There’s something unique and exciting about Manchester Psych Fest. Not in the usual “festival buzz” way, but in the way a city feels just before a storm – the unmistakable fear and chaos often prefaced by an air of intense excitement.
Now in its 11th year, Manchester Psych Fest remains exactly what it set out to be: a place where things don’t just sound different, they feel different. And despite the inevitable spell of bad weather, this year stands as a showcase of the creative community that truly brings this city to life.
From midday onwards, the festival is buzzing with life. Stemming from the festival’s makeshift hub on Oxford Road, crowds disperse across the event’s eight venues, following a patchwork of warped sounds that are begging to be heard. The lineup reads like a conversation between artists – a cross-section of the new, the weird, the tender, and the explosive. A selection of acts all difficult to justify missing.
Befitting of their fantastic name, the festival begins with the sound of GONG. The psychedelic quintet pack The Ritz with their never-ending arsenal of otherworldly sounds, kicking off the festival not with a bang but with a meditative sigh. Quickly passing the baton, the festival continues with perhaps the city’s most exciting new prospects: Westside Cowboy. Performing off the back of the release of their debut EP, This Better Be Something Great, the band wow one of the busiest rooms of the festival with an elaborate exploration of a sound they’ve dubbed Britainicana – ducking and diving between an explosive and tender mix of songs still new to life.
For many, Westside Cowboy are their new obsession – and with good reason. Their genre-bending sound feels close to headline status, and their set stands as testament to the festival’s air of discovery, a prime example of its ability to spotlight some of Manchester’s unmistakable musical talent.
As the afternoon sweeps forward, an eclectic mix of artists soundtrack the city’s very recognisably rainy façade with new and exciting sounds. Bands YUUF and Fuzz Lightyear perform to full-capacity rooms and, as music lovers found refuge amidst the city’s various venues, it’s lovely to chat to friends who have stumbled upon bands they had no intention of seeing.
For many, their Psych Fest experience is largely focused around a smaller selection of ‘bigger’ bands or anchored to a single venue – and this year, you are spoilt for choice. If you’re not quite ready to dodge parked cars in an inevitable sprint to the next destination, then Projects Skatepark is the perfect spot to observe from a distance. Blessed with a fantastic lineup – featuring Anna Erhard, Tropical Fuck Storm, and Warmduscher, just to name a few – this venue really stands out as an iconic hub throughout the day’s proceedings.
As day turns to night, the festival begins to feel even more at home, with crowds now fully settled into their grooves and the venues pulsing with a kind of shared purpose. Over at YES Pink Room, Do Nothing deliver one of the most compelling sets of the evening. There’s something about their ability to weave dry wit and unease into every track that hits especially hard in a room packed wall to wall. Chris Bailey’s ironic lyricism cut through the Pink Room like a knife, and by the time they reached fan favourite ‘Happy Feet’, the crowd is already in full chorus. It’s sweaty, sharp, and undeniably brilliant.
From there, a change of pace is much needed. A quick dash through the rain leads to Deaf Institute, where Dove Ellis holds a silent crowd captive with little more than voice and guitar. The room – normally loud, animated – is hushed, lit only by warm stage light and the soft shimmer of slow-moving melodies. It’s the kind of set that leaves people whispering afterwards, not out of politeness but out of respect for the moment just witnessed. Still with no official releases, it already feels like something is brewing. A rare kind of quiet we implore you to witness for yourself.
If Dove Ellis brought calm, Getdown Services deliver the opposite. Returning to The Ritz for a final dose of energy, the duo storm the stage with all the noise and nonsensical beauty they’ve become known for. Their genre-defying mix of punk, satire, and dancefloor dog dribble, prove to be the exact kind of send-off Manchester Psych Fest deserves. It isn’t polished, but that’s never the point. The crowd don’t need a perfect show; they need one last cathartic scream, one last laugh with friends and Get Down Services deliver it in buckets.
Whether it’s the grandeur of the O2 Ritz, the cosiness of the Deaf Institute lodge, or even the throes of an industrial skate park, Manchester Psych Fest curates various versions of its own self; every venue a self-contained universe for us to behold. Whether you want psych, pop, punk, rock, or something in between, the festival accommodates everybody, offering a glimpse into a proud community of artists and creatives – a lineup of talented friends tasked with putting on a show rather than acts pulled to match a trend.
Yet there’s no doubting that this year’s festival isn’t exactly your usual waltz round a festival field. Sprinting from venue to venue or wrestling your way to the front of the crowd can feel like a mission in and of itself – albeit one that is rewarded with an unforgettable sense of discovery.
If you’re the type who likes to plan your weekend down to the minute, Manchester Psych Fest perhaps isn’t your first choice. But if you’re willing to wander, to make peace with the chaos, you’ll find something brilliant here year after year: sometimes when you least expect it.
featured image: Getdown Services by Gabbi Goldman
