Manchester gigs of the month: August 2018

As the sun beats down and the buzz of holiday season is upon us, Getintothis’ Mark Rowley picks out his choice of Manchester gigs for August.

Whatever happens weather-wise between now and September, the summer of 2018 will live long in the memoriy as a time when the sun shone brightly, English football enjoyed a rare chest-puffing moment out of the shade, … and Kylie Jenner had her lip fillers removed to champion and trend-set the more natural look.

On the music front, last month saw some major scorchers, such as Runcorn teen-punks, SPILT well and truly blazing a Ritz O2 audience (during their support slot with Fidlar); George Clinton and his P-Funk crew parching the landscape when landing their mothership at the Manchester Academy, and Bluedot Festival’s annual fusion of science, music and friction (this year by courtesy of The Chemical Brothers‘ stratospheric DJ set).

And as meteorologists forecast a continuation of further rays and warmth the only thing hotter than July is our recommendations on where to go and who to see during the month of August.

Goa Express. Photo by Warren Millar

Free Vibes ft. The Goa Express, Dream English Kid, Electric Viper Club,  KYŌGEN: Manchester Band on the Wall, August 2

You’ll need to sign up for this one (if not done already) by registering with the venue’s email contact list. Having done that, you will then be rewarded with a show featuring Burnley’s (and one of the North West’s) finest exponents of hip-shaking, garage rock, The Goa Express.

Preston ethereal quartet, Dream English Kid and Manchester-based, glam and blues-influenced Electric Viper Club share the bill; whilst electronic dream-pop duo, KYŌGEN, bringing melancholic melodies over dark electronic rhythms and bassy synths, completes the lineup.

Dream Nails: Manchester The Peer Hat, August 4

Sassy, riot grrrl, 4-piece Dream Nails play The Peer Hat as part of their UK tour, on their way to an appearance at Rebellion Punk Festival in Blackpool the next day.

With songs like Vagina Police, and Deep Heat (with its immortal line ‘Nobody cares if your dick is on fire’), expect attitude, spells and a kick in the gonads (if you’re a geezer, of course) from these 100% feminist punk witches.

Cowtown, Crumbs: Manchester Soup Kitchen, August 5

Leeds DIY trio, Cowtown head into Manchester to unleash their ferocious brand of noise-rock on a fully suspecting Sunday night Soup Kitchen crowd. There’ll be plenty of their latest album Paranormal Romance along with latest single, Emojicore to draw willing victims in.

Supported by fellow Leeds-based, pop-punk party 4-piece, Crumbs, this should be an all-round full on night of mayhem and merriment.

Sharkmuffin: Manchester Night & Day, August 8

Brooklyn glam-grunge garage rockers, Sharkmuffin arrive at the Night & Day with a big sound and ice-cool, insouciant looks to match. With the re-release of their 2017 album, Tsuki on cassette and vinyl, this will be Sharkmuffin’s second visit to the shores of Blighty.

Still not convinced? … Check out Mermaid Sex Slave on the band’s Bandcamp page and you sure enough soon will be!

Slum Village: Manchester Gorilla, August 14

Starting out in 1990s, the Detroit hip-hop group, Slum Village currently featuring rappers, T3 (as the only surviving member of the original lineup) and Young RJ call in at Gorilla for an intimate small-venue show.

Promoting their most recent album release, Lost Scrolls (which features contributions from hip-hop heavyweights, De La Soul and Busta Rhymes, neo-soul legend  D’Angelo and DJ maestro, Jazzy Jeff), expect this one to cook up some heat!

Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers: Manchester Gorilla, August 19

It may not appear to be such a bad comparison to be likened to Joni Mitchell; however it’s one that folk songstress Phoebe Bridgers has heard too often to make it altogether complimentary. That said, there is probably no higher accolade to be bestowed on a female folk singer, so it’s not all bad!

Having released her first single, Killer on Ryan Adams’ record label, the LA singer-songwriter is now signed to Dead Oceans, with whom she recently released her debut album, Stranger In The Alps.

Like many (but not all) Gorilla shows, it is a 14+ aged event, so hats off to promoter, DHP FAMILY for making this accessible to a younger crowd.

The Black Angels: Manchester O2 Ritz, August 21

Texas cult psych 5-piece, Black Angels bring their Velvet Underground-inspired garage-noise rock to the O2 Ritz following their weekend appearance at Green Man Festival.

If their headline appearance at Liverpool Psych Fest last year is anything to go by, in which they promoted their 2017 album release Death Song, this will be an epic show and definitely one you should do your utmost not to miss. 

Sabotage x Free ft. Sock, Dylan Cartlidge, Slowhandclap, Octopus: Manchester Band on the Wall, August 29

Rapper, singer and multi-instrumentalist, Dylan Cartlidge is someone you need to check out asap. Manchester-based, but unequivocally Stoke-raised, Dylan recently proposed to his girlfriend on bended knee, mid-song in front of a home-town Sugarmill crowd.

With songs like Love Spoons, Scratch, Sniff and the absolute killer-cut, Up & Upside Down, you’ll be whooping at Dylan as much as they were back in Stoke when Holly said ‘Yes’!

Also on the lineup are Khruangbin-influenced Cardiff quartet, Sock; tentacle dream-pop 4-piece, Octopus; Manchester alt-grunge trio, Slowhandclap.

In addition to the above, the following gigs also come highly recommended:

Eilen Jewell: Manchester Gullivers, August 2

 Dead Kennedys: Manchester Academy, August 8

 Bishop Nehru: Manchester Band on the Wall, August 11

 Ariel Pink: Manchester Gorilla, August 15

Alex Napping: Manchester Castle Hotel, August 23

Buck Meek: Manchester Gullivers, August 24

Beres Hammond: Manchester Academy, August 25

Sauna Youth: Manchester Soup Kitchen, August 27

Tiny Ruins: Manchester Gullivers, August 28

 Free Vibes ft. Heavy On The Magic, The Strawberries, Prowles, Kick The Dog : Manchester Band on the Wall, August 30

Anna Burch: Manchester Gullivers, A: Manchester , August 30

(Sandy) Alex G: Manchester Gorilla, August 31 14+

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