With all our heritage in music of years past, Manchester can sometimes be overlooked for the current up-and-coming, and future musicians and bands that are really worth a listen. Now, a new music series is set to correct that, with The Block starting something new this coming September.
The Block is a new open-air series of events set to reshape how Manchester experiences live music. As part of the series, on Friday 11th September, Mancunian indie pop group Pale Waves will headline a special live show, ‘KISS ME IN MANCHESTER’, with support from further female and gender diverse fronted acts including Crawlers, Nxdia, HotWax and more to be announced.
Taking over the car park at un.titled studios, The Block brings together artists, audiences, and creative communities in a way that feels considered, collaborative, and rooted in culture. This isn’t a traditional festival model. It’s not a “rotating cast of disconnected line-ups built for ticket sales”. The Block is created differently — each event is built with the headliner.
How is The Block curated?
Every line-up is curated in direct collaboration with the artists themselves, shaped by their influences, taste, and the scenes that surround them. The result is something more honest: a bill that reflects the world of the headliner, not just their name at the top of a poster. It’s programming with intent — balanced, cohesive, and culturally credible.
At its core, The Block is about creating space. Space for emerging talent to share stages with established names in a way that feels natural, not forced. Space for Manchester’s grassroots scenes to exist within a high-quality environment. Space for audiences to discover, connect, and experience music beyond the surface level.
From mid-afternoon into the evening, the site evolves into a full cultural environment. Daytime moments bring together food, independent brands, and local collectives, while the evening shifts into immersive live performances and DJ sets, supported by Plus Minus Equals’ visual creativity.
Set within one of Manchester’s most characterful creative spaces, The Block offers something increasingly rare: an experience that feels both elevated and grounded. High-level production meets raw, local energy — a combination that speaks directly to the city’s identity. For audiences, it’s a new kind of summer fixture. For artists, it’s a platform that respects their voice. For Manchester, it’s a series that belongs to the culture it represents.
Pale Waves
Pale Waves have always existed in their own world. Equal parts heartbreak, high drama and arena-sized catharsis. Fronted by the magnetic Heather Baron-Gracie alongside Ciara Doran and Charlie Wood, the Manchester band have evolved from cult favourites into one of the UK’s most distinctive alternative acts, blending shimmering pop hooks with gothic romanticism and razor-sharp emotional honesty.
Now, Pale Waves are pushing further than ever before. Fresh from touring arenas across Europe with Louis Tomlinson and joining the line-up for BludFest, the band are continuing to expand their international footprint with new European festival appearances and a headline September tour breaking new ground across the continent. With new music arriving later this year, Pale Waves stand on the edge of another defining chapter – darker, sharper and more ambitious than ever.
Support on the day comes from a line-up of acclaimed acts, including English rock band Crawlers, alt-pop artist Nxdia and South Coast alt-rock trio HotWax.
Open call for local artists
Ahead of the event in September, Pale Waves and The Block are championing the next wave of talent with an open call for emerging local artists to perform at ‘KISS ME IN MANCHESTER’. Taking place in front of 3,000 fans, the show will see one Greater Manchester-based artist selected to join the line-up alongside Pale Waves, with the band personally choosing the winning act. The selected act will also receive a performance fee.
Tag your favourite band, artist or yourself on the Pale Waves social post here, and Plus Minus Equals will be in touch with how to apply. The open call is exclusively for artists based in Greater Manchester. Applications open 14th July.
Heather Baron Gracie from Pale Waves commented: “We know how tough it can be to get those early breaks as a young band, and how much they can mean. As a band proudly formed in the city we want to play our part in lending a hand to some of the amazing young talent in Manchester today.
“We also know how hard it can be financially for young artists so we’re making sure that the fee for whoever we choose means they don’t have to stress about being here, and their talent and performance is properly valued”.
How to get tickets for KISS ME IN MANCHESTER
Tickets for KISS ME IN MANCHESTER curated by Pale Waves are now on sale here.
