Five must see acts at Sounds From The Other City

Image: Gwenno

Sounds from the Other City has become a beacon of new music and arts in Salford and Manchester, and the North for that matter, in the 12 years since its birth.

Starting in humble beginnings along Chapel Street, it has now grown to 17 stages this year – including a very special first appearance at Salford Cathedral. 

Primarily, the festival takes over the pubs of Chapel Street and turns the street into a vibrant technicolor of friends and strangers embracing the atmosphere and oozing artistry. 

So, if you can manage to prize yourself away from SFTOCTV’s inaugural broadcast, the masquerade ball or simply flicking through the Salford Zine Library, Sam Fawcett picks out five must see acts to enhance your May bank holiday and where to see them.  

Her’s

Where – T’OPP Collective at The Old Pint Pot

Think Wild Nothing, Ariel Pink & Beach Fossils, Liverpool-based Her’s are only in their infancy but having released debut single ‘Dorothy’ only last week through Heist or Hit records they come with a huge hype. 

The duo have built a huge reputation for their live performance throughout the north having played a host of shows in Liverpool. Using a drum machine to give their music an electronic edge, they over lay dreamy guitars with baritone vocals, creating an 80’s inspired sound that still manages to sound refreshing in 2016.

The Big Moon

Where – Now Wave at Unit 5 Trading Estate

Beach Boys inspired vocal harmonies meet the grittiness of The Kills or Nirvana as The Big Moon bring their grungey guitar pop to Salford, and having just completed their first ever headline tour, they are another band arriving in Salford with a fog of hype in tail. 

The band have been pigeonholed in the nineties revival category somewhat due to their fuzzy sound but they are more than that, these four girls feel like the real deal. 

Mr. TC 

Where - Chew Disco & Trash-o-Rama at The Crescent

Mr. TC is somewhat legendary in Glasgow for his Night of the Jaguar parties around the city. He brings his live show to Salford for SFTOC fusing left-field disco, house and techno with his past endeavours in psych and krautrock bands. 

His debut EP ‘Soundtrack for Strangers’ was released on Optimo Music, showing how highly thought of he is in Glasgow. The EP sold out in three weeks and is now waiting on a repress. Mr. TC is going to be playing bigger and bigger clubs and nights over the next few months.  

BÊTE

Where – T’OPP Collective at The Old Pint Pot

Based in Salford, Bête have been grafting and perfecting their sound for a couple of years now but are still a relatively new band - It is only in the past few months that they seem to have clicked into gear. 

Incorporating deft symbol and snare interplay with intrusively brutal guitar work whilst still maintaining a melodic base, whilst simultaneously being brought together by sharp romantic lyricism. The manner of which Bête can reference and link influences is astounding. They are everything a new and daring band should be and are THE band to check out at SFTOC

Gwenno

Where – Hey Manchester at St Phillips Church

Winner of the 2015 Welsh Music Prize for her solo debut album ‘Y Dydd Olaf’, Gwenno is fluent in Welsh and Cornish and both languages feature heavily on the album – in fact there is no English spoken on the album at all. She blends eighties synth pop and electro with beautiful native-tongue vocal melodies rich in texture.  

Originally, the album was released on Cardiff-based label Peski records before being taken on by indie heavyweight Heavenly – who’s stage she is playing a DJ set on after her St. Phillips Church appearance. Gwenno is definitely worth your time at SFTOC. 

Sounds From The Other City takes place across Salford on Sunday 1st May - tickets available via the box below 

Our band of the week is Pumarosa also play a starring role at the festival

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