Hulme’s Community Garden Centre flora paradise is transformed into Green Island Festival once again – and this year we’re going to a whole new level!
A three-part series of day festivals, Green Island is a celebration of the creative spirit, a melting pot of talent, flavours, and experiences that make this city truly unique. A festival stripped back to its most authentic form, with community at its core.
Headlining the Main Stage for June, Afriquoi, the 5-piece band celebrated for their unique blend of African sounds and live electronics. The main stage located in NIAMOS will also play host to sets from Ku’umba a radical arts collective, binding sounds of funk, blues, afrobeat and hip-hop, 21st century jazz singer Ni Maxine, and Ubunye the Zulu band bringing pounding rhythms of Africa.
Experimental hip-hop jazz band Jointhedots have been added to the Main Stage line- up for July, joining headliners Def MaMa Def – two powerful women and rising stars of Senegal’s music scene, fusing contagious rhythms of amapiano, hip-hop and afrobeat.
In addition to the smooth as silk, R&B soul singer Victoria Jane and contemporary jazz artist corto.alto.
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. Soul and R&B collective Lovescene, Plant Food with their hard-hitting grooves and energy and TC & The Groove – a 10-piece collective exploring grooves from both the UK and around the world, including afrobeat, breakbeats, jungle and highlife – will also grace the stage.
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, their line-up includes Fat Clams DJ, Lavender Rodriguez, Queer Icons Karaoke, Meme Gold, Arch Femesis and R.aggs.
Manchester legend Chunky will take the reins in July, bringing a diversity of sounds from amapiano, afro-house, afro-punk, blues-soul to rap to the forefront with Artist Lebo, Chia Kali, DeeD0t, NOT4MANY, Zhay and Troopz taking to the stage.
Rug Dug returns with Ruffy’s Lab in September, bringing on board Tia Cousins, Abigail Ward, Private Joy and a special guest to be announced! Expect, a bit of soul, electronic, afrobeat, RnB, broken-beat, reggae, jazz, synth-pop and post-punk from this mega line-up.
The Marquee Stage will exclusively host the best up-and-coming bands and vocalists. In June, Pedro Fonte & Dada Joaozinho will be bringing a flavour of bossa nova all the way from Brazil. Alongside, Benita & The Groove, neo-soul artist NinaRosa, jazz band Mangorata and flamboyant jazz-punk from Ask My Bull.
July welcomes sultry vocalist Jocelyn Knight backed by the classic soul and R&B band Natural Soul, songstress Hannah Rodriguez, duo Dia Frank, alt-soul indie band Rushbonds and rock-rap band Third Kulture. And September – Jamaica’s Calypso George, indie-pop artist Boo Kickz, Life Aquatic Band bringing their blended 70s pop and 2000s electro-clash sound. Plus 6-piece future soul and fusion band Mikoudi, and newly announced Gnawa bringing the spiritual sounds of Morocco to Manchester. From 12pm – 2:30pm, the Marquee Stage will host family-friendly activities on each date.
The brand-new Selector Stage – tucked away in a hidden corner of the festival to be discovered with strictly vinyl only, and an elite audiophile sound system for a proper selector experience – will be taken over by B-MUSIC-MULTI-LINGO-DISCO curated by Andy Vottel, with Stan Chow, Helene Gautier, Sean Demdike and Lee Janda. July will bring Apricot Ballroom x Cosmic Slop, a collision of two Northern audiophile heroes by way of Sheffield and Leeds respectively. And last but not least, Lena C’s Melodic Junction enlists Cheb Mimo, Santa Leticia and Josh FB for the September festival.
Down the garden path, the hidden gem that is the Forest Stage will present some of the best selectors in the scene. June welcomes Una Lee, Nossa!, Supernature Disco, Dr. Jive and Murder He Wrote. July – Reno Collective, Tim Knight, Yohan, Levi Love, Urbi and Contours. September – Rhod Parry, Zuri b2b Spinelli, Jade Li, Atiké and Shimrise.
Warwick Street, which connects the venue and the garden centre, will be transformed into the festival’s food and drinks hub. Local favourites confirmed so far include, Midori with their delicious handmade gyoza, kimchi and dips, Tibetan Kitchen serving their fragrant, flavourful curries, stir fries and legendary momos, and plant-based, seasonal goods from Root to Flower.
Afterparties for each date will be hosted at YES, a two-floor takeover of the Pink Roomand basement from 11pm till late.
Book Green Island Festival at Hulme Community Garden Centre
