The BBC Radio 6 Festival opened yesterday, March 26, at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse with a display of young, and up-and-coming talent – coming entirely from the north.
The first artist to take the stage was Adult DVD, a band from Leeds, playing to a lively crowd that was hanging on every riff.
They opened with Yacht Money – a song that I assume is about how brilliant it is to be rich.
I won’t lie, the first time I listened to this band was the night before the concert, but they did blow my mind with this performance.
They finished with Bill Murray, a frankly meme song that was just fun and games until the breakdown came.
Then I was dancing around with everyone else to the lyrics: “Bill Murray, Bill Murray, he’s lost in Japan.
“Tom Hanks, Tom Hanks, saying catch me if you can.”
It was tough to hear the lead singer, he said things to the crowd, but was mumbling while the crowd was roaring.
Next up was Renee Stormz, a Manchester local rapper and RnB singer that changed my opinion on the genre.
She started slow, but by the time the third song came I was completely on board.
Renee Stormz said: “This show won’t stay in one lane” and she changed the tempo from one song to the next.
It was fantastic.
Jasmine.4.t, the headliners, were the most interesting band of the night by a large margin.
Originally from Bristol, the band fronted by transwoman Jasmine Cruickshank, said that they had found a new home in Manchester.
They were signed by Phoebe Bridgers, the first UK artist to be signed to the US star’s label.
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They gave a fantastic performance with the titular Jasmine inviting her trans friends from Manchester up to the stage to sing one of their songs.
She said: “I’ve slept on all of your floors at some stage!”
Jasmine.4.t said, speaking to Huw Stephens on Radio 6: “I’ve had so much support from Introducing, both here in Manchester and before when I lived in Bristol.
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“I’ve done live sessions for BBC Introducing for a decade now.
“Getting to this point and headlining the BBC Introducing stage, that’s really cool. Getting to be live on the radio for an hour on 6 Music, so exciting!”
Head of BBC Radio 6 Music, Samantha Moy, said: “What a fantastic way to start the 6 Music Festival, with incredible performances from some of our favourite local and emerging artists. Jasmine 4.t was spellbinding.
“There’s so much more to come and I’m looking forward to three more days of the whole station being together in Greater Manchester to experience some exceptional and unique live sets with one of the best audiences in the UK.”
