The Martin Simpson Trio is a coming together of some of the finest musicians and singers in the UK today. Martin Simpson himself is recognised as one of the best acoustic guitar players in the world, with an unique mixture of British and American music in his repertoire. He has won BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for Musician of the Year and Album of the Year, twice and also for Best Original Track in 2008.

Andy Cutting on melodeon is renowned for his work with June Tabor, Chris Wood, Kate Rusby, John McCusker and many others. He is a hugely respected, very popular recipient of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award's Musician of the Year in 2008.

Andy Seward plays double bass with Kate Rusby's Band and with John Tams amongst many others. He is a much in demand producer of acoustic music from Kate Rusby to Phil Selway of Radiohead, and won a Sony Award in 2007 for his work on The Radio Ballads for BBC Radio 2.

Together this is an unstoppable combination of talent, which has taken Martin's music to a new level and is a thrilling band to see and enjoy.

This concert will begin at 7.30pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

To the casual fan, Terri Clark is a staple when it comes to listing off female country artists they’ve heard of. For the rest of us, beyond the millions of albums sold and an innumerable amount of awards and recognition lies a resilient, real talent.

There is no other artist like Terri. In the seemingly endless debate of “what’s country”, nobody will argue that she remains one of the most influential performers of our time. Even with all her success, you won’t hear her brag about it. “I love letting people know and see that I am just an everyday girl, with a not so every day job, but I don’t feel a “disconnect” with my audience just because I am on the stage…I feel like we are all there to have a great time.”

This event will begin at 7.30pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open earlier for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Band on the Wall present the cream of British and American jazz talent - Gwilym Simcock, Steve Swallow, Mike Walker, Adam Nussbaum - performing as the new quartet, The Impossible Gentlemen. The band is full of inspirational improvisational playing - performing music written specially for the quartet by Gwilym, Mike, Steve and Adam.

"Jazz supergroups are volatile concoctions, bespoke teams of virtuosi often just getting in each other's way. But the Anglo-US quartet built from scratch this week around the untried partnership of pianist Gwilym Simcock and Salford Mike Walker, with Americans Steve Swallow on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums, fulfilled all its promise – and then some". **** The Guardian

The Impossible Gentlemen:

Gwilym Simcock
Multi award winning pianist Gwilym Simcock has been named checked as a "genius" by no less Chick Corea and has worked extensively throughout Europe with the cream of British and international jazz artists including Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, Bob Mintzer and Bobby McFerrin.

Mike Walker
Mike Walker is regarded as one of Europe's most exciting guitarists and has worked with George Russell's The Creative Jazz Orchestra, Vince Mendoza, Anthony Braxton, Bill Frisell, Tim Berne, and Mark-Anthony Turnage.

Steve Swallow
Steve Swallow is regarded as the leading exponent of the bass guitar and his illustrious career spans decades of playing many of the great - Paul Motian, Lee Konitz, John Scofield, Carla Bley, Chris Potter and many others.

Adam Nussbaum
Steve's long-time friend and rhythm section partner is Adam Nussbaum and they have worked on many projects together. Adam's work with Michael Brecker won a Grammy in 1988. 

This show starts at at 8.30pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar opens earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

This concert is part of a tour supporting the release of new album Cirque Insomnia, their fourth release and the first to feature original songs alongside the band’s trademark manic instrumentalism.

"High octane stuff…Would liven any party and keep the floor full" FRoots

"An unmissable live act….Vitally energetic" The Living Tradition

"Innovative and energetic… Quality musicianship, vibrancy and sheer joy"
Folk and Roots

This seated concert will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

The internationally-acclaimed new project from the makers of Buena Vista Social Club. The best of Cuban and Malian musicians combine to form a suoergroup for a thrilling, unmissable night at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall.

'A joyous, classy, historic affair' The Guardian.

'A cross-cultural tour de force' The Times

'One of the most transporting and life-affirming gigs of the year' The Arts Desk

'A beautifully balanced mix of two distinctive musical cultures coming vibrantly together' Q magazine

'The top table Afro-Cuban team-up that Buena Vista should have been' MOJO

AfroCubism was the original idea for Buena Vista Social Club. The original plan conceived in 1996 was to bring the foremost Cuban musicians and their Malian counterparts together to record in Havana and explore their shared musical history.  As it turned out, the Malians couldn't make it to Cuba so an exclusively Cuban album was recorded instead, and thus began the legend that became the multi-million selling Buena Vista Social Club.

14 years later, the 13 piece all-star cast of musicians, including Buena Vista hero Eliades Ochoa, Djelimady Tounkara, Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyate and Kasse Mady Diabaté, finally got together and recorded AfroCubism. Released in October 2010, the album has universally lived up to the high expectations. Now this world class group of musicians comes together for one night at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall.

Band on the Wall in association with We Face Forward. A Band on the Wall Fundriser Event.

This event will begin at 7.30pm.

Winners of a Parliamentary Jazz Award 2010 and the accolade of Jazz Album of the Year from both Jazzwise and Mojo magazines for new CD Alive, Phronesis are now at the top of their game and one of most exciting piano trios currently playing in the world. Following their electrifying performance back in 2010, Band on the Wall welcomes them back for more.

‘the most exciting and imaginative piano trio since EST’ Jazzwise

Phronesis have the ability to excite, inspire and move people in a way that few bands are able to do. Their debut album Organic Warfare was released in November 2007 on Loop Records, and charted in the US iTunes ‘top 100 selling albums’ for two months. Since the release of their second album Green Delay in 2009, Phronesis, led by Danish double‐bassist Jasper Høiby, have captured the hearts and minds of British audiences and developed a fierce reputation as one of the most formidable trios in the UK.

“This scorching live set fizzes with a post‐EST/Avishai Cohen‐style energy, replete with sunny Mediterranean Brazilian flourishes and depth‐charge basslines.”
Time Out ****

“...the most electrifying experience to be had in British jazz.” Daily Telegraph

Phronesis is:

An inspired blend of international beats, deep pulsating rock, hipster world music flourish and spot-on-the-zeitgeist intelligent protest, New York-based Balkan Beat Box is an entirely new sound - equal parts Balkan-Med, punk intensity, electronic cool, jazz discipline and hip-hop swagger. “With every record we always want to surprise people and be ahead of the curve,” says band member Ori Kaplan. “The Balkan Beat Box sound is totally our own. There’s not even a name for it yet. We want to go way past trends and always go deeper and wider.” 

Touring on the back of their latest album Give, expect a night of blistering music and staggering spectacle rolled into one sublime show. 

This show starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar opens earlier for delicious homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Rex Richardson

Hailed as “An artiste with an exceptional talent who has made a name for himself as one of the finest trumpet players in the world today,” (4barsrest.com) and  “one of the world’s most engaging and astonishingly versatile trumpeters,” (Style Weekly), Rex Richardson is considered by many to among the top trumpeters in the world, being named “Personality of the Year” by The Brass Herald.

Chetham's Big Band

Formed in 1990, Chetham’s Big Bands have enjoyed considerable success on the national jazz scene, broadcasting on Jazz FM and the BBC from London’s Golders Green Hippodrome and Birmingham’s Pebble Mill Studios. They have won many awards including the Junior Section of the BBC Radio 2 Big Band of the Year Competition in 1996, 2000 and 2005. 

This should be an incredible night of superlative music - advance booking strongly recommended!

This event starts at 7.30pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Ozric Tentacles are legends of the UK underground. One of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK's festival scene, the Ozrics layer ambient and ethereal landscapes with freeform dub trips, incredible rave grooves and psychedelic progressive rock. It's an open exploration of music and the soul. The band has put out close to 25 albums, scored a hit record, and sold close to one million albums world-wide. Now The Ozrics bring their driving progressive and hypnotic psychedelic space rock to The Wardrobe, Leeds.

A campfire at the Stonehenge free festival in 1984 witnessed the birth of Ozric Tentacles - from that very first jam session, a musical compatibility was evoked that has since been a trademark of the Ozric Tentacles. It's a signature blend of hippy aesthetics and raver electronics with spiralling guitars, textured waves of keyboard and midi samplers, and supergroovy bass and drum rhythms. The Ozrics swiftly claimed their place as a staple of the UK's burgeoning festival scene, and are now credited as one of the influential musical linchpins of the scene's re-emergence.

"The Ozrics drift to rock fusion purgatory, where song structure crumbles and whim takes the reins. Riffs splinter like shrapnel. Protracted solos come casually, sometimes two at a time. The sound changes chameleonesquely, from solid, tightly-wrapped fusion to warped, chaotic drone." - Bob Gulla, Creem Magazine

Turn up, turn on and enjoy the trip to music's outer reaches.

Doors open at 8pm. Please note this event is at The Wardrobe, Leeds.

