Young Fathers, Gossip, and The Smile to headline BBC Radio 6 Music Festival 2024

BBC Radio 6 Music has today (16^th January) announced the first wave of artists for the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival, which will take place in Greater Manchester between the 7^th and 10^th March.

Headliners Young Fathers, Gossip, and The Smile will grace the stage at O2 Victoria Warehouse, as well as the return of Indie Forever and Rave Forever club nights, with the latter in partnership with The Warehouse Project.

Thursday will see Young Fathers headline Stretford’s Warehouse with Moss Side and Hulme’s NIA community choir, supported by Hak Baker and SHERELLE. Elsewhere, OneDa, Witch Fever, and Porij will play at Band on the Wall in partnership with BBC Introducing, and DJ sets throughout the night at YES.

Friday, in celebration of International Women’s Day, will see Gossip return to the UK for the first time in four years, with support from CMAT and AFRODEUTSCHE, while Indie Forever kicks off at Band on the Wall featuring sets from English Teacher’s Lily Fontaine and Lolly Adefope.

Sunday will see The Smile perform a world exclusive with the London Contemporary Orchestra, supported by Jordan Rakei and Mary Anne Hobbs + Anna Phoebe. Rave Forever will take over the Depot Mayfield’s Archive, with a back-to-back set from salute and DJ Seinfeld, as well as Not Bad For A Girl, DJ Paulette, and Daphni.

The radio station will broadcast from MediaCityUK and at select venues over the weekend. The sets will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

The Mancunion favourite Young Fathers said in a quote, “A 6 Music stage has been given to us and the door of endless possibilities has been opened. Beyond anything else, it will be a night to celebrate a wide mix of folk coming together. GERONIMO!!”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has said, “There’s so much new Greater Manchester music out there right now that deserves to be heard, which is why it’s so important to develop platforms for emerging artists. That’s precisely what we’ve been celebrating with the Mayor’s Artist of the Month on BBC Radio Manchester, and like BBC Radio 6 Music, we want to help those acts get on and reach new audiences.”

Tickets for each separate event will go on sale at 10am on January 18^th.