Manchester Jazz Festival 2025: Opening Weekender
- ACID RAIN TEAM
- 12 minutes ago
- 4 min read
As our music documentary (Made in Manchester) evolves, there’s no better place to begin than the Manchester Jazz Festival 2025. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, MJF is a brilliant case study of how years of the city’s spirit of experimentation, resilience, and pure love for music has changed and adapted to the overarching essence. Watch our full feature now and step into the story for yourself.
This year’s opening weekender at First Street (May 16–18) proved just how vital the festival continues to be - not only as a celebration of jazz, but as a platform for world-class talent across genres and geographies. The festivals past has an impressive resume, from internationally acclaimed acts to boundary pusher and Manchester’s own rising stars,
We were on the ground capturing it all for our feature-length film (see above). Across two exhilarating days, Connie, Will and Alyssa immersed themselves in the sights and sounds on First Street, we do hope you enjoy the video ❤️.
Here’s how Connie experienced her first MJF:
Connie: MJF. Where to begin?! From a girl who doesn’t listen to Jazz unless there’s a medium steak and a large glass of wine involved, this festival had something for everyone. Spanning over a week, I was impressed to feel the same liveliness no matter the day! That type of consistency is a true testament to the passion exhibited by the event organisers, talent and visitors. Special shoutout to Mali Hayes, who brought such gentle confidence to the stage and who has left a lasting impression on my soul. Her authenticity was truly captivating, and I look forward to seeing her more across the city in the future. I think it’s important to note, too, the exceptional level of organisation that MJF boasts. It is no small feat to execute an itinerary of this magnitude, with crowds of families and punters desperate for beers and ice cream waiting eagerly to be entertained! So, hats off to you, the lot of you! The biggest surprise was found in my introduction to Jazz Prog in the form of Yoshizawa. Big up to Will for keeping me around for long enough to catch them on Saturday evening with the promise of a dirty bop. Their performance screamed energy. Will and I ate that up like we’d been starved for a week. Fat drums and synthy bass, with ethereal flute tones and rhythmic guitars??!! What’s not to like? Amelie, the bandleader on drums, if you’re reading this, I need your crochet bandana, please. :P
Alyssa: The opening weekend of Manchester Jazz Festival was such a lovely way to ease us into summer. Plenty of sunshine, great food, and a really relaxed and welcoming vibe. The first act I saw was a brilliant set from Ellen Beth Abdi, who’s Manchester-born and completely magnetic on stage. She has this charming soul and style which packed out the room very quickly, not to mention her stellar go-go boots. Always a win seeing homegrown artists doing their thing, especially at a festival that feels so open and easy to explore. I was gutted to miss Day 1 (Will and Connie said it was unreal), but even without seeing the acts myself, I know you can always count on MJF for a good lineup. It’s the kind of festival where you stumble into something great without even trying. There were families there too and a few kids dancing around during the daytime sets which was really sweet. And with most of it being free, it just felt like one of those weekends that makes the city feel alive. Good for the soul, and good for Manchester too.
Will: As someone who loves discovering new music in an effort to outpace my listening catalogue getting stale, Jazz Fest has once again delivered. I think the secret to a long-lasting festival, which of course Jazz Fest definitely is, would be evolution. John Ellis put it well. He closed out the first ever Jazz Fest around 30 years ago and said that over the years jazz purists point out that a lot of Jazz Fest... isn't actually Jazz. I think this is wonderful as the genre can be quite intimidating for those not into it and the lineup additions beyond the genre are almost always pushing the boundary of definable music while being accessible and familiar to the average listener. I think that's what Jazz is really about. To boldly experiment and explore new possibilities, stretch the expectations of a genre into something new and uncharted. So while Jazz Fest may not be all jazz... it does what Jazz has always done. It platforms new and interesting acts; whether it be an accordion/percussion/synth two piece in Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles, an experimental and multi-instrumental ambient noise band in Ex-Easter Island Head or whatever the hell Yoshizawa are! That's jazz. I’ll be back in 2026 to discover even more.
In a city renowned for innovation, Manchester Jazz Festival continues to evolve, inspire, and surprise. Thirty years in, it's comfortably become a cornerstone of Manchester’s musical identity. From the seasoned Jazz heads to first-time wanderers, MJF has something for everyone. And in platforming bold, brilliant talent (local, national, and international) it ensures the city's musical heartbeat stays loud and clear.
So, here's to another 30 years! And as always, we will see you at the front.
Follow manchester jazz festival
Facebook at /manchesterjazzfestival
Instagram @manchesterjazzfestival
ACID RAIN
Comments