First lineup announced for BEYOND THE MUSIC - Manchester’s new music festival and conference

Beyond The Music is a brand new festival in Manchester, launched with the aim of spotlighting next generation artists and independent music venues. As part of the event launch, organisers have today shared the first 60 names for its ‘Beyond The Music: Discovered’ programme - an initiative based around offering a platform to emerging artists who might not otherwise get the same opportunity or exposure.

Among the names on this initial lineup are electro-punk collective Tokky Horror, glam-pop raconteurs Walt Disco, and garage-rock outfit Human Interest. There’s also a submission system in place, whereby new artists who don’t yet have a team around them can apply via the website for the chance to perform in October.

Hosting these exciting new artists will be taste-making venues across the city’s Northern Quarter (including the likes of Night & Day Cafe, Band On The Wall, and The Castle Hotel), where industry partners such as SXSW and Nice Swan Records will put on a series of specially curated showcases.

Finally, as part of the ‘Discovered’ programme, Manchester’s own Loose Articles will host an all-female lineup at their ‘Kick Like A Girl’ showcase. Of the opportunity, the band say: “Statistics [show that] if you count the total number of performers on stage during headline slots, only one in 10 (11%) are women and even less (2%) are non-binary people. We aim to showcase as many talented musicians as we can to highlight this issue in the hope that this will start to affect change in the way festivals are booked”.

Early bird and pay it forward tickets for Beyond The Music Festival are on sale now.

Check out the full lineup so far below.