News and Interviews

Of the 49 acts chosen to play at the official showcases in Manchester this October, ten are from the local area – and the ones chosen show just what variety there is the city’s music scene at the moment.

Covering everything from heavy rock to folk to electro pop, there’ll be sets from El Condorez, The Jessie Road Trip, Silverclub, Kids On Bridges, Meadow, Nomad Jones, The Paris Riots, Run Toto Run, To The Bones and The Travelling Band.

The Jessie Rose Trip

Described by In The City as the "bands we think will change the world", the acts will now follow in the footsteps of such local heroes as Badly Drawn Boy, Doves, Elbow, Nine Black Alps, Oasis and The Verve, who all played the event on their road to success.

The acts react

Understandably, they’re all very excited about the chance to play in front of the likes of legendary Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, iconic photographer Kevin Cummins, Warner boss Lyor Cohen and New York veteran mogul Seymour Stein.

Damon 'Nomad' Jones says it’s an important gig that has come at just the right time for him as "if this official gig would’ve come any sooner, I just wouldn’t have been ready. Everything has come together so far this year and I’m relishing the challenge of taking things to the next level."

Nomad Jones

Run Toto Run’s Rachael Kichenside is equally positive, though says she didn’t expect her band to be included in the showcase. She admits it’s "pretty unexpected and a nice little accolade this early on. We’ve checked the list and we’re in some pretty good company so we’re looking forward to it."

For Jo Dudderidge from The Travelling Band, it’s not just the pleasure at being involved, but the relief at the showcase being in Manchester. As he puts it, "the boys and I are very pleased to be playing this year and I’m especially happy that I don’t have to get into our festival-ridden stinking van to get to the gig!"

But it’s To The Bones’ suitably excitable front man, Red Reppion that probably summed up everyone’s feelings best, saying that the Bolton rockers are "very pleased to have been selected out of the thousands of bands" and promising to "put on one flame-grilled hell of a show."

With promises like that, there’s every chance that some future stars will be born again at this year’s In The City.