Ian over at Spinneyhead mentioned a new Manchester music site, ListenToManchester.co.uk:

“Listen To is a new website dedicated to new Manchester music – the bands and the fans. Designed to celebrate and promote new and unsigned Manchester music, this website is for anyone who’s part of the music scene of this great city – whether you make music or listen to it.

“The website is different because it’s all written by you – we reckon that the best people to write about the Manchester music scene are the people who live it – every day and every night.”

Content looks promising: tracks, gigs, reviews… all user-generated!

It seems to have been around way back in April, but it’s the most recent article about a new Manchester music festival – Cohesion Live – on Saturday September 23 that particularly interests me:

“Badly Drawn Boy, Elbow and Graham Coxon are all playing the main stage along with a host of others. Andy Rourke (The Smiths) is putting together a very special band for the occasion, expect to see some very familiar faces up there with him!

“Tipped to be Manchester’s next big musical export, The Longcut will be headlining the second stage along with the likes of Sunshine Underground, The KBC and Roland Shanks.”

Also confirmed for this Event North West and High Voltage event: Toolshed, The Durutti Column and I Am Kloot. Plus, The Answering Machine and Snowfight In The City Centre, who are both very hot prospects round these parts.

Full line-up here for what reads like a who’s-who of Manchester music.

Tickets are £19.50, which is well worth it, and the event is not-for-profit. But hopefully not-for-loss either.