ANTOINE DUFOUR

Website: http://www.antoinedufourmusic.com 
With five albums of original material released to critical acclaim, two live performance DVDs, and more than 50 million views on YouTube, Antoine Dufour has emerged as a young star of fingerstyle acoustic guitar, building a worldwide reputation for innovation and creativity. Click to watch on YouTube

EWAN DOBSON
Website: http://www.ewandobson.com 
Ewan Dobson has established himself as one of Canada’s most brilliant and exhilarating young guitarists, having won first prize in nearly every single Classical Guitar competition across the country. Click to watch on YouTube

JIMMY WAHLSTEEN
Website: http://jimmywahlsteen.wordpress.com 
Jimmy Wahlsteen’s debut instrumental solo album is released on Candyrat records! "181st songs" is a pop inspired multitrack recorded album with the acoustic guitar in focus. Jimmy uses innovative open tunings and percussive techniques showcased in his popular videos on the Candyrat youtube channel. Jimmy Wahlsteen made his name being one of Swedens most busy session guitarists with numerous TV-shows and international tours on his resumé. Click to watch on YouTube

ADAM PALMA
Website: http://www.adampalma.net 
Adam’s formal education began in his homeland of Poland, where he graduated from The Music Academy in Katowice, he now lives in the UK where he has firmly established himself as a contender on the fingerstyle circuit both in the UK and abroad. Click to watch on YouTube

This show starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar opens earlier for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Ozric Tentacles are legends of the UK underground. One of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK's festival scene, the Ozrics layer ambient and ethereal landscapes with freeform dub trips, incredible rave grooves and psychedelic progressive rock. It's an open exploration of music and the soul. The band has put out close to 25 albums, scored a hit record, and sold close to one million albums world-wide. Now The Ozrics bring their driving progressive and hypnotic psychedelic space rock to Band on the Wall.

A campfire at the Stonehenge free festival in 1984 witnessed the birth of Ozric Tentacles - from that very first jam session, a musical compatibility was evoked that has since been a trademark of the Ozric Tentacles. It's a signature blend of hippy aesthetics and raver electronics with spiralling guitars, textured waves of keyboard and midi samplers, and supergroovy bass and drum rhythms. The Ozrics swiftly claimed their place as a staple of the UK's burgeoning festival scene, and are now credited as one of the influential musical linchpins of the scene's re-emergence.

"The Ozrics drift to rock fusion purgatory, where song structure crumbles and whim takes the reins. Riffs splinter like shrapnel. Protracted solos come casually, sometimes two at a time. The sound changes chameleonesquely, from solid, tightly-wrapped fusion to warped, chaotic drone." - Bob Gulla, Creem Magazine

Turn up, turn on and enjoy the trip to music's outer reaches.

This event will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

A very special night as we present one of the great singers, songwriters and producers of modern times performing his best known and most-loved works at Band on the Wall.

Albert Hammond's unique gift for writing beautiful, iconic songs , has made him one of the most in demand songwriters of our times. Penning global hits such as One Moment In Time for Whitney Houston, Starship's Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now, Leo Sayer's When I Need You and, more recently , co-writing and producing Duffy's 2010 album Endlessly, he has remained a vital force in modern music. He wrote several hits for Tina Turner including I Don't Wanna Lose You, Be Tender With Me Baby, Way of the World, and Love Thing. Turner also recorded the original version of Hammond's co-written Don't Turn Around - a UK #1 for Aswad in 1988 and a hit for Ace of Base five years later.

Also a hugely successful performing artist in his own right, his own hits have included I'm A Train, Down By The River and the much-loved It Never Rains In Southern California. For this very special concert Albert Hammond will be selecting songs from these, and his illustrious back catalogue, in what promises to be a wonderful night. Advance booking recommended.

Support tonight comes from the much-lauded English country singer Lotte Mullan
"A young Loretta Lynn” The Telegraph

This seated concert will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food & drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

This event will begin at 8.30pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open for delicious food and drinks from 5.30pm.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Fresh home from a trip to the US to unearth the true roots of blues, acclaimed slide guitarist and singer Martin Harley and his band return across the Atlantic with a rich cargo of new music to disembark at Band on the Wall as part of a UK tour.

Indeed Martin’s hunger to explore the world's music has seen him travel all over the globe on some wild adventures. He lived in a car for a year in Australia while developing his slide guitar technique; learnt self-discipline by living in a monastery in Thailand; played the world’s highest gig, at over 18,000 feet, where he raised money for disadvantaged South Asian children; and rode an old Enfield motorbike across Nepal, where he explored remote villages and learnt about their traditional music. In Mali he got the chance to learn from some of their great musicians such as Bassekou Kouyate and Vieux Farka Touré, son of the world—famous Ali Farka Touré.

The Martin Harley Band's wealth of experience, superb musicianship and gift for captivating an audience with lyrics as vivid as their melodies, all make a Martin Harley Band gig a very special night out. 

This concert begins at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 8pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Recently inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame, American southern soul and gospel diva Candi Staton has been thrilling audiences with her raw, heartfelt and incredibly powerful voice for over 50 years.  She began her career in the 1950‘s as part of the Jewel Gospel Trio, and is most famous for her 1976 disco hit Young Hearts, Run Free. She returned to the spotlight in the early 90’s as the dance mix of her song You Got The Love thrilled clubland audiences the world over and in 2009 a version was released again by indie sensation Florence & The Machine.

2006 saw her change direction again with His Hands. Produced by Lambchop and co-written with country legend Will Oldham, this demonstrated the diversity of this one-of-a-kind talent.

Candi Station was famously described as “a voice with a tear in it, the cry of a woman wounded by life, by men, by woes turned inwards” and it is with great pleasure we welcome this true legend to The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Advance booking strongly recommended.

Presented by SENBLA and Band on the Wall at The Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.

What is Songlines Music Award-winning world music to one music lover, is chart-topping music to another. Portuguese Fado 4-piece Deolinda are the perfect example of this - hitting No.1 in their home country, while also delighting global music fans across the world with their flamboyant live shows. Fronted by the charming, dreamy, storytelling singing of Ana Bacalhau, their intoxicating mix of delicate fado with Cape Verdean blues and upbeat lyrics and subjects has won them huge critical-acclaim including the coveted Songlines Music Award in 2009.

'Deolinda are giving Portugal's signature sound a welcome dose of wit and energy' Clive Davis, The Sunday Times

'Irreverance, wry wit and social rebellion are not characteristics usually associated with Fado, Portugal's melancholy national song. Yet Deolinda, the quartet led by vocalist Ana Bacalhau has blossomed by combining lusty tunes rooted in the sound of Fado with frothy and even downright caustic contemporary lyrics.'
Tim Woodall

The Fresh face of Fado' Songlines

This event starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details 

"San Francisco's Royal Baths haven't had it easy. In a city where garage rock can reign supreme, and new bands form and fade away with the blink of an eye, it's tough to get noticed unless your songs can satisfy punk rock attention spans. But with four- to six-minute songs and slow, methodical drum beat meshed with an incredible presence live, Royal Baths have won their way into the hearts of even the most raucous audiences.

The band has its obvious influences--the Velvet Underground and Spacemen 3 - but to define them by these comparisons would be to vastly oversimplify their sound.  Songwriters Jeremy Cox and Jigmae Baer draw from psychedelic soundscapes; dark, personal, and esoteric subject matter; and a bit of punk's apathetic humor and exigency. They conjure up haunting, reverb-heavy hymns to the degenerate and the broken."  Emily Rose Epstein (SF Weekly)

"Their debut full-length, Litanies, draws from the noisier, more freaked-out side of early garage rock. It also takes cues from Neil Young's lightning-struck guitar sermons and the Velvet Underground's creeping paranoia. The band's singers, Jeremy Cox and Jigmae Baer, favor a dual-voiced delivery that sounds like the VU's multi-narrative sonic puzzle "The Murder Mystery". Pitchfork

This concert will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

The Impellers

The Impellers are a 10-piece powerhouse who bring together influences including soul, deep funk, latin and afrobeat. The band features screaming Hammond organ, true soul vocals, chicken-scratch guitars, huge horns and a rhythm section producing more energy than a Dutch wind farm. They have shared stages with some of the finest funk, soul, hip-hop, jazz and scratch DJ talent from around the world. Now one of the hottest acts on the scene, they've shared stages with the best including Marva Whitney, Breakestra, James Taylor Quartet, The Bamboos, Lack of Afro, Kid Koala, DJ Vadim, Speedometer, Part Time Heroes and The Nextmen. Expect them to burn up the stage with their knockout songs that includes brilliant funked up versions of instantly recognisable tracks by Kaiser Chiefs and The Ting Tings.

This event will begin at 9pm. Picturehouse Cafe Bar open from 5.30pm for food, drink and funk.

The East London trio, consisting of Paul Linger, Bonnie Carr and Charles Boyer are the latest in a long-line of rock's avant-garde, right back to The Fall, Zappa, Beefheart and beyond, who twist and tear up their source material to stunning effect. While funk may lie at the heart of their music - it's their proggressive rock yearnings and post punk sensibilty that informs and sharpens their unique sound. Blinding live and touring on the back of debut album Dear Shareholder, this band comes highly recommended.

"A funky and jazzy slice of 80s post punk with a total pop hook...inspiring stuff"
Rough Trade  

This concert will begin at 7.30pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

An evening of mesmerising music, composed especially for the Oud and percussive instruments of the Middle East, by the acclaimed musician and composer Khyam Allami.

