Manchester Psych Fest 2026 was the usual mix of the sublime and eclectic across a wide array of venues across the city.

MANCHESTER PSYCH FEST

Across a single day, Manchester Psych Festival has taken over Manchester’s city centre and all the venues we all know and love, with crowds moving in-between venues. The festival has grown steadily over the years but its core appeal has not changed. This year’s festival has a stacked line up, with acts such as Angine De Poitrine and the Beta Band on the main stage and other bands such as Adult DVD, Bleech 9:3 and Thistle dotted around venues around the city.

ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF & LIP BOMBS

Swedish singer/songwriter and composer Anna Von Hausswolff kicked off the festival at Manchester Academy 1 with a room full of eager fans. Even as the first performer of the festival she draws an impressive crowd, people filtering in with excitement for what they are about to witness here and for the rest of the day.

The moment she began to sing, the room settled. People’s conversations dropped, people faced towards the stage and everyone seemed to be sucked into the performance that was unfolding right in front of them. Her set was immersive with the stage lighting, the smoke and how she performed on stage. You could tell people were genuinely glad they had shown up early.

After a 20-minute walk across the city, Bel Air Lip Bombs opened up Projekts Skate. Like Anna’s set their performance, drew a huge turnout, people were piling into the skate park, climbing on the ramps trying to get a good view of them performing. Their performance was a fun one to start the day, it was lively and fun and instantly engaging, they were able to hook the audience with their first song.

Together these two acts set up the foundation for the day, getting people warmed up and eager for the rest of the day to come. They proved that the earliest sets at Psych Fest draw committed crowds that help make this festival so great.

TY SEGALL

In the lead up to the festival, 16:45 to 17:45 on the festival schedule at The Abbey was blanked off as a secret set. It was not until I was walking over to The Abbey from Projekts Skate I saw it was announced Ty Segall would be the secret set performer. It did not take long for this information to spread around the festival and even before I arrived there was a queue outside of the pub/venue waiting to get in.

I eventually was able to get in the beer garden and find a good spot to watch his performance, before he finished his first song he had the whole audience in the beer garden hooked. I don’t think I have seen so many people trying to cram into such a small space, people were on benches, sat on the floor and the steps, people standing on the other side of the fence all trying to get a glimpse of Ty Segall solo set.

What made this set so special was that it was just him on a tiny stage, with his guitar and the audience. No band, not in a huge music venue, just in a beer garden on a nice sunny day. It is nice to see one of the main headliners of the show doing a more intimate performance, allowing people who might not have the chance to watch his set later on in the day a nice opportunity for a stripped back show.

BLEECH 9 : 3

As Ty Segall’s set came to an end, Bleech 9:3 took the stage at the O2 Ritz. They have been popping up everywhere recently, playing festivals and shows all over and steadily building their name. One thing I find really impressive about the band is how locked in their fanbase is. Even when they play songs that are not officially out, their fans seem to know every lyric, beat and drop, and when the songs finally do come out, the reaction is huge. They recently released Figure 8, a track fans had been waiting to have on streaming services for a long time.

It was nice being able to see Bleech 9:3 on the bigger stage, especially knowing they will be back in Manchester later this year performing in Manchester Academy. I think what was missing at this performance was their fans. You could see people in the audience who were Bleech fans but I think a lot of crowd who showed up were people who had never heard of them before. That difference in energy was noticeable and it is the kind of thing that can shape how the set feels. Their December show will be a completely different atmosphere and it will be exciting to see them take on a big stage with a room full of people who are here just for them.

FLORAL IMAGE

Just opposite the Ritz, Floral Image took over the stage in Gorilla and the room was packed by the time they started. The band settled into their music straight away after finishing their sound check and so did the crowd. People were trying to get as close as they could to the stage, dancing with friends and strangers. Their performance had an easy flow to it, the kind that pulls people in without needing a big introduction.

No matter where you stood in the room, front or back, you could feel how connected Floral Image were with the audience. From briefly talking to a couple of fans in the room, it was clear that many people had travelled far to see them specifically, and I found it genuinely impressive that Floral Image were able to pull in such a big international crowd.

