Festival season doesn’t end with the summer. Last Saturday, Manchester saw its streets light up as crowds poured in and out of beloved, legendary music venues all across the city centre. Now a decade since the first Neighbourhood Festival was born, the lineup continues to spotlight some of the best Indie acts of the new generation. Here's our top 5 picks from the day... Photo Credit: Paul Lang Florence Road Wicklow four-piece Florence Road have made waves on the Indie Pop sce

Nowadays Neighbourhood Festival is considered a staple in the indie calendar. However, ten years ago, when the festival first started, no one could have imagined the success the event has become. In its first year, the festival saw acts including Blossoms, Circa Waves and Liam Fray take to the stage. Ten years on, almost all the acts didn’t exist when the festival first opened its doors, but the aim of bringing the best up and coming bands to new fans, remains the same. Phot

This September, Beabadoobe returned with her fourth studio album, 'Pylon'. Blending genres of grunge, midwestern emo and 90s rock, she explores sounds of new and old with a darker tone. This angsty yet mature feel makes the record act as the rockier big sister to her previous records. The album, written whilst on tour for her last album, reflects themes of isolation, insecurity and the effects of touring. Photo Credit - Erika Kamano Beabadoobe talks about her love of pylons

Lime Garden are in a whirlwind when we catch them, half way between their last show and their next night out. They’re a self proclaimed “wonk pop” powerhouse who have recently erupted into the charts following ‘Maybe Not Tonight’, a synth-stained, coming-of-age rock album. Photo Credit: Sal Redpath “Most of us actually hate going out” they joke “but weirdly, we accidentally wrote an album about it. We begin at the pres with stuff like ‘Cross My Heart’ which is just that, fuc

Manchester's premiere music conference and festival Beyond The Music returned this month, this time taking over Salford's Media City. The daytime conference brought together some of the most influential and forward-thinking music business professionals for discussions on industry inequalities, innovative music-making and the future of the industry landscape. Highlights were the discussion with the team behind Yungblud and the keynote with Steve Coogan marking the anniversary

Danish duo A Good Year have only been releasing music since 2024 but have rapidly cemented themselves in the Alternative Indie scene. Their musical catalogue transports the listener into a dusky, smoky parallel world. Punctuated by the duo’s ability to effortlessly add their own flare. This universe-transforming superpower is explicitly demonstrated in ‘Play’, the duo’s follow up to ‘Sofina (Soundtrack)’. Photo Credit: Johanna Hvidtved The album begins its enchantment with ‘D

Whether its Folk, Indie, Rock our Alternative, discover the best new artists emerging out of America right now... Animal Scream Animal Scream is the psych-pop project of songwriter-producer Chad Monticue, and Don't Tell Me You Want Me is great insight into his surrealistically cinematic brain. Driven by heavy drums, reminiscent of Fontaines D.C.'s Romance era, and wrapped in the moody, hazy atmosphere of early The Neighbourhood, the track establishes a powerful sound from the

2025 didn't just bring us some incredible albums and some defining releases from the biggest voices in the Indie world, it also uncovered a slew of exciting new voices who we believe are in for a huge 2026. From scrappy Indie Rock youngsters to bands who are on the crest of a wave ready to plunge into their debut albums, here's an unordered list of acts you need to watch out for this year. Fright Years ‘Dye Star’ feels like the moment things start to get dangerous. Fright Yea

From new Indie gems and explosive Rock acts to intimate Folk songwriters and singer songwriters, we'll be showcasing our favourite Aussie acts and their new releases... ALEIA Perth artist ALEIA has unveiled her enchanting Indie-Rock poetry via her latest track ‘Willpower’. Taking listeners into her climate of a smoky grey cloud haze, the track encapsulates romantic betrayal through poetically crafted lyricism, amongst the slow burning instrumental blaze. ‘Willpower’ opens wit

On a warm Autumn night in Manchester, we saw the long awaited return of one of the city's brightest talents, Phoebe Green, all thanks to the work wonderful work of Independent Venue Week who have showcasing the #BestofBritish at shows across the country. Photo Credit: Kitty Handley Known for her introspective and uniquely relatable lyricism and hypnotic electro-pop textures, Phoebe has long been at the forefront of Manchester's emerging scene. Her 2020 single 'Reinvent' beca