Individual, inventive and energetic, Khyam Allami is a London based artist of Iraqi descent. His passion for music has lead him on an remarkable journey from child violinist in Damascus to rock drummer in London to the stage of the BBC Proms.

Allami has developed new work especially for this tour based on a ‘double duo’ idea featuring oud and percussion. Working with highly respected Palestinian oud player Ahmad Al-Khatib, extraordinary percussionist Youssef Hbeisch (as seen with Trio Joubran), as well as Italian frame drum master Andrea Piccioni,  expect a wonderful night of enchanting and soul-touching music.

A Making Tracks Commission.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Ian Prowse first formed Merseyside cult band Pele before becoming frontman of Amsterdam. 'Discovered' back in 2000 as winners of the NME's Best Unsigned Band, they were also one of the winners of Manchester's long-running In The City convention. Charting with debut singleThe Journey, follow-up Does This Train Stop In Merseyside (later covered by Christy Moore), became a firm favourite of the late great John Peel. Amsterdam also appeared with Elvis Costello  on the Jonathan Ross Show. For this very special concert expect the band to perform the best trcks from their much-loved back catalogue including The Journey, Does This Train Stop In Merseyside, Takin' on the World and more.

This event starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar is open earlier for food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Gabriel Minnikin
Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, Gabriel Minnikin is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer. His voice is unbelievable, ranging from the gravely depths of a bass to the richer timbre of a baritone. Although Gabriel’s musical roots are in the pedal steel and banjo sheen of classic Americana, his third record, Parakeets with Parasols, brings a grandiosity and cinematic sweep to his country-folk stylings. Think Tom Waits meets The Wizard of Oz and you're getting close. 

One-time member of the Canadian country rock band The Guthries in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Minnikin settled in Manchester in 2004. That year he released his critically-acclaimed debut record Hard Feelings. Since then he has gained radio support from John Peel and Bob Harris, and is a regular guest on BBC Radio Manchester. He has also toured and share stages with a wealth of artists including I, Calexico, The Handsome Family, The Earlies, Bone-Box and Samson & Delilah. In the summer of 2010 Gabriel and his younger sister Ruth toured as The Minnikins supporting artists including Jools Holland, Jose Gonzalez, Duke and The King, Frazey Ford (The Be Good Tanyas) and First Aid Kit. 

Lisa O'Neill
Lisa O'Neill started writing songs and music at an early age in her native Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan, Ireland. She moved to Dublin, aged 18, to study music on a full time basis. Early on she was welcomed into the folk and traditional scene in pubs and venues around the city where her singular voice, witty lyrics and observations on modern Irish life gained her popularity and set her apart as a unique talent.

Her independently released debut album, aptly titled Has an Album was launched in August 2009 and sold out throughout the country displaying her popularity not just in Dublin, but nationwide. This year she toured America, Canada, and the UK, opening for Welsh singer David Gray. She is currently working on her second album.

Presented by Band on the Wall & Hey! Manchester.

This concert will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

From breakbeat to drum'n'bass,  Laboratorio Brujo draw on new original material, classic flamenco anthems and adapted dancefloor versions of Ojos de Brujo's songs to keep you dancing from start to end.

This concert will begin at 9pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open earlier for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Beginning with a morning workshop led by Paco Pena and delivered by some of his team of accompanying performance artists -  the day will also feature a Flamenco cinema screening in the Picturehouse Bar, authentic paella cookery, tapas and drinks and student performances culminating in an evening performance by Laboratorio Brujo - formally of the internationally-acclaimed Ojos de Brujo!

This event gives a unique opportunity for you to meet and work with some of the world's leading exponents of Flamenco while meeting other enthusiasts, musicians, dancers and percussion players from the UK and beyond. All taking place in the intimate, informal and friendly environment of Band on the Wall.

£35 including Paco Pena Workshop and evening performance or free to Flamenco Course students (click here for details).

The morning workshop is open to participants of all levels (guitar, dance and percussion) and observers alike.

For details of Paco Pena's only UK performance of his Flamenco Mass at Manchester Cathedral click here now!

Wall of Sounds is a partnership between Band on the Wall and Brighter Sound.

Sponsored by Levanter Fine Foods.

One of the most successful Brazilian female artists of our time performing her unique jazz, reggae and soul-infused samba and bossa nova rhythms with full band. Support from her fellow countryman, and rising tropicalia pop funk star, Curumin. Followed by Brazilian club night turning up the heat until 3am.

“Ceu has the seductive, sun kissed croon of a latterday Astrud Gilberto, but couched in a musical esperanto that draws on dub reggae, samba, scratching hip-hop, jazz piano and various native Brazilian guitar modes.” The Independent

“If she's this good live she deserves to become Brazil's next internationally acclaimed celebrity.” The Guardian

Ceu literally became a phenomenon of Brazilian music when her eponymous debut album captivated hearts across the planet in 2007. Selling over 180,000 copies it catapulted Ceu onto the world stage where critics and audiences alike haven't been able to get enough of her fresh take on Brazilian music. Possessing a wonderful jazzy vocal style and combining samba and bossa nova rhythms with everything from reggae and soul to electronica and hip hop. 

“Ceu is an immensely appealing young singer from Brazil. While rooted in samba and bossa nova, her music also reflects the singer’s interests in reggae, electronica, vintage jazz and soul.” Time Out Magazine,  New York

Curumin

Support tonight comes from the rather wonderful Sao Paulo singer and multi-instrumentalist Curumin - who spices up his samba funk with hip hop, dub and psychedelic infusions. A major new talent on the Brazilian music scene. 

"This Brazilian multi-instrumentalist effortlessly sways and swivels through the sort of cut-and-paste Tropicalia pop funk that’d make Beck drool.” Spin Magazine

This show starts at 8.30pm but our box office is open earlier for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Born and raised in the Spanish heartland of Cordoba, Paco Pena is considered perhaps the world's greatest living exponent of the haunting and passionate Flamenco. His virtuoso guitar playing, alongside his Paco Pena Flamenco Dance Company, has toured all the major concert halls of the world to huge international acclaim.

Misa Flamenca (Flamenco Mass) 

“With its pungent Hispanic aromas compounded by irrepressible rhythmic vitaity and sense of momentum, Pena’s flamenco playing was indeed impossible to resist.”
The Times on Paco Pena's Misa Flamenca

“ (Misa Flamenca) ... certainly the most satisfying flamenco concert this reviewer has heard.” The New York Times

Now considered one of his greatest works, Pena has re-written the traditional church mass for flamenco guitars, dancer and the acclaimed Chetham's Choir to brilliant effect. By combining the melodic and rhythmic nuances from flamenco with the texts of the Liturgy, Paco Pena creates something that is revelatory and joyous to watch in equal measure. Astonishing audiences the world over, and now celebrating its 20th anniversary, come enjoy this legendary artist and his great work live in the perfect setting of Manchester Cathedral. Early booking strongly recommended.

Presented by Band on the Wall. A Band on the Wall Fundraiser Event.

What the critics say about Paco Pena's Misa Flamenca:

“His total dedication of almost incredible technical skill so ensuring that listeners, held a packed house enraptured.” The Daily Telegraph

“In his first Washington appearance, flamenco guitar master Paco Peña stirred the hearts of an enthusiastic Gaston Hall.” The Washington Post

“Last night the Queen Elizabeth Hall was full to the brim with young, stalwart cheering fans if ever there was one, and a great artist.” The Guardian

“I Knew that Paco Peña was popular, and expected the concert to sell out... It is clear that the performer’s popularity has reached a new high…Paco Peña’s technique is first class and needle-sharp, his interpretations are firm, individual and rhythmic" Guitar International

“It was the most brilliant guitar playing I had heard in a long time.” 
The Press, Australia

“The Misa is that rarest of things, a totally successful fusion of disparate forms.”
The Boston Globe

"Back with his fantastic second album 'Statement of Intent', tenor and soprano sax man Adam Waldmann's extremely able crew of bassist Jasper Hoiby, pianist Ivo Neame and dark horse drummer Jon Scott, are all reaping the rewards of two years hard gigging. A formidable yet flexible unit, Kairos 4tet make free flowing contemporary music that packs melody, rhythm and high flying improv into a tightly wound whole. Hence you're as likely to leave whistling one of their many refreshing tunes as you are to be impressed by the group's compelling interplay and imaginative solo skills." Jazzwise Magazine

“Under the leadership of saxophonist Adam Waldmann, Kairos 4Tet have found a melodious medium between traditional Jazz and the forward facing nature that typifies so much young British Jazz. The band’s compositions are open and accessible, but there’s no compromise when it comes to intuitive, intelligent playing and adventurous arrangements” Mercury Music Prize

Kairos 4tet play the distinctive compositions of saxophonist Adam Waldmann, who has been described as "a young master in the making" by Time Out and a "precociously talented composer and player" by AllAboutJazz.com. Despite comparisons to some of his musical idols including Wayne Shorter, Charles Lloyd and former teacher Julian Arguelles, Waldmann's unique voice and approach on his instrument make him "one of the most distinctive saxophonists in the UK" according to the Manchester Evening News, while John Fordham of The Guardian stated in his 4* review that "Waldmann's luxurious tenor sound and poised phrasing are both tradition-rooted and restlessly contemporary”. In 2010 he was selected by world renowned Jazz and World Music promoters Serious for their groundbreaking initiative Take Five, joining the ranks of previous esteemed participants including Gwilym Symcock, Soweto Kinch, Seb Rochford, Kit Downes and Jules Buckley.

