Later this week, Castlefield Bowl will welcome thousands of music fans for the 2023 edition of Sounds of the City. Every year, the open-air music series brings together some of the biggest names in rock, indie and pop - and this year is no exception.
Kicking off on Thursday, June 29 with English rock band Porcupine Tree opening the festival, it will then close with Two Door Cinema Club on Saturday, July 8. The Castlefield gig series has become an integral part of Manchester’s music calendar in recent years, with past concerts featuring showstopping performances from New Order, Chic and The Streets, amongst others.
Last year’s series took place in June and July and saw performances from acclaimed UK acts including Lewis Capaldi, Sam Fender, Foals, The Libertines, James, and Primal Scream alongside interactional groups Pixies and Crowded House. If you’re heading out to any of this year’s shows, here’s everything you need to know - from opening times, anticipated stage times and how to get there.
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It is worth noting though with all stage times, these are always subject to change so the best advice is to arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Thursday, June 29 - Porcupine Tree
Fronted by Steven Wilson, Richard Barbieri and Gavin Harrison, Porcupine Tree was founded in 1987 by Wilson as an outlet for the experimental recordings he was making outside of his post-rock duo, No-Man. With the addition of keyboard player Richard Barbieri and drummer Gavin Harrison, the band has rapidly evolved, releasing ten studio albums between 1992 and 2009.
Each new release has been a test bed for new musical ideas, with their expansive music shifting from psychedelic rock and ambient electronic to experimental pop and propelling metal. Last year, the group released the best-selling and critically acclaimed album CLOSURE/CONTINUATION, their first new music in 12 years, and their Castlefield Bowl show will be their only UK show this year.
They'll be joined on stage by French progressive rockers, Magma, a band formed in Paris in 1969 by drummer Christian Vander. Widely considered as musically adventurous and imaginative, the band's style is heavily influenced by jazz and 20th century classical music, which has seen the band develop a unique style within the progressive rock genre Zeuhl.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- DJ - 5.30PM
- Magma - 6.30PM
- Porcupine Tree - 8PM
Friday, June 30 - The Lathums
Still basking in the success of their huge debut at this year's Glastonbury Festival, Wigan band The Lathums will return home with a massive open-air celebration at Castlefield Bowl this Friday. The four-piece return to Manchester’s 8,000 capacity amphitheatre as headliners just two years after appearing as very special guests for Snow Patrol.
Negotiating their swift ascent from small venues and pubs to headlining prestigious venues including Worthy Farm, Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse and Blackpool Empress Ballroom, The Lathums’ Castlefield Bowl date is a natural progression for fans that have witnessed their impressive ascent to an event- making band.
They'll be supported by fellow Wiganers, English rock band Merry Hell, and The Dream Machine. The latter forming only a couple of years ago in 2021 after meeting at The Mosslands School in Wallasey.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- DJ - 5.30PM
- Merry Hell - 7PM
- The Dream Machine - 8PM
- The Lathums - 9PM
Saturday, July 1 - The Saw Doctors
Discovered by Mike Scott of The Waterboys in Galway City in the late 1980s, The Saw Doctors grew quickly, touring around Ireland and Great Britain, including a six-week stint with The Waterboys on the Fisherman’s Blues tour in 1989. Their second single, ‘I Useta Lover’ was a surprise Number One hit in Ireland in 1990, and went on to become the biggest selling Irish single ever, outselling U2 and Sinéad O’Connor.
The Saw Doctors will be joined by very special guest, Irish singer and songwriter Damien Dempsey. The artist, who mixes traditional Irish folk contemporary lyrics that deliver social and political commentaries on Irish society, is part of a rich legacy of Irish singers from Luke Kelly to Ronnie Drew, Christy Moore to Andy Irvine.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- Seb Lowe - 5.35PM
- Mary Wallopers - 6.20PM
- Damien Dempsey - 7.15PM
- The Saw Doctors - 8.30PM
Tuesday, July 4 - Pulp
Back in May, Britpop legends Pulp confirmed their first Manchester show in more than 20 years as part of a summer reunion tour. Known for hits including Disco 2000 and Common People, the band is fronted by Jarvis Cocker, and has released seven albums since 1983.
Former Pulp bassist Steve Mackey died at the age of 56 in March 2023, and last year whilst announcing he would not be involved in the reunion tour, Mackey said he wished the band the ‘very best with forthcoming performances in the UK’. The Castlefield Bowl show, which will feature support from indie musician Baxter Dury, will be the band’s first gig in Manchester for 22 years. They last performed in the city at the O2 Apollo on November 25, 2001 as part of their We Love Life tour.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- DJ - 5.30PM
- Baxter Dury - 7.45PM
- Pulp - 9PM
Wednesday, July 5 - Hozier
The Grammy-nominated, award-winning multi-platinum singer and songwriter and his band announced a series of headline dates across the UK back in March including outdoor shows at Glasgow Queens Park, London Alexandra Palace Park and Manchester Castlefield Bowl. At the time, he also released a new EP, 'Eat Your Young', which included all new material.
With over 22 billion global streams, numerous platinum album certifications, multiple award nominations and wins, Hozier is recognised as one of the foremost singer-songwriters of our generation. The singer first broke onto the scene with his quintuple-platinum anthem 'Take Me To Church', and his self-titled full-length debut bowed at number 2 on the Billboard Top 200.
He'll be supported by two acts: Victoria Canal and Teskey Brothers. The former is a 24 year-old singer, songwriter, producer and activist who makes soul-stirring, emotive pop music, while The Teskey Brothers are an Australian blues rock band from Melbourne, named after the two brothers who formed the group in 2008: Josh Teskey and Sam Teskey.
