Rock & Pop
The Travelling Band
Manchester six-piece The Travelling Band take influence from folk, county, psyche and rock before filtering it through their own sunshine-pop sensibility. Here is a band who excel at sounding happy, sad, frustrated, and vulnerable, often at the same time, and their best songs, whether they're fast or slow, feel like they're bursting with energy and wisdom. The Travelling Band's live show is a feel-good tour-de-force. The band have released their second album Sundial this year.
"Deserving winners of Glastonbury's new talent contest and arguably one of Manchester's best new bands."
Christina McDermott, BBC Manchester
Panic Room
Plus special guests David R Black
Panic Room features current and ex-members of Karnataka, Mostly Autumn and Fish's band, topped off with the fine vocals of Anne-Marie Helder.
Mixing prog rock with folk, jazz and world music, the band produce a unique mix and a very individual sound with soaring melodies and inventive lyrics that draw the listener to new worlds.
Shana Morrison
Van Morrison's daughter Shana has a musical style that is hard to pin down with influences from most of the major genres. Her beautiful wide ranging voice has gained her a number of famous fans including John Lee Hooker, Joe Cocker and Dr John to name a few. She has just released her album Joyride to great acclaim.
Sandi Thom
Merchants and Thieves Tour 2010
Having risen to stardom with the single I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair), Sandi Thom is back with a brand new album Merchants & Thieves. Powerful melodies and emotive lyrics are mixed with a new bluesy sound strongly influenced by her work with Joe Bonamassa. Sandi is an artist who continues to progress towards something great.
"As striking a musical reinvention as you're likely to witness this year"
News of the World
Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby
A Mr Kite Benefit
Eric Goulden was among the original 1976-78 Stiff Records posse (Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, The Damned) aiming to revitalize rock. Amy Rigby is a pop princess. Combining several decades of acclaimed records and failed relationships, Eric and Amy join together to play their should-be, could-be and has-been hits.
IQ
In a career spanning almost thirty years, IQ have established a reputation for themselves as one of the world's leading progressive rock bands. Known for their dramatic, passionate music and visually innovative live presentations, they have released a string of critically acclaimed albums, most recently last year's highly successful Frequency.
To mark the release of the deluxe 25th anniversary box set of their classic album The Wake IQ will be performing the album in its entirety, along with other popular favourites from their back catalogue.
Kieran Goss
Long hailed as one of Ireland's leading songwriters and performers, Kieran Goss' music has won him fans across the globe. But if his albums have made him a star, his live shows have made him a legend. Live on stage is where he really shines.
"The sense of fun is tremendous, the playing first rate and the songs are sheer quality. The encores were genuine, but only because the man is too."
Irish Times
Mike Peters (The Alarm)
Direct Acoustic UK Tour
Best known as front-man of the internationally acclaimed Welsh band The Alarm, Mike Peters is also an inspirational solo acoustic performer and (as a two times cancer survivor), founder of what is now regarded as the world's leading rock and roll cancer charity Love Hope Strength Foundation.
Achieving over fifteen Top 40 UK singles and over five million album sales, Mike Peters' musical journey has seen him sing with some of history's greatest performers such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Bono.
Mike is currently preparing for the release of a brand new Alarm album Direct Action and remains as passionate as ever about his music, Wales and charity Love Hope Strength.
Viva Morrissey
Formed in the summer of 2007, and based in the Holy City of Manchester, Viva Morrissey are highly regarded for the authenticity and accuracy that they bring to their presentation. The Viva Morrissey live set includes many Smiths classics, alongside Morrissey's best known solo material and fan favourites.
Erik Mongrain
Exceptional talent, combined with the ability to recall and execute complicated patterns, timings and syncopated rhythms, make up the memorable melodies of Erik Mongrain. Using 'lap tapping', Erik finds new and unusual ways of conveying music and emotion to the audience with exciting and surprising results.
The Clone Roses and DJ Clint Boon
Presented by GS Promotions
The Clone Roses have the look and the sound of The Stone Roses and play all the classics such as Waterfall, Fools Gold and I am the Resurrection. This very special event will also feature DJ Clint Boon to top off this fantastic evening.
Martha Tilston
Martha Tilston is a captivating performer and an enchanting singer-songwriter blessed with a gloriously clear, seductive voice. She expresses herself in her trademark direct poetic manner, putting forward her philosophy of life and examining relationships in an accessible, universal way. The songs are exquisitely set, the musicianship (featuring The Woods) is faultless.
3 Daft Monkeys
3 Daft Monkeys are a band that knows how to make people dance and resistance is entirely futile! The Cornish trio blend a unique brand of rousing vocals, frenetic fiddling, 12-string guitar, dancing bass and foot drum and return to The Met in support of their new album due for release at the end of the year.
Nearly Dan
Less tribute and more homage to jazz-influenced best sellers Steely Dan, Nearly Dan is saviour to the legions of Dan fans. The band's approach is faithful, though not reverential, and relaxed but as tight as their namesakes, a testament to hours of rehearsal and a great deal of talent. They return to the Met following a sell out show last year.
Denis Jones
A Mr Kite Benefit
Denis Jones is a self-taught guitarist and songwriter based in Manchester. Having begun his musical life as a singer songwriter in the classic UK mould of the likes of John Martyn, he has over the last three years developed a show-stopping live performance based around the core of his exceptional and unique guitar-playing style and rich, soulful voice. Using a loop station and all manner of samplers and effects, Denis creates vast, complex orchestrations of beat-box rhythms, multi-layered vocals and other-worldly sounds which veer from subtle heart-wrenching folk and blues to heavy bass-driven electronica.
Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri
A unique acoustic guitar based show, Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri bring together their original music with some of Kiki's known songs such as Don't Go Breaking My Heart and I've Got The Music In Me.
Dreadzone
Supported by She Is Danger
Dreadzone, best known for top twenty hit Little Britain release a new album this year where the track left off. It reinvents the band with ten tracks that signify the move into fully formed song-writing against a backdrop of dub-wise dance-ability. This style helped them to become one of the UK's original dance music pioneers. The new style feature iconic samples all of which compliment the bass and beat heavy Dreadzone style perfectly.
"Music to move your mind and your feet."
BBC 6 Music