Kairos 4tet are a band passionate about the political, social and cultural issues that surround our everyday life. They strive to make music in an honest and personal way that somehow reflects the complex times in which we are living. 

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Buddy Whittington has been described by his ex-boss of 15 years as “possibly the greatest Bluesbreaker of them all”. Considering that the boss is John Mayall and the “all” includes Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor, this is not an accolade to be taken lightly.

Following  an offer by John Mayall to join The Bluesbreakers in 1993 Buddy went on to work with John Mayall until 2008, touring the world and recording eight albums in the process. During this illustrious tenure highlights include touring the US supporting ZZ Top for their 1995 Antenna World Tour, and playing alongside Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor in 2003 for Mayall’s 70th Birthday Concert at The King’s Dock Arena in Liverpool.

During several co-headlining tours of Europe and the US featuring Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and legendary Fleetwood Mac founder/guitarist Peter Green’s ‘Splinter Group’, a mutual admiration society emerged between Bud, Green’s bassist Pete Stroud and organist/pianist Roger Cotton. The musicians enjoyed watching each others’ sets, began playing together on the encores and started talking about getting together to play some music if the opportunity arose, which it did shortly after when both The Splinter Group and The Bluesbreakers disbanded.

The Buddy Whittington Band then became a reality and a well-attended string of UK gigs was booked with the addition of drummer Darby Todd, who had been touring and recording with Justin Hawkins’ ‘Hot Leg’ and jazz/funk dynamos ‘Protect the Beat’, in addition to playing numerous shows with both Pete and Roger. During the last few years The Buddy Whittington Band has toured extensively in Europe playing venues throughout the UK, The Netherlands, Germany, Poland & Italy including a concert hall tour with the late Gary Moore. Buddy and his band have played major festivals at Pistoia in Italy, Cazorla in Spain, the Jazzablanca Festival in Morocco, the JB'S stage at 2011's Limetree Arts and music festival & the Great British R & B festival at Colne.

Buddy really does have it all...a great sense of melody, great touch dynamics, great phrasing and a killer tone - a modern Texas bluesmaster. Add to the mix thought-provoking lyrics delivered with strong, honest vocals and you have one of the most original exponents of contemporary blues working today. Come down tonight and get yer blues fix at The Band.

This show starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar is open earlier for food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Live at The Wardrobe, Leeds.

This show starts at 9pm but our Picturehouse bar will be open earlier for food, drinks and good vibes.

Roy Powell - Keyboards
Mike Walker - Guitar
Gary Culshaw - Bass
Steve Gilbert - Drums

This show starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

The Monochrome Set was formed in 1978 by vocalist Ganesh 'Bid' Seshadri and guitarist Lester Square when art rock band The B-Sides split ( whose name-changing bassist Stuart Goddard formed Adam & The Ants). With a whimsical pop sensibility, clever lyrics and an idiosyncratic, retrogressive guitar-led sound, they bridged the gap between freak beat and post punk and effectively paved the way for groups such as The Smiths. Influencing a whole family tree of bands from Orange Juice and Fire Engines to The Divine Comedy, Graham Coxon and Franz Ferdinand, The Monochrome Set are back, with original members Bid and Lester Square sounding as fresh and exciting as ever. 

This concert will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar will be open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Bank Holiday Sunday special as George Powell Entertainment presents Soul Heaven - the undisputed leader and purveyor of quality soulful house music. 

 SOUL HEAVEN Featuring:

 NEIL PIERCE

Neil Pierce is a name that has become and will continue to be synonymous with the Soulful House scene in London. He’s carved out a name which has come to represent quality underground dance music with nothing but Soul. It was during his time as manager at record shop ‘Release The Groove’ that he was asked to warm-up for Paul Trouble Anderson at the legendary Loft parties at HQ in Camden. Not long after, Neil was asked to be a Soul Heaven resident where he continued to refine his style and develop technical skills that soon became the one of the earmarks of his sound. It was also whilst managing the record shop that Neil met Dj Aaron Ross and in 2003, together they formed the successful production duo the Fanatix. Since then, the pair have consistently pushed out quality Soulful House music in both the booth and in the studio. Just some of the amazing artists the Fanatix have worked with over the years form a mixture of talent from across the globe such as Blaze, Kimara Lovelace, KOT, Kenny Bobien, Roy Ayers and Stephanie Cooke, as well as homegrown talent such as Terri Walker, Kele le Roc, Jamiroquai, Alex mills, Don-E and Sunburst Band and have seen releases across major House labels including; Sony, Defected, BBE, Ricanstruction, ZR, Def Jam, Soulgroove and of course Soul Heaven Records. And as if that wasn’t enough, in 2005 Neil decided to form his label Hustle Music which has seen releases featuring artists such as Franck Roger, Jihad Muhammed, Muthafunkas and Reel Soul to name a few. Neil has also been a regular on the underground club scene both at home and around the globe, playing for long-standing and respected promotions such as Garage City, The Southport Weekender, Need2Soul, Miami Music Conference, Soulogic, To the Manor Born, Angel Deelite and Soul City. Neil is also one of a handful of Brits to have graced the decks at the legendary Shelter in New York. In the last few years, he has had the pleasure of taking his sound global, seeing him play in countries such as Italy, Ibiza, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Sweden, Dubai ,Australia, Russia, Norway and the USA.   

 SY SEZ

Soul Heaven Resident, 1 half of AphroDisiax and Colourful Radio presenter Sy Sez is a London DJ , Producer and Radio Host, who’s journey began playing on many of London’s pirate radio stations . Along with his radio shows he began playing at local house & warehouse parties. On his journey since then, he has graced many of the London’s best club venues including holding residencies at Ministry of Sound, Neighbourhood, Herbal, East Village, Matter (O2 Arena), Plan-B, and more.....as well as travelling world-wide to showcase his talent.

In 2005 Sy Sez caught the eye of infamous house-music duo ‘The Fanatix’ (Aaron Ross & Neil Pierce) and earned him a place on their monthly residencies at top London venue – Neighbourhood. This notorious residency was a very popular night and created a dedicated following and had been moved to London hotspot - Herbal, where he continued to be their resident. Due to his continued hard work, dedication and talent - Sy was then proudly welcomed into the Fanatix as their official third member and to begin joining them in the studio on their productions.

Soon after his baptism in production with the Fanatix Sy teamed up with fellow London DJ - Gavin Peters and formed the production outfit AphroDisiax - who have now caused a storm on the house music scene with their productions and remixes, having releases on labels such as Soul Heaven, MN2S, Tribe, Seamless, Universe Media, Soul Shine more. 

In 2007 his DJ skills earned him a place on the Soul-Heaven lineup on its return to the Ministry of Sound featuring Terry Hunter & Terissa Griffin and also a repeat booking at Soul Heaven for Tony Humphries 50th Birthday.....2 great parties later and Sy was asked to join the heavy-weight in-house lineup as a fully fledged Soul Heaven resident, where he now travels the world flying the flag for Soul Heaven, playing alongside the superstars of the music!

SUPPORT BY MANCHESTER'S ZACHARIA SOUL

This event begins at 9pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open earlier for good times.

Music for your brain and booty. Brooklyn's Snarky Puppy bring their dazzling, genre-bending, jazz/funk/dance fused sounds to Band on the Wall band for a night of exhilarating music. 

Led by bassist, composer and producer Michael League, Snarky Puppy features a collective of nearly 30 musicians, referred to as The Fam on their recordings and tours. The musicians perform on a variety of instruments including guitars, keyboards, saxophones, brass, percussion and strings. Astonishing live they've become a mainstay of stages and festivals across the US where critics and fans alike have embraced their unique musical style - referred to by League as Jafunkadansion.

"Snarky Puppy is one of the most inventive in sound and funk since Maynard Ferguson's fusion years." The New Face of Jazz

Support tonight comes from special guests The Fix.

This event will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Renowned throughout the global funk community as one of the last true authentic figures out there, Lee Fields has poured his grunts and screams over a rich legacy of funk and soul hits since the early seventies. These include 45 rpm classics as She’s a Lovemaker, The Bull is Coming, and The Funky Screw - not to mention his well sought after Let’s Talk It Over LP.His recordings with the hard funk purists at Truth & Soul, Desco and Daptone Records in recent years, has solidified his place as the King of contemporary funk. And Field's current outfit - Truth & Soul's house band The Expressions - just add to authentic mix with their ability to truly feel the music; producing thrilling live spectacles harking back to the best of the Stax and Muscle Shoals studios and the whole Philly soul sound combined. Out of this world. 

CLICK HERE FOR FREE LEE FIELDS & EXPRESSIONS DOWNLOAD!!

