, with her last album Full Moon garnering rave reviews. A must-see.
Pollyfromthedirt at Peel Hall
Darlington’s Pollyfromthedirt drops in lo-fi DIY production with a serious command of melody to construct his own brand of wonky, disillusioned dream pop. Drum machine loops crunched to bits, melancholy vocals, murky nostalgia. Yes to all of it. He plays Peel Hall – another must see.
Ellen Beth Abdi at Salford Museum & Art Gallery
We’re truly spoiled to have a claim on the ever-mesmerising Ellen Beth Abdi. The Manchester-born artist – for those who have not witnessed – blends hypnotic loops and layers upon layers of sound and tension, eased by a soulful vocal delivery that will have you thoroughly entranced.
Lynks at Maxwell Hall
There’s more than a nod and a wink to the legendary performance artist Leigh Bowery in the work of Lynks, not least thanks to his line in performance facial furniture and penchant for grubby electronica (as seen recently occupying the support slot for the European tour of the legendary Peaches). Mucky rave, catchy pop hooks and lurid stagecraft should combine for something memorable.
Jasmine.4.t at Maxwell Hall and the Old Pint Pot
Manchester-forged Jasmine.4.t is very much in the ascendent following the completion of the anticipated debut album You Are The Morning, recorded in Los Angeles and to be performed at Maxwell Hall. For completists, she’ll also be curating the acts and playing a set upstairs at the Old Pint Pot too.
Elody at Porta
Stretford’s very own Elody crew – fresh from their residency at the very-special-indeed Rainy Heart – will be shoving the tapas dishes out of the way to transplant their eclectic dancefloor to Porta. Make sure you drop by.
Scaler at Maxwell Hall
The perfect opportunity to see Scaler on the small scale before they morph into something else entirely. Releasing via Bristol’s revered Black Acre, expect something pulverising and immersive, a sensory overload smashing together the particles of electronica and visual art.
Sounds From The Other City happens on 3 May… Find out more here
