The North West is a powerhouse for live music, boasting some of the finest festivals in the country – among the most iconic is Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC), Salford’s long-standing independent discovery festival.
Returning on Sunday 3 May for the early May bank holiday, SFTOC celebrates its 21st anniversary with a massive, genre-defying showcase of emerging talent from across the globe. Timed perfectly with Salford’s centenary celebrations, creative producers From The Other will transform the city into a sprawling musical playground.
The event features 17 stages concentrated around Chapel Street and The Crescent, utilising everything from traditional pubs and churches to concert halls and art galleries.
The University of Salford’s historic Maxwell Hall will host a heavy-hitting roster featuring the masked provocateur Lynks, South African superstar Moonchild Sanelly, and exciting acts like jasmine.4.t, Pollyfromthedirt, Blue Bendy, and Pyncher.
Meanwhile, the festival’s spiritual heart, Islington Mill, will offer around-the-clock programming curated by the legendary Band on the Wall, Reform Radio, the queer day-rave BENT, and the LGBTQ+ POC collective Swagga. Standout performers at the Mill include the New York-born electronic artist Sorvina, Manchester hip-hop producer Renee Stormz, and UK bass culture titan Chimpo.
In a first for the festival, Islington Mill will also host a programme curated by a new wave of promoters trained by Factory Academy, the award-winning training arm of Factory International at Aviva Studios.
A celebration of culture and community
The festival trail winds through beloved local staples such as The White Hotel, The Old Fire Station, and Bexley Square—including Porta Tapas and the New Oxford—alongside The Old Pint Pot and the University Green. This 21st edition serves as a vital lifeline for the region’s independent venues during a challenging era for grassroots music.
As Co-Director Emma Thompson notes, the event is about more than just music; it is about recognising the essential role these spaces play in the local scene.
Sounds from the Other City 2026 line-up
Bexley Square
Selected by: SEEN
Wondergupta, SNO, Kusasa, Samrai, hosted by Nuradin Abdi
Old Fire Station
Selected by: Gut Level x Club Rez
TB-316, Kom Kom, beanp0d, Eze, Jahnu, Omašta, Zeki
Islington Mill Balcony
Selected by: Reform Radio
Lil Minx b2b Donsurf, Disco Demi, AMAA, Chimpo
Islington Mill Club
Selected by: Band on the Wall x Six Trees
Sorvina, Renee Stormz, Me Gusta, Sophia Dignam, Lashimba (Live), Digging for Kanky
Islington Mill Gallery
Selected by: Factory International Promoter Academy
Artists to be announced
Islington Mill (After Party)
Selected by: Swagga x BENT
DJ Stacy Bee, DJ K.L, Freequency3, LT Madz, Zuri, Jase Jeffery
Maxwell Hall
Selected by: Grey Lantern x FaT OuT
Lynks, Moonchild Sanelly, Jasmine.4.t
New Oxford
Selected by: Good Afternoon
Matthew Rothery, Jus’T, Kurlz, Miss Jackson, James Sizen Bell, Mix-Stress, Psychederek, Katy White
Peel Hall
Selected by: Now Wave
Milan W., Pollyfromthedirt, VERA SACRA
Old Pint Pot Downstairs
Selected by: The Beauty Witch x Peer Hat
Zolatec, Triangle Cuts, The Manifestation Group, Victim Unit, Leucotome, Chermansog
Old Pint Pot Downstairs (After Party)
Selected by: The DBA
The Fat Britney, Aiden Francis b2b Fastlove, Deventi b2b MÁIRE
Pint Pot Upstairs
Selected by: Jasmine.4.t
Phoenix Rousiamani, Girlteeth, Lucas Assagba, Fern Veh, Vortex Chain
Porta Tapas
Selected by: Steam Radio
SHERI b2b Plan T, Nay Nay b2b Steel Traxx, Keith Marley, Steam Team b2b2b, hosted by mamba.exe
Salford Museum and Gallery
Selected by: Brume x Rare Mags
NONUNONU, Ellen Beth Abdi, Inland Taipan, Yoshizawa
St Philips Church
Selected by: Hey Manchester! x Strange Days
Ashnymph, Blue Bendy, Hater, Pyncher, SLAG
The Green
Selected by: Sounds From The Other City
Red Rodeo Club, Miss Chief, Iris
The White Hotel
Selected by: N/OM + Fixed Abode
Hewn x Lili Holland Fricke, Moseley + Guests, Lancer, Clemency, Nymity, DJ Deathdefy, Rainy Miller
How to get tickets for Sounds from the Other City 2026
General sale is available here. Prices remain unchanged from 2025 with tiers at £30/35/40/45.
Head to Chapel Street on May 3 to join the celebration and discover your next musical obsession.