This event starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar opens earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Lucky Peterson is the most electrifying talents working in the blues today. Nobody would refute his reputation as one of the preeminent performers of the modern era. A searing lead guitarist, fantastic organist, and first-rate vocalist, Lucky's many talents are truly mind-boggling.

A true blues prodigy, Peterson played his first gig at age three. By the time he was five, he had already recorded his first single, produced by none other than the legendary Willie Dixon. Before Lucky turned six, his career had been propelled into the national spotlight with television appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and even What’s My Line?

Now, three decades later, he is world-renowned true blues veteran. Indeed his 2010 release, You Can Always Turn Around, won Blues Album Of The Year at the internationally coveted Grand Prix Du Disque in France. Over the years, Lucky has played to audiences all over the world, dazzling both fans and critics with his multi-instrumental talents, his soulful vocal style and his youthful approach to the blues. An unmissable night for fans of true blues everywhere.

Support tonight is from Tamara Peterson.

This event will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

The Pimps Of Joytime

Over the course of the past four years, The Pimps of Joytime have evolved into a road tested and audience approved groove machine. They have excited crowds at over 100 club dates and festivals in 2010 and this year's ongoing "All The Way Live" tour far exceeds the volume of previous years. 

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, the Pimps of Joytime are paving their own unique path in the world. What do you do when there isn't a phrase to describe your sound? You coin a new one of course! Janxta Funk, as Brian J describes it "is a style that is part gangsta, part janky." Janxta Funk ranges from Latin inspired rhythms to deep funky grooves and hot dance beats laced with soulful melody and harmonies. Those who have experienced a Pimps show agree that you have to see the band live to truly understand their unique combination of musical elements, including afrobeat, rock, hip-­‐hop and electronica. This summer The Pimps Of Joytime dazzled fans and critics with their performance's at Bonnaroo, Joshua Tree Music Fest, High Sierra and Electric Forest to name a few. 

Poised to bring their audacious sound to savvy audiences around the planet, The Pimps Of Joytime's new album, Janxta Funk! (June 21 – Wonderwheel Recordings) is a new chapter in the book of the Funk and a testament that real music is alive and kicking!

This show starts at 9pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar opens earlier for drinks and good times.

With a fresh six piece and 3 albums, Mad Dog Mcrea blend a unique mixture of folk rock, pop, gypsy jazz, bluegrass and 'shake your ass' music. From self-penned songs of adventure, drinking, love and life to traditional songs of gypsies, fairies, legless pirates and black flies, Mad Dog never fail to capture their audience with their infectious songs.

With their increasingly lively and spontaneous performances the band are acclaimed, not only for their music but for the off stage antics that seems to surround them. The band now embark on their first major UK tour to spread the Mad Dog word across the country, with an acclaimed recent album “The Whirling Dervish” with plays by Mike Harding on Radio 2, it’s time for the band to step up and meet their burgeoning fanbase.

“Musical magicians Mad Dog Mcrea are synonymous not only with a damn good party but also quality musicianship and the odd surprise” Talk Torbay

“A sound mixed, mashed and finely honed through years of live gigs” 
Rock ‘n Reel Magazine 

Special guest support tonight from post-folk artist Blue Rose Code who has shared the stage with everyone from Burt Jansch and John Renbourn to King Creosote and James Yorkston.

This event starts at 7.30pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar is open earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Among the most sought-after players of their generation, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire brings his thrilling, often visionary, quintet to Manchester.

Bluenote-signed Ambrose Akinmusire shot into into the limelight in 2007 after winning the Thelonius Monk International Jazz Competition and the Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition, two of the most prestigious jazz competitions in the world. In 2011 the LA Times named him as 'one of the faces to watch' in music.

Such plaudits aside, this dazzling fresh new talent displays an incredible clarity and vision in his playing that's not been seen for a long time. Backed by the formidable force of tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown, this quintet have been turning heads wherever they play. Now visiting Manchester on the back of his tour-de-force Bluenote debut, When The Heart Emerges Glistening, catch this great new talent at The Band.

“The music and the band vibe are wonderfully original and current. Clearly something very special and personal is at work here" Downbeat ****

Support comes from award-winning pianist, composer and arranger, Robert Mitchell, who counts Steve Williamson, Norma Winstone Courtney Pine and Greg Osby amongst his many collaborators. In the words of the Metro, “Robert Mitchell creates chamber jazz of astonishing beauty. His music communicates rapt attention, inquisitiveness, high intelligence and refined feeling. Mitchell is a lyricist and a thinker, and British jazz is far richer for his presence.”

This event starts at 8pm but our box office is open earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Now garnering major attention, the beautiful and ridiculously catchy tunes of Manchester's Victorian Dad have got the critics sitting up and taking notice.

 "...the sound is rich in colour and texture. The rhythms are complex, catchy and imaginative; the songs are authentic, lyrical and cleverly arranged. The delivery is gutsy and theatrical." BBC Manchester review 

Victorian Dad was formed in 2007 around the songwriting and musicianship of David Rybka. Since then the 6 piece has become established as a band where every member's contribution is essential to the overall  sound which is at once distinctive and memorable.  Their influences are wide ranging, both musically and geographically. They are establishing themselves as one of the North-West's pre-eminenent bands, with an emphasis on memorable original songs and classy playing.

The band enjoy enthusiastic support from BBC 6 Music and patronage from The Smiths' Mike Joyce. The band are currently finalising plans for recording their much anticipated debut c.d.

Special guests tonight are psyche-popsters Alberteen - "I fell in love with them at first sight....Alberteen's epic cinematic noir classic, killer hook, I can't stop singing it. Sounds like a hit" Tom Robinson, BBC6 Music. Their album Metal Book is released February 2012

This show will start at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Presented by David Cartlidge.

Brooding, bleak and bible black, Band on the Wall presents the windswept cry from the wilderness that is the wonderful Last Harbour.

“With their gothic archness and deathly strings, eight-strong collective Last Harbour offer semi-orchestral comforts from the same tangled patch of briar as The Bad Seeds and Tindersticks.” Uncut

Last Harbour are an expansive collective playing “swooning dustbowl baroque” (Plan B) that comes from "the same tangled patch of briar as The Bad Seeds and Tindersticks" (Uncut).  The only claims they make for their music are that it be honest and searching.  From dusty Nick Cave-esque laments to doom-filled rock, from starkly beautiful duets to drifting clouds of ambient noise, there’s always an intensity that strikes hard.  

Last Harbour's acclaimed 2010 album Volo and EP Lights were co-produced by Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Spacemen 3) and were featured across 6Music shows including Gideon Coe, Tom Robinson and a session on Marc Riley. The band have played alongside, among others, Dirty Three, Josh T Pearson, Michael Gira (Swans/Angels of Light), Willard Grant Conspiracy, Lanterns on the Lake, Mark Mulcahy (Thom Yorke's favourite singer), Devendra Banhart and The Handsome Family. Their 2010 UK tour included headline dates at London Union Chapel and Manchester Deaf Institute. They were also featured on the 'I Am Cold Rock' Will Oldham tribute alongside Calexico, Iron & Wine and Mark Kozelek.

“The final frontier of funeral pop.” Artrocker

“A dark and dusty mood, perfectly realised.” Clash

“Rich and foreboding, tracing a thread back to the post-industrial landscapes of Joy Division.” Drowned In Sound

"Classic outback brooding." Metro

Presented by Band on the Wall and Hey! Manchester

Aftershock celebrates its 10th anniversary with a stellar line-up of Nitin Sawhney, Kirk McElhinney, Sam Carter, Denis Jones, Aruba Red, Mieko, Arun Ghosh, Mathew Halsall and Clive Hunte.

Diplomats of Sound and Band on the Wall present a late night live spectacular the rhymes, beats and brass-infused hip hop of Lazy Habits plus support the John Fairhurst Trip and DJs until the early hours.

Uncompromising, infectious and original, Lazy Habit the new stars of the UK Urban Music Scene. 

Inspired by New Orleans jazz, soul, hip hop, Big Bands of the 50’s and soaked in British Culture their eclectic sound packs a lasting and unforgettable punch, with the band describing themselves as "Beats, Rhymes and Brass of the highest calibre”

“The best house party your parents never wanted you to have” The Sun

Originally the brainchild of one MC, the Hackney based outfit now stand as a full seven-piece band, whose onstage energy is a colossal live experience that will keep you buzzing long after you’ve left the venue.

Support tonight features the spectacular blues fusion of the John Fairhust Trio plus DJs into the early hours.

“Frankly awe-inspiring” BBC

“Lazy Habits are the future” E Festivals

“I used to believe The Roots were the only group who could excel at MC’ing backed by a live band, but Lazy Habits have changed my mind” Undercover Magazine

This show starts at 11pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Featuring a full band, this very special concert is only one of two dates that sees Malaysia’s singing superstar, Ning Baizura, perform in the UK. Described as Malaysia’s Soul Queen, the performances will be an intimate showcase of Ning’s classics over her 20-year career, and will also include songs from Ning’s latest, indie album, Dewa.

