Manchester’s famous multi-venue festival is back once again with a tremendous lineup across 16 different venues, including the iconic likes of Deaf Institute, Gorilla and 02 Ritz. On top of that, The Rock Revival will proudly host the Albert Hall stage, bringing 4 vastly different but exciting acts to the bill. 

To lend a helping hand, not only have we picked out multiple artists you can get down to see and support, you can also find all the key information about the day below.

Louis Dunford

Pinning himself as a storyteller, Louis Dunford burst onto the scene with his ‘Morland EP’ and really started to strut his stuff after the release of ‘North London Forever’, gaining the recognition of his boyhood football club Arsenal. 

The obvious influences of Jamie T and Gerry Cinnamon never threaten to overthrow his own artistic identity, as tracks like ‘Lucy’ show a variety to his indie-folk sound. 

He plays the Albert Hall stage at 21:00

Red Rum Club

One of the biggest artists on the bill but equally as exciting is scouse sextet Red Rum Club. Vastly experienced, this indie-funk inspired group are deep into their career with four albums released since 2019, each offering a different slice of joy and storytelling.

‘Eleanor’ is perhaps their grooviest outing, crafting 80s sonics with its ABBA inspired chorus, meanwhile ‘Vanilla’ has a riff that shows a different side to the band with a riff that wouldn’t sound out of place off AM. 

They play the Albert Hall at 16:30

Brooke Combe

Undoubtedly one of the most exciting voices to come out of Scotland in some time, Brooke Combe takes inspiration from the 90s R&B she heard in her mum and dad’s house, as well as the likes of Amy Winehouse and Adele. Just one listen is enough to recognise her talent, with an instantly imposing voice and instrumentals to match. 

‘Are You With Me’ has a driving groove before bursting into a chorus that sounds majestic and massive, meanwhile the more lowkey ‘A-Game’ shows off her songwriting and guitar-playing chops to great effect.

She will play the Albert Hall stage at 18:00

Seb Lowe

Seb Lowe first gained recognition from his lockdown TikToks, putting out one minute songs that managed to pack in a million politically charged words. Fast forward four years and he’s now started to seriously make an impression for himself in the indie scene, turning his short videos into fully fledged songs with a live band.

He’ll be looking forward to performing his brand new EP ‘Make Me Your National Anthem’ on the Albert Hall stage at 19:15 

The Royston Club

If you haven’t heard of this indie gold from Wales, frankly, you might be living under a rock. The Royston Club burst onto their scene last year with a wildly successful debut album that was relentless in showing off their intricate melodies and tightly knitted grooves. 

Their live shows are quickly earning a reputation for their high-scaled energy and for good reason, too. Take your pick for their catchiest song, whether it be fan favourite ‘Mrs Narcissistic’ or their recently released single ‘The Patch Where Nothing Grows’.

The Royston Club play the 02 Ritz at 16:15

Corella

Indie-pop outfit Corella are one of the up and coming bands guaranteed to put you in a good mood. Jamming together since they all first met at university, their rise to where they are now has been nothing short of inspiring. 

Their tropical tones have quickly gathered them a loyal fanbase, and the band have songs to match their crowds too. ‘Barcelona Girl’ shows off their obvious Two Door Cinema Club influences, meanwhile ‘Bloom’ is a track made to be played at full blast on stages.

They play Academy 1 at 20:00

The Guest List

These lads are perhaps best known for their TikTok covers, but their talent spreads over to their originals. 

Locally from Manchester, this quintet first gained recognition for their bedroom covers, and after plenty of success released their debut single ‘Won’t You Leave Me Alone’ before releasing their biggest single thus far with ‘161’. 

They play The Bread Shed at 19:15

You will need to collect your wristband from the box office at Circle Square Reception, Oxford Road, M1 7FS, the festival recommends that all attendees should aim to arrive as early as possible to the wristband collection point to avoid large queues. You can also download the official app for the full schedule and updates, available on both iOS & Android.

Words by Seanan McEvoy