Green Island Festival reveals wave one of its 2024 line-up and announces exciting expansion as they add cultural institution NIAMOS to the festival’s fabric on 15th June, 27th July and 7th September.
Cementing itself as an annual staple in Manchester’s grassroots music scene, Green Island bonds a community for the love of music, art and culture, and offers a peaceful sanctuary from a hectic urban lifestyle. The festival will once again present a three chapter series of day parties and afterparties across the summer. Accessibility remains at the forefront, with tickets starting from £20.
The expansion sees the festival double in size, with space for up to 1000 festival goers. The main stage will be situated inside the iconic NIAMOS where legends such as Nina Simone have graced the stage, while Warwick Street, that connects the venue and the garden centre, will be transformed into the festival’s food and drinks hub filled with local favourites. The original festival location, the ever luscious Hulme Garden Centre will house four stages – Marquee Stage, Forest Stage, The Bandstand and a brand-new Audiophile inspired Selector Stage.
Green Island is a community gathering with global sounds at the forefront, so as always the line-up encompasses a diversity of artists and sounds. Expect to hear neo soul, jazz, ska-punk, indie, hip-hop, pop, electronic genres, and everything in between. The antithesis to festival giants, Green Island offers unrivalled up close and personal performances, and its charm lies in its relaxed and inclusive atmosphere.
Unveiling wave one of the line-up – June will see Afriquoi, the 5-piece band celebrated for their unique blend of African sounds and live electronics headline. The July chapter will see Def MaMa Def headline, two powerful women and rising stars of Senegal’s music scene, fusing contagious rhythms of amapiano, hip-hop and afrobeat, and singer and multi-instrumentalist David Walters who combines influences from his Caribbean heritage with electronic beats and acoustic folk will take centre stage in September.
Across the dates, the Main Stage will also host contemporary jazz artist corto.alto, soul and R&B collective Lovescene, and Ku’umba a radical arts collective, binding sounds of funk, blues, afrobeat and hip-hop. In addition, Plant Food with their hard hitting grooves and energy and the smooth as silk, R&B soul singer Victoria Jane.
The Bandstand, a stage built and developed by the Green Island team, now a permanent feature of Hulme Garden Centre, will present a range of takeovers. The June chapter will be curated by DIY masters and music experimentalists FAT OUT, the line-up so far includes Fat Clams DJ, Lavender Rodriguez, Queer Icons Karaoke, Meme Gold, Arch Femesis and Ray Aggs. Manchester legend Chunky will take the reins in July, while Ruf Dug returns with Ruffy’s Lab in September with the likes of Private Joy and Tia Cousins.
The Marquee Stage will exclusively host the best up-and-coming bands, including Benita & The Groove, NinaRosa, Mangorata, Ask My Bull, Jocelyn Knight, Hannah Rodriguez, Dia Frank, Rushbonds, Third Kulture, Calypso George, Boo Kickz, Life Aquatic Band, Mikoudi. From 12pm – 2:30pm, the stage will host family-friendly activities on each date.
Down the garden path, the hidden gem that is the Forest Stage will present some of the best selectors in the scene, from Una Lee, Nossa, Supernature Disco, Urbi, Levi Love, Murder He Wrote, Shimrise and Contours.
A new addition this year, the Selector Stage will be tucked away in a hidden corner of the festival to be discovered. Strictly vinyl only, and an elite audiophile sound system for a proper selector experience. Different audiophile crews will take over each date; lined up so far, loft party and record label Apricot Ballrooms will bring their audiophile klipschorn-based sound system from Sheffield.
Afterparties for each date will be hosted at YES, a two-floor takeover of the Pink Room and basement from 11pm till late. Rinse FM resident Arthi will be setting the pace in June, delivering a blistering mix of dancehall, baile, funky, dembow and everything in between.
The line-up will be revealed in full early spring. Keep up to date by signing up to their mailing list here, and give them a follow on @greenisland_festival.
Co-founder Stephan Agbogbe said on the return of Green Island:
“We’re so thrilled to be back and present a levelled up Green Island, bringing more artists, more sounds, and more space for more people. Empowering staff and artists who have been an integral part of the festival since its inception has always been key to us, so it’s really special that we can double in size this year and grow with those we started with.
“We’re also proud to present another line-up that celebrates diversity as we wholeheartedly believe that the future success of the cultural sector depends on being able to draw on a talent pool that reflects society as a whole. Once the narrative is altered, it will pave the road to change in the UK.”
Co-founder George McGirr added:
“Manchester’s creative scene is continuing to blossom and we’re so happy to be able to provide a space for local artists to do what they love and share their art with a like minded community. Also bringing global sounds to the local community is something we’re passionate about, so as much as the festival is about having fun it’s also an opportunity to discover something new. We’ve got artists with lineages from the Caribbean, Congo, Gambia, Senegal, all over the world. Our intention really is to champion global and local.”
Green Island Festival 2024 will take place across Hulme Community Garden Centre, 28 Old Birley Street, M15 5RG and NIAMOS, Warwick St, Hulme, Manchester, M15 5EU on all three dates.
15 June | 27 July | 7 September
TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Prices start from £20