The Dublin five-piece’s sophomore album arrives like a brick through a window. ‘Nobody’s Coming To Save You’ is a title that initially reads like a threat, until you take time and listen to the album. This isn’t an album rooted in despair, it’s built on acceptance. Nobody’s coming to pull you out of the mess. The only way through it is forwards. Gurriers don’t pretend to have the answer, instead they soundtrack the moment that people stop waiting for someone else to make the

You only need to glance at the cover art for Keo’s debut album ‘Put On A Smile For Me’ to understand what they stand for. It looks like a faded 90s band T-shirt picked up in a vintage sale at a freshers fair, perfectly encapsulating their modern Grunge aesthetic. Photo Credit: Hermione Sylvester As one of the most talked about new guitar bands in the country, with constant comparisons to their Grunge revival peers Wunderhorse, this record manages to live up to the hype while

Beyond The Music, Manchester's creative industry conference and music showcase returns from October 6-9 for three days of vital, policy-setting, conversations, lectures and networking events as well as three nights of break through music showcased across venues in Salford. TICKETS ON SALE NOW Photo Credit: Mark Waugh The full 2026 conference programme titled Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness details Beyond The Music’s commitment to a strengthened, connected and colla

Since 2021, No Play have provided grassroots music for the scene, by the scene, and this year's festival is no different. 35 Bands across 5 stages provided the perfect day out for any Alternative or Hardcore Fans, with a strong sense of community throughout every aspect of the festival. No Play Festival encapsulates everything incredible about the Hardcore and Alternative fellowship, especially within the North West. Photo Credit: @eyes_widephotography Based in the heart of L

The three year album interlude from the compelling, Bristol-based Getdown Services that began with the mordant, energetic 2023 debut album ‘Crisps’ has finally ended with their sophomore album ‘Massive Champion’. An album title fitting for the self-proclaimed “Britain’s best band”. Photo Credit: Sion Marshall Waters The interlude, however, has been a busy one though with a copious amount of sweat-induced, unhinged and infectious performances from the often topless Josh Law a

There is something peculiarly surreal about hearing the unmistakable tones of Joe Newman outside the milieu and alt-pop, art-rock hums of Mercury Prize winning band alt-J. On the heels of almost two decades as the voice and frontman of one of British indie’s most distinctive bands, Newman has stepped out alone, trading alt-J for the rather more cryptic moniker of JJerome87. Photo Credit: Zachary Gray Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Carlos De La Garza, ‘The Canyon’ feel

Twenty years since it first landed in Daresbury, Creamfields has cemented itself as one of the UK’s biggest dance music festivals, and this was my first time making the trip. Located just outside Warrington, the site pulls crowds from Liverpool and Manchester in their thousands, alongside ravers from every corner of the country. Several transport options run into the site, with signposts and security stationed throughout to keep the flow of thousands moving in the right dire

Keyside didn’t ease their way into their debut album ‘Keyside’ , they kicked the door wide open. With driving guitars and soaring choruses, Keyside makes an immediate statement of intent. But beneath the bright and infectious surface of the album, lies something darker. With songs tackling addiction and emotional struggle yet never losing their irresistible sense of melody. ‘Runaway’ establishes the balance of the album immediately. With the upbeat guitar line and expansive c

This weekend saw around 90,000 festival goers descend on the iconic Bramham Park site for a weekend of unforgettable music. Across the site, established headliners shared the bill with a wealth of emerging talent, resulting in a host of triumphant performances. Overall, Leeds once again proved why it remains one of the UK’s favourite festivals. Since its inception back in 1999, Leeds Festival has firmly established itself as a mainstay in the festival calendar. Whilst its roo

One of Sunderland’s most exciting stars Tom A. Smith is back with an outstanding EP ‘Put On A Record Tommy’. This unique dance driven record highlights the parallels of both confidence and insecurity, expressing the difficult changes of becoming a young adult. Smith’s honest lyricism on this record emphasises the vulnerability of establishing an identity and the challenges of embodying new perspectives. The overall sonics of the EP moves contrary to this theme, proving to the