Town – A Grassroots Music Festival

THURSDAY 13 OCTOBER

For free shows please show your appreciation by dropping a tip if you can, it helps our costs.

9am to 4pm MARCUS JACK: Gold Chains in Gold Frames exhibition – Temperance Movement.  Painter Marcus Jack’s exhibition about the way rap music was adopted into the culture of West Yorkshire with his collection of portraits featuring seminal rap artists. Free entry.

Also ‘Summat From Nowt’ portraits of Halafaxian Makers & Doers. The Grayston Unity. Free entry.

7.30pm W.H. LUNG + support – The Albany Arcade, Halifax Borough Market (bar inside). Tickets from SeeTickets. The sparkling synth pop and Motorik Krautrock of Manchester-based three-piece W.H. Lung first burst onto the music scene in 2017, with the release of the single Inspiration!/Nothing Is. Originally conceived as a studio-based project by schoolfriends, Joseph E (vocals, synths), Tom S (guitar), and Tom P (bass), the trio quickly became sought after for live shows and performances off the back of their 2017 debut, playing stages at British festivals including Greenman and End of the Road. Drawing their inspiration from the likes of LCD Soundsystem, Talking Heads, Prince, and Julia Holter, to name but a few, the three-piece returned to the studio to start work on their debut album. Distilling their influences into the album, the resulting Incidental Music was released in early 2019, preceded by the singles “Bring It Up,” “Second Death of My Face,” and “Simpatico People.”

8.15pm. SARAH’S MUSIC QUIZ – Meandering Bear. Free entry and some festival gig tickets to be won.

8.45pm HENRY PARKER & BAND – The Grayston Unity. Tickets from See Tickets.

“His relaxed vocals and songwriting are as warm and open as his tunings” 8/10 Uncut Magazine

“What Parker does so effectively is to blend ancient with early-70’s and modern styles” Mojo ★★★★

FRIDAY 14th OCTOBER

9am to 4pm MARCUS JACK: Gold Chains in Gold Frames exhibition – Temperance Movement. Painter Marcus Jack’s exhibition about the way rap music was adopted into the culture of West Yorkshire with his collection of portraits featuring seminal rap artists. Free entry.

2pm HALIFAX MUSIC HERITAGE GUIDED TRAIL – Walk the trail visiting old venues to hear about the town’s musical heritage. Departs from The Grayston Unity. Allow 2 hours. £5 pay in advance or on the day.

8pm till 1am TOD ONLY KNOWS. Meandering Bear – FREE entry. Tod Only Knows are a loose collective who play records in the Calder Valley outpost and UFO-hotspot of Todmorden They mix up the far out sounds – frazzled psych-rock, outsider tronics, fringe funk, Vest Coat folk, various strands of odd pop and everything else in between. Musica from every corner of the globe… and sometimes further a field.

8.30pm CUD + Wax Tree Cast – The Albany Arcade, Halifax Borough Market (bar inside). Tickets from SeeTickets. Emerging from the same art/design cauldron that produced fellow Leeds legends Soft Cell, Scritti Politti, and The Mekons, CUD were the pre-Britpop answer to doleful shoegazing bands – fun-loving, light-hearted, romantic and downright catchy. Strong support comes from Wax Tree Cast, shortly to be seen at Kendal Calling and other festivals this summer.

8.15pm. SARAH’S MUSIC QUIZ – Meandering Bear. Free entry and some festival gig tickets to be won.

SATURDAY 15th OCTOBER

Marcus Jack exhibitions continue + hip hop dj set 4-7pm at TM.

12 noon MICHAEL AINSWORTH in conversation with CHRIS DYSON – Grayston Unity. Five decades of music promoting in Halifax, and with a few stories to tell.

1pm THE LAST PEACH STORY – Grayston Unity. The story of one of Calderdale’s long lost bands with members of the original line up and their manager in conversation with CHRIS DYSON.

2pm JOHN ROBB in conversation with CHRIS DYSON – Grayston Unity. John is a music journalist, founder of Louder Than War, singer and music commentator.

2pm HIND & THE JAFFA CAKES – Albany Arcade, Halifax Borough Market.  Founded at St Augustine’s Refugee & Asylum Centre, it has at times included musicians from the centre: Iranians, Kurds, Syrians, Salvadoreans, Lebanese & Jews.

3pm PROF. PAUL HOLLINS & GUESTS ASK: CAN PUNK SAVE THE PLANET? – Albany Arcade, Halifax Borough Market. Inspired by Music Declares. With special guest Brix Smith.

4pm NATURAL RYTHYM – Albany Arcade, Halifax Borough Market – Natural Rythm are a 5 piece Bradford based traditional Jamaican ska reggae band. They are a big part of the current British and European ska.

4pm THE GOLDEN LION STORY – Grayston Unity. Gig & Waka tell the story of this remarkable venue/pub in conversation with Chris Dyson.

4pm Hip Hop Dj Set – Temperance Movement

7.30pm CHANTEL McGREGOR + The Hazy Janes – The Albany Arcade, Halifax Borough Market. An absolute must see for lovers of the blues. Her 5 albums have positioned her as one of the leading UK blues players. Strong support from The Hazy Janes.

8.45pm THE MASOCHISTS. Young punks. Playing fast, loud and raucous punk rock with an range of influences from Irish folk, to classic ’77 style punk, to fast and furious anarchic hardcore.

“Go and see The Masochists, they have the spirit of The Clash” – Attila the Stockbroker

10pm to 1am JAMES ENDEACOTT & SYBIL BELL – DJ Set. GU. Legendary music figure James returns to his home town accompanied by the founder of Independent Venue Week for a DJ set to end off the Saturday.

SUNDAY 16TH OCTOBER

Marcus Jack exhibitions continue.

2pm TREVOR SIMPSON ‘Small Town Saturday Night’- The Grayston Unity. Author Trevor recounts the fascinating music nightlife of Halifax from the late 50s to the 1970s, a time when the town hosted live music in a number of venues many nights of the week and attracting some of the biggest names in pop. A must for any music lover. Tickets £5 (pay on the day).

3pm WONKY PUSS . TM. There’s nothing quite like Wonky Puss. Funny observations about life and things you don’t think about delivered in a style very much of their own!

3pm THE BURNING HELL + Gordon McKinney – Albany Arcade, Halifax Borough Market. Newfoundland’s finest and big faves on 6 Music return to the UK. Expect to laugh, smile & reflect all at once. Support from Oklahoma’s finest with lush melodies.

4pm THE UNITY TRIO – Grayston Unity. Expect chilled laid back jazz standards from Meandering Bear’s house band.

4pm APPEL 4 – Meandering Bear. These guys can’t half play…gypsy jazz taking you to a smoky bar in Paris, lose yourself.

6.30pm MATHIAS KOM + TOBY GOODSHANK (of The Burning Hell) – Grayston Unity. Mathias & Toby will be playing songs from their Roger Miller tribute album released this September.. this is a bonus treat for Burning Hell fans.

7.30pm KATIE SPENCER – Grayston Unity. Katie’s 2nd album, just released, has picked up stella reviews. Her playing and sound recalls elements of the great early 70s folk & songwriter movements