The 5 Acts We Can’t Wait To See At Manchester Psych Festival 2026
Stereolab, Silver Gore and a new generation of Manchester artists lead our must-see picks for Manchester Psych Fest 2026.
Since its inaugural edition in 2014, Manchester Psych Fest has established itself as one of the country’s very best multi-venue festivals. It’s both an opportunity to stay ahead on the country’s next wave of great and weird guitar bands and to catch some genuine all-timers. This year is no different. Argue about whether all of the acts are “psych” or not all you want, the line-up is absolutely stacked regardless. With Manchester’s music scene in its best health in decades and the iconic Apollo having been added to the festival’s arsenal, there’s every reason to anticipate a best-yet edition across the full spectrum of stages. Here are five acts that we can’t wait to see.
An obvious place to start is with leftfield legends Sterolab. The relentlessly creative ‘groop’ have an overwhelming back catalogue to pick from ahead of their headline set. ‘Dots and Loops’ turns thirty next year and yet still sounds like the future, whilst their 2025 album ‘Instant Holograms on Metal Films’ was far too good for them to be called the festival’s “legacy band.” There are few sonic directions that won’t be touched upon through their set: motorik grooves, experimental electronics, 60s pop fizz, ambient explorations, the list goes on. Tim Gane has always maintained that it is better for a band to be interesting than good. Thankfully, Stereolab are both.
Show me a more perfect pop song than Silver Gore’s ‘All The Good Men’ and I’ll show you a liar. That undeniable late 00s-indebted hit would be reason enough to make time for the London duo, but it just so happens that the rest of their work is just as good. Ava Gore and Ethan P-Flynn combine to create a wonky maximalist alt pop that feels obscene to see in relatively small venues. Scale their set up to the biggest venue you could possibly think of and it would not feel out of place. One of more fun-forward and danceable bands on this year’s bill (see also: Adult DVD and Bathing Suits), you’d regret not catching them.
Melodic-signed locals Shaking Hand are one of the most unique bands that Manchester has produced in decades. Effortlessly meshing starkly ambitious post-rock and short-circuit new wave guitar work, their self-titled debut album is one year’s finest. What’s more exciting than that, though, is the fact that the trio show no sign of slowing down. They recently played a set of exclusively new material at Cafe Blah, which sold out almost instantly. People in the city are very excited about their trajectory and a chance to see them on home turf shouldn’t be passed on.
Another band with a deserved groundswell of support around these parts is Martial Arts. In co-founding the community-orientated artists collective No Band is An Island, they’ve played a huge part in reshaping the city’s grassroots culture for the better. As a result of the relentless work that they’ve put in over the last few years, they are undeniably one of the most exciting live bands in the country. Having spent their early years “prioritising impact” with their live shows, things are a lot more considered now; acclaimed producers Craig Silvey and Dani Bennett-Spragg are given plenty of credit for their refinement. Expect plenty of heavier moments, but Martial Arts have learnt to balance their three-guitar set-up and now write a compelling brand of sharp-witted indie rock.
Rounding off our suggestions is another local, Tesni. Off the back of support slots with buzzy risers Little Grandad and the Mercury Prize nominated Dove Ellis, Tesni seems primed for a sharp ascent. Her tender folk songs will go down very well with fans of Adrienne Lenker or perhaps more recently Ninush. Tesni’s ability to hold the attention of a busy room is something to behold, and her set will offer a welcome reprieve from what is a pretty noisy bill in general. Other honourable mentions for those looking to catch some local acts: Slowhandclap, Mleko and Thistle.