Music is the name of the game in the North West, and as such we have some of the best festivals in the country. One of those is undoubtedly Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC), Salford‘s long-running independent festival of new music, which returns on Sunday 3 May (Early May Bank Holiday) with a genre-spanning showcase of new artists from across the UK and beyond, celebrating its 21st year.
Hosted across Salford in its centenary year by creative producers From The Other, the festival will take place in independent venues and unconventional spaces across the city, with 17 stages around Chapel Street and The Crescent, from pubs and churches to concert halls and galleries.
Who is on the SFTOC 2026 line-up?
Artists announced include the uncategorisable masked provocateur Lynks, Moonchild Sanelly, jasmine.4.t, Pollyfromthedirt, Blue Bendy, Pyncher and so many more, all playing the incredible Maxwell Hall, part of the University of Salford.
The spiritual home of the festival, Islington Mill, will be programmed day and night by the legendary Band on the Wall, multi-award-winning Reform Radio, Manchester’s infamous queer day-rave BENT, and the LGBTQ+ POC collective Swagga with performances from New York-born, Berlin-based artist Sorvina, Manchester-based hip-hop writer and producer Renee Stormz, and Chimpo, a cornerstone of UK bass culture and one of Manchester’s most influential DJs.
Also taking place at Islington Mill, in a Sounds From the Other City first, a cohort of early career music promoters will present their own exciting artist programme developed over a free eight month training course in collaboration with Factory Academy, Factory International’s award winning training arm based at Aviva Studios.
SFTOC 2026 will also return to the White Hotel, the historic Bexley Square – including Porta Tapas and the New Oxford – the much-loved Green outside the University of Salford, the Old Fire Station and the Old Pint Pot, plus so many more – making it a true celebration of Salford’s culture, and its establishments.
Emma Thompson, Co-Director of From The Other said: “This year we’re shining a spotlight on Salford’s independent venues and the selectors in the North who shape our programme. Giving these organisations the space to showcase the artists they champion is vital – not just for discovering emerging talent, but to recognise how important these spaces are for our scene.
“Roll on 3 May when Salford will host another explosion of new music across countless genres, with Chapel Street once again full of people searching for their next musical obsession.”
Full SFTOC 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
Salford 100 celebrations
SFTOC 2026 takes place alongside the Salford 100 events, celebrating 100 years since Salford was made a city in its own right. This year’s SFTOC will sit beside the likes of Songs of Salford, Salford Everywhere, and the Wagon Train, all of which will be spread across the city’s eight neighbourhoods, with a grand finale planned for the autumn.
How to get tickets for Sounds from the Other City 2026
Early Bird ticket access will be available to mailing list subscribers from Thursday 29 January with remaining tickets on general sale from Friday 30 January, here.
Prices remain unchanged from 2025 with tiers at £30/35/40/45.