Beyond the Music in Manchester: The embryonic international festival

The freezing autumnal Irish Sea air rushed in over Manchester for the first time of the year, and darkness descended across the sky at the worryingly early time of seven o’clock. I emerged from the hustle and bustle of Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street into the bohemian maze of the Northern Quarter.

In the heart of Manchester’s cultural centre, False Heads, a rock-punk three-piece hailing out of Upminster, Essex were taking to the stage at Aatma, a music and events venue nestled amongst the post-industrial labyrinth of Faraday Street.

The show formed part of Beyond the Music, a brand new music and cultural festival championed by a variety of famous names such as Oli Wilson and Andy Burnham. The weekend took place at a number of independent venues across the city, over the period from October 11 to 14.

A clear attempt to create a celebration of culture in the style of the world-famous Edinburgh International Festival, and a festival that represents Manchester’s unique musical and artistic scene. All the while also promoting venues and small businesses across the city.

Upon arrival, faint redolences of the Edinburgh International Festival were immediately present. The venue had a small and cosy ambience, much in the same way as many of the famous venues off of Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile. Aatma in particular was characterised by a decor that fell somewhere between Edwardian and Art Deco.

Friendly bar staff poured pints of Guinness and obscure German lagers, and the toilets were decorated with a variety of stickers put up by groups ranging from the Youth Communist League to the Scunthorpe United supporters club.

There was something communal about the atmosphere, as members of the bands who had played the venue across the day freely mingled with punters, while the small crowd in the bar were in a buoyant and sociable mood. Nowhere was this community feel brought home so explicitly than in an interaction myself and False Heads’ lead singer Luke Griffiths had with a concert attendee in the bar, a man who’s name we sadly never picked up.

As he walked over, sporting a clothing fit somewhere between Jarvis Cocker and Jeremy Clarkson, he immediately began to engage us in what is possibly the most chaotic two minutes of conversation I have ever experienced. 

Our friend uttered the phrase “Can I exchange some banter with you?”, did possibly history’s most bizarre impression of Shaun Ryder, and excitedly recounted a gig he had attended the previous night, all while struggling to stand up. The redolence of Edinburgh had now turned to an odour amongst the organised chaos and avant-garde setting, a good evening seemed to await.

However, in the upstairs section of the venue, there was only a limited crowd present. Despite the best efforts of the Aatma staff – who throughout the evening were helpful and friendly – the set-up for the band was limited in its scale and development. It was clear that the personal atmosphere in the bar had not transferred over well into the environment of the gig itself. 

False Heads in turn delivered an engaging set, playing their usual high-intensity catalogue of tracks with class: a mixture of searing guitar riffs, ferocious drumming, and splenetic vocals. Their rendition of 2022 track ‘Haunted Houses’ was a standout. Its exploration of psychological anxieties and trauma being delivered in an evocative manner fit for the month of Halloween.

Leaving the gig after a few more drinks and starting the long trudge back towards the south of the city, my overriding emotion was one of hope but also disappointment. Many elements of the evening, the convivial atmosphere around the bar and the presence of a high-quality musical performance only a few miles from the University, had made for a fulfilling Saturday night. 

The festival as a whole, seemed to be somewhat lacking in completion, most of which came down to the lack of marketing and promotion the festival had received. Around the student areas of Manchester, there was very little in the way of posters or adverts.

The seeds are definitely there for a yearly celebration of Manchester’s cultural scene. With more backing and publicity, Beyond the Music could definitely go on to be a sought-after date on the musical calendar in future. Yet for the moment, instead of being reminiscent of the Edinburgh International Festival, its most apt nickname would surely be the Embryonic International Festival.