- Doors - 5.30pm
- DJ - 5.30PM
- Victoria Canal - 6.45PM
- Teskey Brothers - 7.45PM
- Hozier - 9PM
Thursday, July 6 - Blossoms
Fresh from their set with Rick Astley on the Woodsies stage at Glastonbury last weekend, Blossoms homecoming gig is sure to be one to remember. The gig also comes off the back of a sold out, 23-date tour last year which received a rapturous response from fans and critics alike.
Since forming in 2013, Stockport's Blossoms have enjoyed widespread success and acclaim, and their 2016 debut topped the album charts for two consecutive weeks and went on to earn the band BRIT Award and Mercury Prize nominations, while 2018’s Cool Like You charted at Number four in the UK album chart. Their latest - Ribbon Around The Bomb - also shot to number one, featured performances from the band, and premiered at Stockport Plaza around the album’s release in April 2022.
They'll be joined by Saddleworth's own Seb Lowe, an Oldham TikTok star and musician who made his Glasto debut last year, and Manchester legends Inspiral Carpets.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- DJ - 5.30PM
- Seb Lowe - 6.45PM
- Inspiral Carpets - 7.45PM
- Blossoms - 9PM
Friday, July 7 - Bastille
As part of their ’10 Years of Bad Blood’ anniversary tour, Bastille will be performing at Castlefield Bowl on Friday, July 7. The English pop rock band released their first studio album, Bad Blood, in March 2013 which reached number on the UK Album Charts and featured hits ‘Pompeii’ and ‘Overjoyed’.
Following the success of Bad Blood, Bastille won the 2014 Brit Award for Best Breakthrough Act and were subsequently nominated for British Album of the Year, British Single of the Year, and British Group. They were also nominated for Best New Artist at the 57th Grammy Awards.
Before Bastille's headline set, fans will be treated to performances from West Kirby rising star Michael Aldag and Irish singer-songwriter Orla Gartland.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- DJ - 5.30PM
- Michael Aldag - 6.45PM
- Orla Gartland - 7.45PM
- Bastille - 9PM
Saturday, July 8 - Hacienda Classical
It become a staple of the Sounds of the City lineup, and this year is no different as Hacienda Classical returns to Castlefield Bowl on Saturday, July 8, 2023 - the seventh time in the eight years of the event running. The clubbing classical crossover concept has proved wildly successful, and has received a tremendous reaction from audiences and critics many of whom have awarded their shows five stars.
This time round, Hacienda Classical will be joined by US house pioneers Roger Sanchez and Todd Terry, who comprise the line-up of DJs for the event.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- DJ - 5.30PM
- Todd Terry - 6.45PM
- Roger Sanchez - 7.45PM
- Hacienda Classical - 9PM
Sunday, July 9 - Two Door Cinema Club
Mixing guitar-driven hooks with a dance-led, electronic polish, Northern Ireland's Two Door Cinema Club first gained traction with 2010's Tourist History and singles like 'What You Know', 'Something Good Can Work' and 'Undercover Martyn'. The breakout album saw the band gain a huge following at home and away - and they have since produced a trio of records of equal merit and success.
Last September, the band released their fifth studio album ‘Keep On Smiling’, which stood out for its freer, more collaborative approach to the creative process as it was written and produced by the band both during and coming out of lockdown, with additional production from Jacknife Lee and Dan Grech Marguerat. For their Castlefield Bowl show they'll be joined by The Royston Club, a Wrexham band who released their first album just a couple of weeks ago, and English rock band Sundara Karma.
- Doors - 5.30PM
- DJ - 5.30PM
- The Royston Club - 6.45PM
- Sundara Karma - 7.45PM
- Two Door Cinema Club - 9PM
How to get there
Castlefield Bowl is located on Rice Street in Castlefield (M3 4JR) and is just off of Deansgate in the city centre.
There are two entrances for ticket holders - via Duke Street/Castle Street, which is also the disabled access entrance, or via Liverpool Road where you access the site down steps.
By public transport
It is roughly a five-minute walk from Castlefield Bowl to the main line train station at Deansgate. Here you can also access the Deansgate-Castlefield tram station where there are trams every 12 minutes connecting to all of the main tram routes in the Greater Manchester area.
By car
If you're driving, a number of NCP’s Great Northern car parks are just a short walk away. There are 1,240 spaces in total and prices start from around £3.95 per hour. Use the postcode M3 4EE if using a sat nav.
The NCP Manchester Central next to Bridgewater Hall car park is also nearby, with 643 spaces. For sat navs the postcode is M15 4PS. The next nearest NCP is on Spinningfields on Quay Street with 680 spaces.
Food and drink
There are usually a wide variety of street food stalls and beer tents at Castlefield Bowl where you can buy hot food and drink around including the ‘food village’ at the Canal Street entrance. In previous years, street food on site included Grandad’s Sausages; Wrap Up burritos, nachos, halloumi and fries; and Tibetan Kitchen.
There were also two bars serving alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, plus a gin bar and prosecco bar at the very top end of the site up the steps. For those not acquainted with the area, there are also a host of restaurants, bars and pubs along Liverpool Road on the way into Castlefield, as well as the popular bars and restaurants on and around Castle Street in the heart of Castlefield.
The weather forecast
The current forecast from the Met Office for Manchester over the next few day looks fairly dry on Thursday, but will be fresher than the start of the week. It will be then be unsettled on Friday and Saturday, with sunny spells, showers and longer spells of rain at times.
Next week, there will be a changeable start to July across the UK, with a mix of sunny spells, rain and scattered showers, some thundery, the latter two most probable towards north-western regions. Strong winds, potentially gales, are expected in northern areas but more moderate breezes elsewhere.
