If unpredictability is one of your main motivating factors when deciding which music festival to attend, then Salford’s Sounds From The Other City must surely figure at the top of your must-see list.
First conceived in 2004 to draw attention to the then-neglected charms of Manchester’s neighbouring city, Sounds From The Other City has always boasted a wonderful element of surprise and discovery.
Championing local promoters, showcasing new artists and celebrating Salford’s off-kilter charm, the annual event is regarded by many as an antidote to the bloated, faceless feel of many big music festivals.
Full of weird and wonderful happenings – gigs in old pubs, churches, even phone boxes – it’s the one music festival where you’re better off without an itinerary. Just go along and surrender to the festival’s glorious chaos and unpredictability.
In bygone years, it has hosted early performances from Mercury Prize-winners Alt-J and Sampha, local future-jazz band GoGo Penguin, and CityLife Award nominee IAMDDB.
To mark its 15th birthday, the event is undergoing a big change in format this year. Instead of spreading the event across the city, this year’s festival is based at one Salford location, Regent Trading Estate, where promoters will each choose two acts presented across five stages on the day.
As you’d expect from the festival, the artist line-up is full of diversity and exciting future-facing sounds.
The likes of Bluedot Festival, Band on the Wall, Now Wave, Strange Days and Reform Radio have all curated line-ups for each of the stages and bars.
DJs will ensure the music bleeds beyond the stages, into the bar areas and even the toilets at the festival.
Highlights include the hugely-hyped math-rock oufit Black Midi, Belgian noise punks Cocaine P*ss, laid-back rap hero Barney Artist, Halifax dream-poppers The Orielles and, in a special one-off commission, a collaboration between the BBC Philharmonic and Manchester’s spoken word collective Young Identity.
The party will run well into the night, with after parties planned at The Old Pint Pot and YES.
Wristband holders will be free to come and go from the main festival site as they please - given the fringe party taking place at the nearby The Eagle Inn, many will be making the short pilgrimage to the famed pub.
Hosted by VAM, the Sounds Fringe Street Party will spill out on to the streets and continue to celebrate local artists of Salford and Manchester.
Festival director Riv Burns, who moved to Greater Manchester 14 years ago, said: "Sounds From the Other City would not be what it is today without the promoters, the artists and the audiences having this passion, openness and energy and I feel this is reflected 24/7 across the city.
"I wouldn’t be who I am today without these surroundings.
"We really do ‘do things differently here’ and it’s the pulling together of people at certain points and moments that really showcase this city."
Full stage breakdown
Stage 1 - curated by Bluedot, Hey! Manchester, Sounds from the Other City
Gabe Gurnsey
Speakman Sound
Penelope Isles
Withered Hand
Mikko Joensuu
See Thru Hands
Unit 2 - curated by Tru Luv, Band on the Wall, Grey Lantern
Babii
Ménage à Trois
Barney Artist
Yama Warashi
Scalping
Aadae
Unit 3 - curated by Now Wave, Heavenly Recordings, Strange Days, Sounds from the Other City
Black Midi
Black Country New Road
The Orielles
Working Mens Club
Black Futures
Avalanche Party
BBC Philharmonic & Young Identity
Unit 4 - curated by Fat Out, The Beauty Witch, Dots & Wolf
Cocaine P*ss
Tirikilatops
Woven Skull
Accu
Spectres
Upset Stomach
Unit 5 - curated by Comfortable on a Tightrope, Bad Uncle, Partisan Collective, SFTOC
Sneaks
Rose Mercie
Grotbags
Removed
Handle
All Hands on Deck
ILL
Regent Trading Estate, Salford / Sunday May 5 / £27.75, full line-up and ticket info at - soundsfromtheothercity.com
