From Mike Skinner playing a classic album in full to one of the most iconic British rock bands of all time...
This month, it’s time to get into the fields, with a host of gigs happening at the Barton Aerodrome, from indie-pop icons from the 00s to Craig David, bringing with him a solid afternoon-to-evening of solid R&B and garage action.
Elsewhere, take in Manchester promoters-par-excellence Now Wave’s new pub The Abbey, which has a sterling line-up of talent for its first proper month of opening, while Mike Skinner pitches up to play the whole of A Grand Don’t Come For Free, as part of the summer staple Sounds of the City Festival at Castlefield (also featuring the likes of Wet Leg and Johnny Marr).
You could well be in…
Here are the best gigs and club nights in Manchester for July 2026…
Barton Live: David Gray
Barton Live is turning Barton Aerodrome into a huge open-air concert site for four days this July, with David Gray leading the shows as part of his near sold-out Past & Present Tour. The new series promises big-production outdoor gigs without the chaos of a full festival, pairing immersive staging and sound with easier access, earlier finishes and a broad weekend lineup spread across four consecutive nights in Eccles.
Beth Orton
The legendary Beth Orton brings The Ground Above to Manchester, her most direct and emotionally fearless album yet, following the critical success of Weather Alive. Self-produced and shaped with a trusted collective of musicians, the album moves through survival, motherhood, identity, political unease and renewal, with Orton’s haunting-as-ever voice shifting from whispered incantation to primal wail. Catch her at the Night & Day Cafe, a rare opportunity to see her in such an intimate space.
Runner
Los Angeles songwriter Noah Weinman brings Runnner to Manchester, pairing intimate indie-folk confessionals with expansive, emotionally charged production. Following the release of last year’s A Welcome Kind of Weakness, he comes to Manchester in July making him one of the first acts to play the newly-refurbished The Abbey – Now Wave’s exciting new community pub and venue on Manchester Science Park in Hulme.
Barton Live: Faithless
Iconic electronic act Faithless will headline a huge open-air night at Barton Aerodrome this July, joined by Manchester acid house legends 808 State and trance heavyweight Chicane as part of the new Barton Live series. Set across four days in Eccles, the event will see big-production outdoor gigs without the full festival chaos, pairing rave icons and immersive staging across one long summer weekend.
Barton Live: Craig David
Craig David Presents TS5 lands at Barton Aerodrome with a lineup built for anyone raised on UK garage, R&B and club classics, adding legends of the game like DJ Luck & MC Neat, DJ Spoony and Patrick Nazemi to a huge summer outdoor show. Expect Craig David’s trademark mix of live vocals and DJ sets alongside some of the figures who helped shape garage culture in the first place, all as part of Barton Live’s new four-day open-air series in Eccles.
Barton Live: Electric Heart Indie Festival
Electric Heart is bringing a full day of indie anthems to Barton Aerodrome with The Fratellis, Scouting For Girls, The Feeling, The Hoosiers, Toploader and Dodgy all lined up for a huge open-air singalong. Running from afternoon into sunset, the new Manchester festival promises soaring guitars, big choruses and nostalgic indie energy from all your favourites. Bangers, indeed.
Def Leppard
Few bands carry the torch for the golden era of British rock quite like Leppard. Though they’ve spent the better part of the last four decades conquering American stadiums, there is always something particularly right about seeing the Sheffield legends on British soil. They’ve managed to outlast almost all of their peers by leaning into precision-engineered hooks and the kind of high-gloss production that hasn’t aged a day since the days of Hysteria. Expect a setlist that works its way through the heavy hitters of Adrenalize and Pyromania, delivered with the technical polish of a band that hasn’t slowed down. Support for this one comes from fellow 80s hair-metal dons Extreme.
Kevin Morby
Acclaimed indie-folk songwriter Kevin Morby heads to Manchester as part of his UK tour behind Little Wide Open, his eighth studio album, produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner. Described by Pitchfork as ‘the most cohesive, tuneful and cleanly drawn album of Morby’s career’, the record provides the backdrop for a show packed with introspective songwriting, rich melodies and highlights from across Morby’s celebrated catalogue.
Mike Skinner
Mike Skinner – aka The Streets – returns for a full UK tour, playing his 2004 set A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full, as part of the annual Sounds of the City festival – playing two dates at Castlefield Bowl. So we’re talking bangers like Fit But You Know It and Blinded By The Lights, and Dry Your Eyes Mate to get you in the feels. Summer, Skinner, Castlefield Bowl. We’re there.
Neighbourhood: dBridge & Tasha
Bringing together two of the most respected selectors in the UK’s bass and techno landscape, sees the legendary dBridge joining Neighbourhood’s very own Tasha, taking control of the cage at the White Hotel for the entire evening. Expect rollers, bangers and, in all likelihood, one or two melters too in this most venerable of Salford rave-dens.
Hot 8 Brass Band
Hot 8 Brass Band return with three decades of New Orleans jazz, funk, hip hop and bounce behind them, bringing the full force of their Grammy-winning sound to Manchester. Expect a proper live-wire set from a collective who’ve collaborated with Jon Batiste, Basement Jaxx and Blind Boys of Alabama, and supported everyone from Lauryn Hill to Mary J Blige.
RADAR Festival
While most festivals are content to stick to a predictable loop of indie-rock staples, RADAR Festival has carved out a niche as the UK’s go-to weekend for the more adventurous side of the musical spectrum. The event returns to the O2 Victoria Warehouse for another three-day stint. It’s a festival designed for those who actually pay attention to the complexity of a time signature, focusing on a mix of progressive metal, math-rock, and electronic experimentation that avoids the mainstream fluff, with sets from the likes of Skindred, Northlane and Chelsea Grin.