In Dewa, Ning explores new genres of music, including rock, dance and urban: “This album is very personal to me. In fact this album is a definition of my rebirth as a person with a new direction. Dewa is a liberated album. And ‘Dewa’ in Sanskrit means light. With this album I personally hope to bring light and share it with my audience.”

Ning is best known for her live stage performances. She is vibrant and super energetic on stage, and has always mesmerized her audience with an extensive repertoire and her versatility. Don’t miss your opportunity to be part of these exclusive shows!

This event will begin at 7.30pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

One of the most original and exciting bands to emerge in years, Get The Blessing was formed by drummer Clive Deamer and bassist Jim Barr of ‘90s trip-hop superstars Portishead.

Part of the new generation of groups (think EST, Polar Bear, Led Bib and Acoustic Ladyland) that blend technically audacious jazz with hard-hitting rock motifs, Get The Blessing have stormed the scene. Taking riffs and rhythms from rock and dance music and artfully welding them onto fearsomely inventive improvisation (and also drawing on influences as diverse as Tortoise, Morphine, Elvis Costello, The Ramones, Red Snapper and Albert Ayler) has won them rave reviews and legions of fans of all ages and tastes along the way.

"...the heavyweights of the contemporary jazz scene" The Independent ****  

With trumpeter Pete Judge and saxophonist Jake McMurchie (“Where has he been!?” – Evening Standard) completing the line up, Get The Blessing’s rocking tunes and snappy arrangements create a genre-bending blend of sounds that is all their own, flirting slyly with jazz while pounding the dancefloor with their “gloriously powerful sound” (BBC Music Magazine, 5/5).  

Their live shows are a fantastic high energy mix of incredible instrumental skill and pure enjoyment to give both your brain and eardrums a serious workout. Get your Blessing…

“Jubilantly genre-scrambling music of refreshing forthrightness" The Guardian

“Unfailingly tuneful and readily accessible. An experience to be savoured"
The Times

“At last, a noisy, thrashy post-jazz combo that sounds like a proper band rather than a po-mo 'project'" Independent on Sunday

This event will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

This event begins at 9pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open earlier for drinks and good times.

For this unmissable live set, Gris & Juldeh launch music from Traders -  their debut CD which is rapidly gathering outstanding reviews from the mainstream and world music press alike. ..’a  telling combination of inspiration and hard work…lovely stuff & full of endless surprises..’ Nigel Williamson, Songlines Magazine.

Expect an extraordinary encounter where the desert sounds of West African riti, a one-stringed fiddle of ancient design, meets its European sisters the violin and the amazing Swedish nyckelharpa, to bring us snaking Fula trance melodies from the Sahel’s nomadic herdsmen joining tumbling strathspeys & reels from Scottish crofts & dancehalls. Expect a wonderful night of music from these marvelous musicians.

Julaba Kunda play 'Pijin Jalen' 2011 from Konimusic Ltd on Vimeo.

This event starts at 8.30pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar opens earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Band on the Wall invites you to takes a trip on the sonic starship with legendary psychedelic rockers Here & Now.

Emerging in 1974 from the same Ladbroke Grove squatter scene as Hawkwind, the legendary space rock jams of Here & Now became central highlights of the golden age of UK free festivals including events such Stonehenge and Deeply Vale. They have been long-time collaborators with Gong and in 1977 Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth recruited the band to tour with them under the name Planet Gong, and this combination released a live album Floating Anarchy 1977 and a single Opium for the People. The band also forged a strong relationshp with punk pundit Mark P's group Alternative TV, touring together and releasing a joint live album What You See Is What You Are. Recently revitalised under the long-term stewardship of Keith The Bass,  but with Mark Robson of Kangaroo Moon and Magick Brothers on vocals and keyboards, the band's firing on all cylinders and keeping faithful to their underground, visionary spirit. Come enjoy these psychedelic renegades and they turn on, tune up and freakout the Band on the Wall.

This event starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open from 5.30 for drinks and homemade, freshly prepared food.

The Caroloregians

The Caroloregians are fronted by the New Orleans soul stylings of Matt Hardison and backed by a boss reggae section, in one almighty soundclash of pounding rhythm & soul vs finger-licking funkified reggae. Drawing inspiration from musical cousins The Meters & The Upsetters, The Caroloregians, who hail from Belgium, burst onto the European scene 4 years ago with dramatic effect. They soon became the choice backing band for touring Jamaican legends: Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, The Pioneers, Rico Rodriguez MBE, Pat Kelly, Doreen Shaffer and most recently superbly backed Dave & Ansel Collins on their first show since the 1970's at The London Intl Ska Festival. 

It is, however, with their own electrifying show & songs where The Caroloregians truly excel. We are delighted to annouce The Caroloregians will be returning to the UK in March'12 to promote their album 'Fat Is Back'. The party to end all parties - expect the Band on the Wall dancefloor to bounce to the rocksteady beat!

This event starts at 9pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for delicious drinks and good times.

A special four week course of whole day workshops for Flamenco guitar, dance and percussion enthusiasts, plus an amazing opportunity to take part in a workshop with the world renowned master guitarist and composer Paco Pena and his accompanying artistes (included in the course price). The course explores fundamental compas rhythmic cycles through elements of guitar, dance and percussion taught by leading exponents and tutors of this visceral and emotional art form.

Besides learning steps, notes and beats this course gives students from the three disciplines the rare opportunity to interact and work together and with the different tutors. In doing so participants will learn a deeper understanding of the essence of Flamenco.

The course will culminate in a special Fiesta Day on Sat 21st April featuring a workshop with one of the world's great flamenco artists, Paco Pena, and a performance in the evening by very special guests to be announced shortly. 

Course Tutors:

Flamenco Guitar: Nick Wilkinson

The guitar course will focus on typical musical structures used in flamenco. Elements of both solo playing and dance accompaniment will be covered during the sessions. Music from a selection of master players will be provided both in written music and in tablature, along with some original material. Students are expected to be familiar with at least the basics of flamenco technique and have a rudimentary understanding of compás. Preferably you should have at least two years experience playing flamenco to get the most out of this course.

Dance: Gloria Lopez-Castejon

Dancers should have at least one year of Flamenco dance experience. Dancers will learn steps, structures and rhythms associated with the Tango, Buleria, Solea and Seguiriya styles or palos. They will also have opportunities as part of the course and on the to work and perform with musicians, practise steps and communication skills.

Percussion: Adam Warne

The percussion element of the course is open to all percussionists, no previous flamenco experience is necessary although more experienced players will be accomodated. The course focusses  mainly on Buleria/12 beat Flamenco rhythms, Tangos/4 beat rhythms and Rumba. Using cajon, palmas (clapping) and foot tapping as well as useful background on the history of the cajon and its incorporation into Flamenco. Students should bring cajones where possible. A limited number are available for teaching purposes only. 

Venue: Band on the Wall Main Venue, Picturehouse Bar, Education Rooms

Days: Saturdays

Times: 9.30am-3pm

Course Dates: 10/03/2012, 17/03/2012, 24/03/2012, 31/03/2012

Fiesta Workshops and Performance Day: Saturday 21/04/2012

CONCESSIONARY RATES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE ON PRODUCTION OF  VALID ID WITH PROOF OF STUDENT/OAP/UNWAGED STATUS AT BOX OFFICE AT FIRST SESSION.

Brought to you by Wall of Sounds and sponsored by Levanter Fine Foods.

The Caroloregians are fronted by the New Orleans soul stylings of Matt Hardison and backed by a boss reggae section, in one almighty soundclash of pounding rhythm & soul vs finger-licking funkified reggae. Drawing inspiration from musical cousins The Meters & The Upsetters, The Caroloregians, who hail from Belgium, burst onto the European scene 4 years ago with dramatic effect. They soon became the choice backing band for touring Jamaican legends: Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, The Pioneers, Rico Rodriguez MBE, Pat Kelly, Doreen Shaffer and most recently superbly backed Dave & Ansel Collins on their first show since the 1970's at The London International Ska Festival. It is, however, with their own electrifying show & songs where The Caroloregians truly excel. We are delighted to annouce The Caroloregians will be returning to the UK in March'12 to promote their album 'Fat Is Back'. 

The party to end all parties - expect The Wardrobe dancefloor to bounce to the rocksteady beat! Presented by Band on the Wall.

The critically-acclaimed Avery Sunshine makes her debut at Band on the Wall, with an evening of wonderful gospel-charged soul.

Bursting with a musical brilliance all her own, singer, songwriter and pianist Avery Sunshine visits Manchester on the back of her eponymous debut album.  Rooted in gospel, she reaches deep into that cornucopia of styles and sounds and sings songs which articulate the complexities of life with a luminous and telling insight.  Fluent in many musical languages from soul and house, to classical and hip hop, this concert has the word classic written large all over it.

This event will start at 9pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for delicious food, drinks and good vibes.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Sierra Maestra are one of Cubas leading son bands, and were instrumental in the revival of the genre in the late 1970s and 1980s. They are also extremely well known for being the group that launched the careers of Juan de Marcos Ganzález and Jesus Alemañy, two of the most important figures in the development of Cuban music in the latter years of the twentieth century. Followed by a party Cuban style with DJ Les Mancubian (Republic of Salsa, 100% Cubano).

