This year marks the 11th edition of Manchester Psych Fest, the UK’s leading psychedelic music and arts festival, the 2024 event will take place across various venues and spaces in Manchester’s city centre on Saturday, 31st of August. With it comes a plethora of exciting live performances, video installations, workshops, talks, and generally just all kinds of interactivity within the world of music and art.
We hear there’s even going to be yoga sessions available for everybody’s enjoyment—so, why not start the day off chilled, then head on over to a secret set via Bundobust‘s official collaboration with the festival, and later in the day catch a classic film showing in Psych Fest’s very own pop-up cinema. There’s so much to do it’ll be hard to find the time, yet there are a few things guaranteed simply to not clash—check out Psych Fest’s ‘curtain raisers’ Juniore, who are first on for the day and will be opening the o2 Ritz at 1pm-2pm. Temples are also offering an exclusive, where they’ll be playing their debut album, Sun Structures, in full.
There are stage takeovers from the likes of East London’s Fuzz Club Records and Manchester legends Sour Grapes, plus a stage crossover with Wide Awake festival, as well as a new outdoor stage curated by Psych Fest themselves, which they call ‘CYCO VISION’, and you’ll find it located in the heart of Projekts Skatepark—this is a very unique staging, as bands play in the safety of the skatepark while the rush of city centre traffic surrounds them and also passes above on the Mancunian Way. We imagine, it’ll be an in-the-moment, is-this-really-happening? one of a kind experience. Not to miss. But if traditional venues are more your sort of thing then definitely head towards Oxford Road and its surrounding areas for the great times, this year’s venues include o2 Ritz, Gorilla, Yes, Albert Hall, Deaf Institute, The Union at Man Met and The Bread Shed.
With a bill of over 70 acts announced to play this year, it’s probably about time that we mention a few of them (or all of them): BC Camplight, Altin Gün, Baxter Dury, The Horrors, Pigs x7, Billie Marten, Halina Rice, Goat Girl, Temples, NEWDAD, Marika Hackman, Juniore, Geordie Greep (Black Midi), La Luz, Slift, Willie J Healey, Mary Lattimore, James Holden, Mdou Moctar, Fat Dog, Oracle Sisters, Girl Ray, Chicano Batman, A. Savage, Lime Garden, John Francis Flynn, Lambrini Girls, Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble (Stereolab), The Wytches, Prima Queen, Pastel, Divorce, Wine Lips, Das Koolies, THUS LOVE, Bonny Doon, Heartworms, HOTWAX, O., Halo Maud, MELTS, DAIISTAR, Les Big Byrd, Girl and Girl, White Flowers, Molly Payton, Holly Macve, The New Eves, Cloth, Whitelands, Cosmorat, Gurriers, Hello Mary, Black Doldrums, MAN/WOMAN/CHAINSAW, mui zyu, Voka Gentle, Humour, Plantoid, Lutalo, Ebbb, The Black Delta Movement, Crush Of Souls, Wax Head, TTSSFU, Hot Face, Chemtrails, Floral Image, Revival Season, Bikini Body, DUVET, The Red Stains, Umarells, Georgian, Slap Rash and Midnight Rodeo.
Final tickets for Manchester Psych Fest are on sale now, tickets are £60+ fees for a full day festival pass, discounts are available for NHS staff, U24s and Group bookings. Visit the Psych Fest website for more info, or go direct to their ticketing partner Dice to purchase tickets.
Manchester Psych Fest takes place on Saturday, 31st August 2024 across multiple city centre venues and outdoor spaces. For more information and for tickets, head to the festival’s official website – www.manchesterpsychfest.com/
Photo Credit: Piran Aston
