Musically, Jason McNiff is influenced by the British acoustic guitarists (Jansch, Graham, Wizz Jones) and the great folk/rock troubadours of the 60s and 70s. He loves Mark Knopfler in the early days; the English teacher turned reluctant rock star, singing about Leeds and Newcastle and sounding like JJ Cale.
For McNiff, the lyrics are central, and he has been especially captivated by those considered poets and writers as well as musicians. He loves literature and cites Hemingway, Chekhov and the aforementioned Cavafy, as major influences in his work. (He has ‘translated’ Hemingway’s ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ into a song on a previous album, ‘Nobody’s Son’.)
Hot on the heels of her UK Americana Award nomination, showcasing at Folk Alliance International and International Live Music Conference, Lady Nade is soaring into summer with her third album release ‘Willing’. With soothing words and melodies that nourish the mind and body though life’s complicated tapestry, weaving folk into Americana, her performances are like a reunion. Share a room with her, and she’ll give you her story. All of it. The joys and sorrows. You will love her for it, and she will love you back.
More Manchester Listings MORE
Windrush Day 2025 Manchester: Caribbean Culture Festival – Alexandra Park
Celebrate Windrush Day 2025 in the heart of Manchester with a vibrant, family-friendly event at Alexandra Park on…
Reimagine Local Government 2025
Change has become the new normal in local government, with councils across the country navigating a perfect storm…
Liberation
How does a revolution begin and who are the people that keep it going? Inspired by true…
THE HERDS
A monumental puppet migration through Manchester and beyond – where public art meets planetary emergency What happens when…
FALE SĀ / SACRED HOUSE
Critically acclaimed queer Indigenous collective FAFSWAG take over HOME during MIF25 with a bold, immersive programme of digital…
FALE SĀ / SACRED HOUSE – TALANOA (CONVERSATION)
Expanding the world of cultural storytelling explored in FALE SĀ / SACRED HOUSE, Talanoa presents a thoughtful programme…
THE HERDS: Heywood
Public art meets climate action in THE HERDS – a breathtaking migration of 70 life-sized puppet animals travelling…
THE HERDS: Pennington Flash
Public art meets climate action in THE HERDS—a monumental, continent-spanning migration of puppet animals making their way from…