Named after the mountain range on the east of Cuba, and birthplace of the son, Sierra Maestra's aim was to revive and re-introduce this popular Cuban music style from the 1920s and 30s to the contemporary mainstream audience. Since then they have become one of Cuba's finest musical exports performing and thrilling audiences around the world. Band on the Wall is delighted to welcome these legends to its stage in what promises to be one of this season's highlights. Advance booking recommended.

This concerts starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for delicious homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

One of America's most enigmatic and elusive singer-songwriters, one-time drifter Cass McCombs brings his narrative-driven and exquisitely crafted songs to The Band for a night of insightful and intelligent music.

Like JD Sallinger before him, Cass McCombs is something of an enigma as a person and a revelation as an artist. Notoriously shy of promotion, in 2010 Domino Records hired a private investigator to follow McCombs and take what would be the publicity shots for the launch of the Wit's End album. For years, Kerouac-style, he simply drifted across the USA before even writing his first song. During that nomadic time, he viewed the underbelly of America through a wide-eyed lense - absorbing those experiences and later using them as the rich source material for his music. Indeed, McCombs worked as everything from janitor, stable-boy and soda jerk to truck driver, movie projectionist and construction worker. It is these experiences and more that informs his acclaimed lyricism and pervades all his work. 

In contrast to his public persona however, McCombs’ music is generous, the melodies always infectious, the production and musicianship first-rate. And at the forefront of his craft are always the lyrics, which more than any songwriter today propels the avant-garde. Touring on the back of his most recent album, 2011's Humor Risk, this is a rare opportunity to see this wonderful artist live.

"If you don’t know McCombs, and you reckon there must be someone out there as great as Bill Callahan (and better than Will Oldham) in the Americana Gothic racks, then Cass is your man." BBC

This show starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

The internationally acclaimed, gospel-infused soul and classic funk of Sharon and the Dap-Kings at Stylus, Leeds University.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have come a long way since their humble beginnings nearly a decade ago. Steeped within the gilded and gritty sounds of gospel, soul and funk, this nine-piece Brooklyn collective has continued to electrify fans, disc jockeys, critics, record collectors, and bloggers the world-over with their authentic, heart-felt sound. The band’s three critically-acclaimed albums – Dap Dippin’, Naturally and 100 Days, 100 Nights  –  recall an analog era led by iconic studios like those at Motown and Stax Records.

As distinguished as their recordings may be however, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have truly become renowned thanks to their incredible live show, not to mention their relentless touring. And though it’s certainly no easy task to keep such a vast ensemble on the road, the band continues to pack hundreds of clubs worldwide, from legendary venues like New York’s Apollo Theater, Beacon Theater and Central Park’s SummerStage to their show-stopping sets at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Roskilde, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits and WOMAD. AGMP and Band on the Wall are now delighted to present this great band at Stylus, Leeds University. A Band on the Wall Fundraiser Event.

Presented by AGMP and Band on the Wall.

Keep It Unreal with Mr Scruff at the controls all night long, serving up a huge melting pot of jazz, soul, hip hop, funk, disco, deep house, reggae, dubstep, afrobeat, breaks, latin and tea.

Grammy Award winning post bop saxophonist Kenny Garrett and his remarkable quartet deliver full-force, high-octane jazz of the highest order.

The Kenny Garrett Quartet:

Kenny Garrett Alto Sax
Corcoran Holt - Bass
Benito Gonzales - Acoustic Grand Piano
Mc Clenty Douglas - Drum

Cutting his teeth playing in the bands of both Duke Ellington and Miles Davis as a young man, Garrett has pursued a critically-acclaimed career that's included being a member of jazz supergroup the Five Peace Band (also featuring Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride and Brian Blade/Vinnie Colaiuta), and performing alongside artists such as Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Marcus Miller, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, and Mulgrew Miller. Considered one of the world's finest alto sax players, he is performing at Band on the Wall with his acclaimed quintet. Garrett has an exceptional breadth of vision (including, for instance, flavouring some of his compositions with traditional Japanese and a Korean folk songs), yet never sacrifices his edgily passionate post-Coltrane sax sensibility and emotional and technical edge. This very special concert supports the release of his new album Seeds From The Underground (released April 2012)

"Garrett is unequalled as the modern master of the alto sax...Jazz is a higher purpose, and a player of Garrett's stature reminds us of that"
The Independent ****

"Someone should post a storm warning prior to a Kenny Garrett concert"
The Washington Post

This event starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar opens earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

A Band on the Wall Fundraiser Event

A firm favourite with the critics, This Is The Kit have played a session on Radio 1 for Rob da Banks and on BBC 6 for Marc Riley (with another coming up in February 2012) and tracks have been played regularly on BBC 6 by Liz Kershw, Marc Riley, Cerys Mattews, Gideon Coe and many more. Come down and enjoy a night of truly magical music by a superbly gifted artist. Special guests tonight are the all-girl, all music trio One Sixth Of Tommy whose youthful, melodic, folky tinged sound made the critics sit up and take notice at this year's Glastonbury Festival.

“absolutely gorgeous, like an aural bath with the warm winter lapping over you” Cerys Matthews, BBC 6 Music

“Just one of the best things I’ve heard all year, the rest of the LP’s pretty good too….wonderful wonderful stuff” Gideon Coe, BBC 6 Music

“This Is The Kit should be knighted for the fact that they create a wonderfull atmosphere with one singer an accoustic guitar and percussion only”
altsounds.com

This event will begin at 7.30pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Alexis McLean

Hailed by Elbow's Guy Garvey as 'A fantastic songwriter', Alexis McLean is one of the most popular names on the Manchester acoustic scene.  With her truly unique voice, Alexis weaves modern day folk tales of beauty and simplicity. Accompanied by the brilliant David Faitala on classical guitar, this is one not to miss!

Taylor and the Mason

"Like two Joni Mitchells on speed", Taylor and the Mason are an acoustic duo based in Manchester, made up of singer-songwriters Sally Mason and Becky Taylor. With their breathlessly energetic performances and tight knit harmonies, these girls are fast becoming a hit with audiences on the Manchester gig scene and beyond!

Presented as part of the Manchester Histories Festival, this is a fascinating audio-visual music event featuring a programme of  short films spanning five decades from North West Film Archive plus a showreel of live performances from Band on the Wall. With free admission, the event programme features:

Rewind- Manchester's Music Scene Remembered

A programme celebrating Manchester’s eclectic music scene: its heritage: the people, the places and the music.

Using footage from the North West Film Archive’s magnificent collection, this selection of films spans five decades, from an arty student documentary about Roxy Music fans to frenzied backstage footage at a Beatles concert, plus a film on the regeneration and memories of the legendary Ritz venue and a poignant documentary about the influential Mancunian musician Bryan Glancey. 

Band on the Wall: Portraits and Performances

From the music venue’s AV Unit, a showreel of performances 2009-2011 plus a selection of still photographs of musicians at the venue, 1988-95. Also, information about the venue’s 19th century history when it was a market pub, on the doorstep of the Industrial Revolution.

Times: Doors open at 2pm and screenings will take place between 2.30pm and 4.30pm.

Presented as part of Manchester Histories Festival by Band on the Wall and North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University. Band on the Wall archive is supported by Heritage Lottery Fund and Manchester City Council

The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club returns with a full live set by one of the UK's top funk bands Speedometer featuring the incredible ex-James Brown vocalist Martha High plus presenter, DJ, actor and funkster Craig Charles manning the decks 'till 3am with the planet's funkiest tunes.

Speedometer

Special live guests tonight are the UK's top funk band Speedometer. Featuring their acclaimed horn section The Rev Horns and very special guest - ex James Brown vocalist Martha High - it's time to find your dancing shoes, get with the mothership connection and join in the party.

This event will begin at 9pm. Picturehouse Cafe Bar open from 5.30pm for food, drink and funk.

Klute is unique in the DnB world - originally starting out as a rock drummer and also putting out a number of techno and broken beat records before turning his hand to DnB, his skills across multiple forms of music produce a flavour of drum & bass that has elements of dub techno as well as carefully selected vocal samples more often associated with quality house music. Klute was championed by the late John Peel, and was the last artist to ever be played on his show.

S.P.Y is a favourite of the Soul:r label, having collaborated on a number of releases with label boss Marcus Intalex and fellow liquid legend Calibre [Signature Records], including Intalex's long awaited LP '21', co-producing one of the album's true standout tunes 'Celestial Navigation', a slab of synth-led liquid dnb gold that owes as much to the IDM productions of AFX and Plaid as it does to traditional drum & bass.

As always, vocal duties are led by Broke 'n £nglish's MC DRS, right through til 3am.

Advance ticketholders get priority entry.

Speedometer

Special live guests tonight are the UK's top funk band Speedometer. Featuring their acclaimed horn section The Rev Horns and very special guest - ex James Brown vocalist Martha High - it's time to find your dancing shoes, get with the mothership connection and join in the party.

This event will begin at 9pm.

Indonesian 17-piece ensemble SambaSunda bring together a dazzling array of instruments and influences to create a new style Gamelan orchestra and the most exciting musical voice out of the archipelago today.

