BBC 6 MUSIC FESTIVAL 2024 | LIVE REVIEW

With performances from the likes of Scottish Album of the Year winners (Young Fathers), early 2000s icons (Gossip), and rising stars from the city itself (Porij), this year’s line up provided plenty for music moguls of all tastes to get their teeth into. Hosted across 5 of the city’s most beloved venues, with the ever-fabled Band On the Wall playing host to the BBC introducing sets, YES’s Pink room bouncing into the early hours thanks to the New Music Fix DJs, Rave Forever filling out the Warehouse Project’s Depot Mayfield, and The Morning After Mix soothing any sore heads at Ramona on Sunday, there really was something for everyone. And that’s without even counting Victoria Warehouse which acted as the main stage for this year’s proceedings.

We got the chance to head down to Victoria Warehouse to check out this year’s headline acts. Performances from across the weekend were being broadcast live across BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC IPlayer, meaning that even armchair music fans could get a piece of the action. With presenters introducing the acts, lighting and staging worthy of an Uber-Chic TV studio, and TV cameras sporadically whizzing across the top of the crowd, each night felt like being fully immersed into a 3-hour episode of Jools Holland – a dream for any music fan.

Thursday

First to take the stage on Thursday was Hak Baker, a singer-songwriter from the Isle of Dogs in London. His humanist storytelling of tales of London life, tackling issues from politics to gentrification and depression have gained Hak a loyal following and collaborations with none other than The Streets and Pete Doherty. Thursday saw Hak return to the same very stage that he had graced just a few months before whilst on tour with Little Simz, this time complete with a full band and live trumpet player. Opening his set with the spoken word masterpiece DOLALLY which blends elements of Ska, Jazz and Funk, setting the fun, carnivalesque atmosphere for the night. Fans were treated to Tracks from his 2023 debut album ‘World’s End FM’, alongside showcasing new, never before played track Love Me and the freshly released Wrong Side of The Town.

A truly special moment in Hak’s set from a cover of the Stone Roses I Wonna Be Adored, performed in tribute to the great musical history of the city that the festival calls home.

Next on the bill was Edinburgh based trio Young Fathers, whose 2023 album ‘Heavy Heavy’ won Scottish album of the year, 10 years on from when their 2^nd EP ‘TAPE TWO’ achieved the same accolade. The band’s progressive sound is so unique that you would be hard pressed to whittle it down to even 3 genres that you think they belong in, making them the perfect choice to entertain the sea of BBC 6 Music listeners which had assembled at Victoria Warehouse.

The band emerged out on stage, ready to put on a show that really put the ‘show’ in showbiz. Impeccably turned-out in retro 70s style tailoring, accompanied by a full choir and performing in front of a golden curtain, it was clear that the audience were about to witness something truly special. The addition of the NIA Chior, based in Hulme and Moss Side elevated the set to something close to a religious experience, adding a beautiful ethereal quality to hit singles I Saw and Geronimo.

Friday

Friday night was a celebration of female fronted bands, which fittingly fell on International Women’s Day- hats off to the festival’s marketing team for that one. With so many festivals being criticized in recent years for their lack of female, non-binary and LGBTQ representation, it’s refreshing to see the BBC daring to break the mold with this year’s line up.

First up was Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson or CMAT as she’s better known. The Irish Singer songwriter, despite only releasing her first music in 2020, now has two albums to her name, with 2023’s ‘Crazy Mad for Me’ achieving the number 1 spot in the Irish Album Charts. The singer who turned heads recently with her ‘cheeky’ get up at the BRITS, has become known for her wicked sense of humour which spills over into her lyrics and live performances, and the Have Fun singer ensured that Friday’s audience were ready to do just that. Citing pop stars like kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams as her idols, CMAT’s live performance was full of dancing and crowd participation, with the singer even stopping at one point to borrow a cowboy hat from one of the dedicated fans in the front row, and dancing so hard she had to take a break to lie down on the floor. 2020’s single I Wonna Be A Cowboy Baby prompted a whole crowd sway along, in what was probably the largest moment of group line dancing Victoria Warehouse has ever seen.

Endearing, entertaining and bursting with enthusiasm, it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself at a CMAT show. Laughing along with the crowd and telling tales of the time that she spent living in Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, CMAT really showed that she is a woman of the people – talented and hilarious, she’s also someone who you kinda wish would be your best mate if we’re being honest.