ADULT DVD

Coming back to Projekts later in the day, the venue had a completely different energy to this morning. It was starting to get dark making the lighting pop more and drawing your attention more to the stage. With how the day was set up, artists had to do their sound checks on stage before their performance so people could watch them prepare. It is always fun to see a band do this; pulling the curtain back a little.

When they hit the stage to perform, the audience are ready. The crowd mosh and jump about to the opener. People pull other audience members into the mosh. You could tell that everyone who was there was there to watch Adult DVD as the whole room was locked in. After photographing in the pit, it was quite hard to move around the venue because of how packed it was. It was amazing to see the amount of people here for Adult DVD.

UNMISSABLE

Adult DVD’s set was one I was glad I did not miss. I had listened to them before but seeing Adult DVD live in Projekts Skate, with the crowd they had made the songs hit differently. The energy they brought on stage matched the energy in the room and it was really fun being able to experience their set-in person.

Walking between each venue you could see groups of people migrating from one venue to another, some people were rushing off to get a quick snack, some weaving through the streets to catch the next act. Everywhere you looked people were checking the festival timetable (planning their next move), laughing with strangers they have met and meeting up with friends and family on the way. Festivals like Psych Fest are so special because of moments like these, it spills out into the city and takes over the city centre. You could really feel the community this festival has created.

THISTLE

I arrived at Deaf Institute early and was lucky to meet Thistle before their performance. It was genuinely lovely being able to talk to them and watch them get ready for their performance, they created such a warm atmosphere in the green room that you could not help but feel at ease.

When it was their time to perform, they took to the stage at Deaf Institute and immediately went into their set. As soon as they played their first notes the room came alive in an instant. People were taking in the music, taking in the instruments and the vocals and dancing to the beats of the songs. It is nice to see more people involved as the set progresses with people taking the extra step forward.

It was really lovely to see/hear when I was walking around the room, I noticed a few people who have never listened to Thistle before. People who have come out of curiosity, or simply following their friends. But as their set went on you could see these people getting more invested in the music. There was something genuinely special about watching a room shift like this, seeing new listeners connect with a band right in front of you.

MARTIAL ARTS

As one set ended, another one started straight away. Downstairs, Martial Arts took over The Lodge at Deaf Institute and the energy was electric. People sing and dance as much as they can in a room packed like sardines.

Once Martial Arts took to the stage the room instantly transformed. The air was thick with anticipation and when they launched into their first song the room was with them. It felt like the crowd moved as one in tune with the music, it was hard to move through. When looking back to the people in the hallway you can see people trying to pop a peek at the band whilst moving to the beat. People squeezed into every corner of the room trying to catch a glimpse. This performance of theirs was a great way to end my night at Deaf, it felt raw and electric and it made the room feel alive.

BATHING SUITS

Closing my night, I ended up at YES bar. I arrived a little early, when the room was very quiet and not many people there. I thought people were not going to show up as their performance started at midnight but was I wrong. The room sees a steady flow of people arriving right before their performance.

When the music started, the crowd instantly reacted. They started dancing and swaying to the music, dancing with friends and strangers, moving as one. The tiredness I felt before instantly disappeared. What was meant to be me popping in and taking a few photographs, turned into me feeling compelled to stay longer.

ELECTRIC ENERGY

The energy in the room for Bathing Suits was once again electric with everyone feeding off one another. It was a joy to see. Even after a long day of music, people still want more and this was just the start of a very long night.

There is something really special about festivals like these. It really does draw the whole city out in a way you do not see very often. Everywhere you go, you see people supporting artists they already love, but also turning up to support other artists they have not listened to before, ready to find their next big artist. That is the part I love so much; it is the sense of community. No one feels alone, strangers become friends in queues, in the crowds and in the rush between venues. People talk about their favourite artists, recommend sets that are coming up, share moments and build these connections that last long after the day is over. Manchester Psych Fest is not just about the music, it is the people that help to make the festival feel alive.

Tickets for Manchester Psych Fest 2027 are already on sale here.

Manchester Psych Fest: Website

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