Wake Up and Be Somebody – Uncovering Lost Urban Music Stories in Manchester

Manchester is famous as a city of music and culture, however below the headline acts are many artists, singers, DJs, producers and bands whose stories have been lost along the way, rarely talked about as part of the history of this city’s music.

Inspired by music historian Keithly Brandy, an intriguing new project is looking at the city’s forgotten or rarely known urban music stories – asking why, outside of their community, do they not form part of the wider narrative, and how can they act as a force for change and inspiration to a new generation of artists?

This thought-provoking panel discussion for Universally Manchester Festival, chaired by award-winning TV producer, radio presenter and independent filmmaker Karen Gabay, will investigate these important themes and act as a launch for the project – documenting these remarkable stories as part of the British Pop Archive, based at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library.

The esteemed panel includes Keithly Brandy, singer Charley Henry, singer Sylvia Tella and guitarist Trevor Moffat, and will be followed by a DJ set from renowned Reno Club and Haçienda DJ Hewan Clarke.