A special one-off show called for a special one-off guest, with CMAT visibly fangirling before announcing that John Grant was about to join her and the band on stage for a beautiful and emotional acoustic rendition of Where Are Your Kids Tonight. Speaking to 6 Music’s Matt Everitt about the performance CMAT enthused: “It was absolutely incredible. It was the best night ever. I can’t believe how many people were two-stepping […] we held hands the entire time, because I was very nervous actually […] we’ve actually never done it together, ever, not live, because we recorded everything separately in the studio so that was literally the first time, we sang it together.”

This year’s BBC 6 Music Festival also saw the return of indie icons Gossip, who used their first UK performance in 4 years as an opportunity to premier some new unreleased material. Always one to make an entrance, front woman Beth Ditto took her place at the centre of the stage donned in a suitably fabulous bright pink sparkly number, complete with matching wig. Visibly overjoyed to be back out performing for their UK fans, greeting the audience she said: “I’m gonna try not to cry, or cuss or swear… because I know how important that is in a country that has that show where people judge each other on their genitals”, unleashing some classic Beth Ditto sarcasm straight from the get-go.

After dancing her way through Love Long Distance and Act of God before ditching her outfit all together and opting to strip down to her Spanx she told the audience and viewers at home: “I swear to God that wasn’t planned” explaining later “I’m not trying to be subversive, I’m just trying to be comfortable, and that’s where people get it twisted”, which was met by cheers of agreement from the audience. Gossip’s set spanned the band’s impressive 14 year career, including a special sneak peak at unreleased material from eagerly anticipated album ‘Real Power’, but the cherry on the cake came in the form of a guest appearance from none other than Alison Moyet, joining Ditto for a spellbinding cover of Yazoo’s Situation.

Really, there was only one way to end the set, with the song that skyrocketed Gossip to superstardom, Standing In The Way of Control, which showcased Ditto’s enviable vocal range and brought the house down, showing the world that Gossip are well and truly back and won’t be going anywhere soon.

Saturday

Saturday was the final day of proceedings at Victoria Warehouse and saw Jordan Rakei and The Smile take to the headline stage.

New Zealand singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jordan Rakei was first up, showcasing his bluesy soulful songwriting to the Manchester crowd, performing on a stage decorated with bouquets of dried flowers.

His performance was mellow, and ultra cool and wouldn’t feel out of place in a smokey underground jazz club. Jordan used his set to try out some new material and explain some of the stories behind his tracks, at one point telling the crowd: “In 2022, had a son, big things changed in my life, and he taught me a lot about myself”, before playing Hopes and Dreams which he dedicated to “all the new parents out there”. The lights were dimmed leaving just Jordan illuminated by a spotlight whilst singing at the piano, allowing the power of his voice to shine through, and encouraging the crowd to really focus on the song’s beautifully touching lyrics. Now it wouldn’t be the last night of the 6 Music Festival without a special guest of course, with Manchester born singer-songwriter Pip Millett joining Jordan for jazz funk number Freedom before debuting unreleased track Trust from his upcoming album ‘The Loop’ which is due to hit the shelves in May.

The honour of closing out the festival’s main stage was appropriately reserved for musical royalty, The Smile – a band formed of none other than Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, alongside jazz musician and percussionist Tom Skinner, formerly of Sons of Kemet. The band were joined for the world exclusive performance by the London Contemporary Orchestra, which was the first time that the trio have performed with a full live orchestra.

Thom Yorke’s hauntingly moody vocals rang out over Victoria Warehouse, with the crowd stunned into appreciative silence, witnessing the musical history unfolding before them. Though The Smile’s music undoubtedly has many similarities to that of Radiohead, its progressive rock and jazz influences allow the songs to meander and change pace, capturing the emotion and drama of the tracks, which was only enhanced by the orchestral support for this special live show. The audience’s excitement and appreciation for watching these three artists was palpable, with one member of the crowd audibly declaring “This is the best day ever” between songs.

With special guests, world exclusives and a wide-ranging mix of genres, this year’s BBC 6 Music Festival showcased what the beloved radio station is all about. With the station playing on average 20,000 songs per year (most radio stations play around 5000), this year’s festival catered for its listeners’ diverse and ever-changing tastes, with legends and emerging stars performing side by side. We already can’t wait to see what next year’s line up has in store, but in the meantime, you can catch up on all of this year’s sets on BBC IPlayer and BBC Sounds.

To see what else we’ve been up to, check out our ‘This Week in Pictures’ here.

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