Brighter Sound at Festival Square
Live music from singer-songwriter Mother Sugar, synthpop star HUSK and electronic duo GOMID.
- When
- Sunday 2 July and Friday 7 July
- Where
- Aviva Studios
- Details
- Free to attend - no booking required
About Festival Square
Manchester's favourite summer hangout returns for MIF23 with a free programme of live music and performances. From late-night DJ sets and family-friendly fun, to spoken word and bands, Festival Square’s all about showing off the best talent from the city and beyond.
For the first time ever, Festival Square takes over the banks of the River Irwell – Manchester’s newest outdoor space. Catch up with friends, watch new acts and pick from enough street food to keep you full all summer. Whatever you’re into, Festival Square’s the place to kick back and discover what makes Manchester special.
Sunday 2 July
- 2–2.30pm - Mother Sugar
- 3–3.30pm - HUSK
Mother Sugar is the stage name of singer-songwriter Rehana Jomeen. Her sound is a fusion of jazz, neo-soul, hip-hop and ska. In her songs, Rehana addresses social struggles, systemic racism and sexism, the police state and other subjects centred around oppression.
Rehana grew up in a household filled with Motown vinyls spinning in the living room and Mauritian seggae cassettes spilling from suitcases freshly returned from the island. She plays the piano and the flute, and is now teaching herself to master the saxophone. Rehana’s vocal influences include Ella Fitzgerald, Lianne La Havas, Astrud Gilberto and Judith Hill.
Trans masc & non-binary HUSK is a self-confessed hairbrush diva, naturally making infectious Gay Disco & 80's Synthpop offering fun, catharsis and unapologetic vibes: 'I'm here to take up space in a world that doesn't want me to'. Akin to the likes of Dragonette, Christine & The Queens, Pet Shop Boys, Years & Years, and Bright Light Bright Light, with strong disco influences too.
HUSK puts Pride front and centre, lending their voice to activism with organisations from the NHS to the weird and wonderful world of queer arts. With the increase in LGBTQ+ hate, particularly towards the trans community, visibility, representation and empowerment through music, has never been more important!
Friday 7 July
- 7.30–8pm - GOMID
The brainchild of a Nigerian gothic rapper, and a British producer of post-industrial ambience - GOMID has made for an ancestral and intoxicating mix. Weaving together the sounds and legacy of hip hop, Afro-Beat, techno, ambient electronica and folk, the duo craft a live sound that is at once familiar and unrecognisable.
Additional Information
Festival Square is located in the outdoor spaces at Aviva Studios (Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ) and is free to attend – no booking required!
Head to MIF's website for access information.
