Music in the City

Whenever I tell a foreigner or a southerner that I’m from Manchester, they normally say one of two things. The first is ‘You must support Manchester United then – oh no, actually, all their supporters live in London don’t they!?’ followed by a self congratulatory laugh and a look on their face that says ‘that was the funniest joke EVER – well done me. I’ll have to remember that one’.

The second, more common thing that people say is ‘oh right yeah, I love Oasis/The Stone Roses/The Happy Mondays’ (delete as applicable). Think of Manchester and you think of music – it’s inevitable. Try as we might to tell the world that Manchester isn’t all about the music, our image is unavoidably boiled down to Factory records and the Hacienda. And we all live in terraced houses and dance like Bez, too.

This month however, it is all about the music. Lots and lots of music. From October 28th to the 31st, Manchester will be invaded by a who’s who of the music industry coming together in one place to shape the future of the country’s music.

Rightly regarded by the global music community as the premier new music event in the world, ITC has helped launch the careers of Oasis, Radiohead, Suede, Elastica, Coldplay, The Darkness, Doves, Foo Fighters, Elbow, the Stereophonics, Muse, Orson and many, many more.

By day, some of the music industry’s biggest characters will discuss the key music, technology and business issues and ideas of the day, while by night they city’s venues will come alive with the sounds of new music.

Our pick of the Festival…

Whatever you do during In the City 2006, make sure that you make time to see a lady by the name of Karima Francis. Since relocating to Manchester from Blackpool in late 2005, the 19 year old Karima Francis has risen to become one of the most talked about artists in Manchester.

Karima’s soulfully expressive, unique vocal style is utterly bewitching, and her unexpected vocal flights hardly prepare you for the intimacy and empathy to follow. Couple this with a clutch of sensational songs and you would find it almost impossible to believe that she has been writing and performing for barely 12 months.

Karima has been chosen from literally thousands of entries to appear in the last 54 of the official 54 In the City acts.

Karima Francis will be a busy girl during In the City. You can catch her on the following dates:

Sunday 29th – 235LIVE, Great Northern Warehouse (Acoustic showcase) o/s 13.30

Sunday 29th – Bedlam, Peter Street OFFICIAL ITC SHOW (Acoustic showcase) o/s 21.30

Monday 30th – Night and Day Café, Oldham St XFM (Acoustic showcase) o/s 16.00

Monday 30th – FULL BAND SHOW Venue and Time TBA

For full schedules and gig listings for In the City 2006, click here to visit the official website. 

For more information on Karima Francis or to listen to samples of her music, click here to visit her at myspace.

Jayne Robinson
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