BBC Radio 6 Music Festival will return to Manchester next month, with Christine And The Queens, Arlo Parks and Loyle Carner all set to headline.
This year’s edition of the station’s annual live event is due to take place in Greater Manchester between March 23-26. Tickets go on general sale at 10am GMT this Thursday (February 16) – you’ll be able to buy yours here.
Per a press release, the festival will boast “global premieres of brand new live shows, new music debuts, unique collaborations and surprise guests” across the four days. Highlights are scheduled to air on BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Sounds and the iPlayer.
Loyle Carner, Christine And The Queens and Arlo Parks will all perform bill-topping sets at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on March 24, 25 and 26, respectively. The Big Moon, Wu-Lu and Lava La Rue are also lined up to play at the venue.
Chris, who released his ‘Redcar Les Adorables Étoiles’ album last November, is planning the global premiere of a new live show at 6 Music Festival ’23. Parks is set to debut some new music, while Carner’s headline concert will include a brand new collaboration with the AMC Gospel Choir.
“What I will be very eager to share with you for the first time ever will be a glimpse into the second part of the big journey that I started with you guys, with Redcar,” Chris explained in a statement.
“Redcar is the first iteration of a very intense musical journey that occupied my two last years. I was heavily inspired by this piece called ‘Angels In America’ by Tony Kushner when I wrote the music I will unveil to you at that moment. I’m literally so excited to do it that I am for the first time of my life at loss of words in the best way.”
He continued: “The follow up of the journey gets into territories that I never explored myself musically before, really. I was a bit obsessed with what rock and roll means today. Very much related to the flesh and to transcendence – to how an incandescent presence inside your own flesh just can transform everything.”
Friday 24th March@O2VicWarehouse, Manchester
Indie Forever Clubnight @bandonthewall
@Tim_Burgess
— BBC Radio 6 Music (@BBC6Music) February 14, 2023
The Morning After Mix at RAMONA
Tickets are on sale on Thursday February 16th from 10am.
Head https://t.co/VhL7YVdYYQ for full details on the event.#6MusicFestival pic.twitter.com/2MQFAHlZza
— BBC Radio 6 Music (@BBC6Music) February 14, 2023
Parks said: “This is the first time I’ll be introducing my new album [‘My Soft Machine’] in a live setting and I’m so excited. To be surrounded by such innovative, singular artists is a real joy and I genuinely can’t wait for this.”
Carner commented: “Mad. Six years since we last played 6 Music Festival. Feels good to be back. The shows evolved a lot since back then, lucky to share the stage with some of my musical heroes. Got a few extra voices coming through to lift us up too. See you soon.”
Additionally, this year’s 6 Music Festival will host DJ sets from the likes of Erol Alkan, Daniel Avery, Hot Chip, The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, Yard Act and 6 Music’s own Steve Lamacq.
There will also be club nights at Band On The Wall and Victoria Warehouse, themed around 6 Music’s ‘Indie Forever’ and ‘Rave Forever’ shows, as well as a ‘Morning After Mix’ live broadcast at RAMONA on the Sunday (March 26).
Greater Manchester staged the very first 6 Music Festival back in 2014, and will serve as the event’s new permanent home.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “We are delighted to welcome the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival to Manchester. There is a rich musical heritage in Greater Manchester, and a real pride in the independent music scene.
“And as BBC Radio 6 Music has always supported new and alternative artists, it’s a perfect fit for the festival to have its permanent home in the city for the years to come.”
He added: “There’s so much new Greater Manchester music out there right now that deserves to be heard, which is why we started Artist Of The Month with BBC Radio Manchester, and like BBC Radio 6 Music, we want to give emerging talent a platform.”
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