"An intriguing, charming set from a band who should prove surprisingly accessible to western audiences." The Guardian

SambaSunda come from Bandung, the bustling capital and cultural centre of Western Java, more commonly known as Sunda. The group updates the lilting sounds of Sundanese gamelan degung and the angklung bamboo instruments by adding elements of Jakarta's kroncong, Sunda's jaipong, Balinese kebyar and the Brazilian rhythm of samba. The result is a mesmerizing mix that manages, strangely, to be both relentlessly exciting and languidly tranquil, full of explosive energy and seductive sweetness. Both reassuringly familiar and daringly innovative at home in Bandung, this is a dazzling new sound for the rest of the world to discover. The "coolest band to come out of Indonesia yet" is definitely one to watch!

A Making Tracks Presentation at Band on the Wall.

This concert will begin at 7.30pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

"As powerful, skilful and idiomatically varied on stage as he is on record, Neset is a resounding talent." John Fordham, The Guardian

Protégé of lauded former Loose Tubes keys man Django Bates, Neset combines the ferocious vertical chops of the late Michael Brecker with a haunting Nordic lyricism to stunning effect. Performing music from his critically acclaimed solo album Golden XPlosion (Edition Records), Neset's superb band features powerful Phronesis bass/drum team Jasper Hoiby and Anton Eger plus keyboardist Ivo Neame. Come enjoy what promises to be a superlative concert by one of the most talented outfits currently performing on the European circuit.

Marius Neset Golden Xplosion

Marius Neset - Saxophones
Ivo Neame - Piano / Keyboards
Jasper Hoiby - Double Bass
Anton Eger - Drums

Support comes from Roller Trio -  a collaborative band who combine contemporary jazz and rock traditions creating a powerful and accessible blend of conventional and experimental sounds. Their original compositions consist of beautiful evocative songs, groovy riffs, thrashy noise and electronic soundscapes creating seminal and atmospheric music. Their line-up is made up of immensely talented young musicians James Mainwaring on tenor saxophone and electronics, Luke Wynter on guitar and Luke Reddin-Williams on Drums. They are 2011 winners of the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award.

Frontman of 80s and 90s alt-pop hitmakers The Wonder Stuff,  Miles Hunt takes to our Manchester stage with original Wonder Stuff violinist Erica Nockalls for an acoustic night of their hits plus new feel-good folk and intelligent, catchy pop sewn seamlessly and beautifully together.

Miles Hunt put the Black Country firmly on the map with his band The Wonder Stuff in the late 80s and early 90s, achieving numerous top 20 hits such as A Size Of A Cow, Welcome To The Cheap Seats and a No. 1 single, Dizzy, with comedian Vic Reeves. Hunt's ongoing collaboration with Erica Nockalls sees a maturer musical journey producing a series of songs and albums that have received great reviews and brought a whole new generation of fans to these perfectly in tune together artists. Expect these new works alongside stripped down versions of their much-loved greatest hits. Wonderous stuff indeed. Support tonight comes from bluesman and ex-singer with Immaculate Fools, Dirty Ray.

This show starts at 8pm but our Picturehouse cafe bar will be open earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

More bands tbc plus of course NMR DJs, playing our favourite vinyl-only finds fresh from the record bag.

We offer up the perfect evening libation of live blues from Band on the Wall's favourite bluesmen Dr Truth complimented by up to 20 real ales from across the country for the final concert at this year's Band on the Wall Beer n' Blues Festival.

Dr Truth

Dr Truth is a Blues / R 'n' B band formed in 2009 by Chris Roach and Mike "Uncle Dinners" Bowden (both former members of the Roach Twins Band). The band also feature Piano and Hammond style organ from Paul Ashton, Kansas bass player Dave Luvin and Rick Lacey on drums. The band has been performing headline spots at the Beauvais Paris, Morecambe and Colne Blues Festivals and are winning fans across the UK and Europe. The band perform their own self-penned songs, ranging from classic to modern Blues.

This session begins at 7pm with beer and good times served throughout.

£4 / £3.20 Concs (inc. CAMRA members - just click members rate and show CAMRA ID on door ) for each session; kids free or £10 for whole weekend

For the festival's afternoon quaffing session the acclaimed Americana guitarist with a bluesy heart Steve 'Billy' Buckley invites you to imbibe a heady, unsteady brew of twanging Spaghetti Western soundtracks, rockabilly guitar runs, blissed-out psychedelia, cry-in-your-beer balladry and greased-up grooves. This band got a standing ovation at last year's Manchester Jazz festival - and we'll drink to that!

The Wagon Train is:

Steve ‘Billy’ Buckley – electric, baritone & resonator guitar, lap steel
John Ellis – piano, keyboards
Matt Owens – electric & double bass
Eryl Roberts – drums

This session runs from 12pm - 5pm

£4 / £3.20 Concs (inc. CAMRA members - just click members rate and show CAMRA ID on door ) for each session; kids free or £10 for whole weekend

The Cadillac Kings

Firm favourites on the blues & jump-jive scenes, The Cadillac Kings feature six of the UK's top blues and roots musicians. Inspired by the sounds and styles of the ‘40s & ‘50s with a distinctly modern take lyric-wise, this is a band with a reputation for wowing their audiences, from intimate clubs to major festivals, from theatres to dance-halls, the length & breadth of the UK & Europe.

Along the way the band has picked up numerous awards including The Times’ best blues cd of the year 2004 (for ‘Highway 17’) and Canada’s Real Blues Magazine's award for best UK blues act & cd 2009 (for ‘Trouble in Store’).

2011 not only marks the band’s tenth anniversary but also signals their strongest ever line-up, featuring two of the UK's very best blues instrumentalists - harmonica great, Gary Potts, and the brilliant west coast-style guitarist, Mal Barclay. So grab a pint. or two, or three and enjoy a brilliant night of music in the company of one of the best bands out on the live blues circuit today.

"The country's premier blues & roots act" The Times

“Good time blues at its very best, do not miss these guys!” Blues in Britain

"Mike Thomas (is) the best blues songwriter in Britain" Blues in the Northwest

"One of the nation's finest bands in ANY genre" Liverpool Echo

This event starts at 7.30pm with real ales and good times served up throughout.

£6 / £4.80 Concs (inc. CAMRA members - just click members rate and show CAMRA ID on door ) for each session; kids free or £10 for whole weekend

Retiring after 25 years together and here for one final Manchester show, the guitar, bass and drums trio The Hamsters have long been established as one of our premier live attractions. Although primarily playing their own brand of Rock, Blues and Americana, they're also widely regarded as the UK's leading interpreters of the music of JIMI HENDRIX & ZZ TOP - and will no doubt be featuring some tonight. Also, another popular feature of their two-hour performance will be the inclusion of a few acoustic songs! Guitarist/singer Slim has recently been featured in Guitarist magazine's 'Blues Guitar Heroes' book.

"The Hamsters are fabulous: one of Britain's very best live bands"
Bob Harris, Radio 2

"The Hamsters are a great Blues band" Johnny Walker, Radio 2

"Nobody does the music of Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top better" The Times

"F****** brilliant!" Suzi Quatro

This event will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks. 

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details

Band on the Wall welcomes singer-songwriter Hannah Atkins to Band on the Wall for this very special event launching her new album Beyond Your Skin.

Hannah Atkins has a gossamer-smooth, effortless vocal delivery, strengthened by a deft skill with a writer's pen and an multi-instrumental talent that many more established performers would envy.

Like many, she began to play and perform from a young age, but it wasn't until moving to Manchester in her late teens that her sound began to define itself. Her latest album ‘Beyond Your Skin’ has been described as an ‘oral sculpture of ethereal yet memorable melodies, with elegant piano riffs and an abundance of live strings - bringing an almost orchestral sound with a pop twist. You can hear hints of what can be likened to Imogen Heap’s vocal layering, cinematic elements akin to film-score composer; "Hans Zimmer", with moments as raw and intimate as Damien Rice.’

Atkins is fascinating to watch. Creating electro-acoustic soundscapes in front of your very eyes with the help of her loop pedal and no shortage of talent. She starts recording mesmerizing rifts on the piano, then switches to the guitar, adding violin and vocal layers to her loops - all live.

Lyrically there is depth and resonance too. Atkins has made sure to plunder life's opportunity box of treasures that stir the emotion. Since her teens she has had a heart for taking music to the other side of the world and has been on many international trips to Peru, Ethiopia and South Africa where she has been able to perform her music. With a big heart and a green conscience, Atkins continues to produce albums such as 'Beyond Your Skin' with 100% eco-friendly packaging. She loves to use her music to aid her her social justice advocacy, the content of seven out of ten songs on her new album being about social causes. After several years honing her craft, it would seem Hannah Atkins is now ready to grab more opportunities with both hands and others have noticed. Find out more about this wonderful artist at www.hannahatkins.com 

Support tonight comes from Shane Beales.

This event begins at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar will be open earlier for homemade food and drinks.

Special Offer! Book your meal in advance and get free 'lucky dip' tickets for a future concert - click here now for details