🎸 Music Evermore May Rockin’ Roundup: Festival Fever Incoming! 🎸
Another crazy busy month as we get ready for the final half of the Summer term and build towards our first-ever Music Evermore Summer Festival on Saturday 13th July at South West Manchester Cricket Club in Chorlton! 🎪 With 11 young acts performing, plus food, drinks, stalls and (hopefully) sunshine, it’s shaping up to be a celebration to remember. We have just confirmed a special DJ set from ambassador (and drummer!) John Thomson to keep the spirits high after the young bands finish their sets! Tickets are just £5 (donation-based) and available via Eventbrite 👉 Book now
🎙 Music Evermore hits BBC Radio Manchester!
Last week, Director Chris Maddon and student Archie from our Wythenshawe Forum sessions were invited onto the BBC Radio Manchester Breakfast Show with Joe McGrath! With just 24 hours' notice, Archie learned Half the World Away by Oasis and performed it live on air — what a star! 🌟
Chris & Archie talking about Music Evermore live on air
Young Archie performing Half The World Away
A huge thank you to the BBC and Joe for helping us spread the Music Evermore message across Greater Manchester and beyond.
📸 Plus, after the success of the Wythenshawe Live Night in partnership with Brighter Sound and the Wythenshawe Forum Creative Space last month. Please find the official photos and video content below with special thanks to Ingrid Turner for the amazing photography!
🎶 Wythenshawe Forum Sessions
Funded by Manchester City Council’s Neighbourhood Investment Fund (NIF)
Despite bank holidays shortening the term slightly, all four of our bands are flying ahead with new songs for the summer festival!
Monday 4PM are getting stuck into modern pop with Paramore and 21 Pilots.
Monday 5PM have taken a nostalgic route with Hit Me With Your Best Shot and are thriving after switching up their band lineup.
Tuesday 4PM are rising to the challenge of Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N' Roses.
Tuesday 5PM have nailed Stargazing and are now tackling Song 2 by Blur, with confident multi-instrument playing across the band.
🎤 Peel Hall Primary School
Funded by Heist or Hit
With performances shaping up across all year groups, and big plans confirmed with the headteacher, Peel Hall is heading towards a spectacular summer showcase. The final few weeks will focus on performance polish — from stage presence to projection. Choir and Rock Band will also feature, making this a true whole-school celebration of music.
🎸 Claremont Primary School
Funded by Heist or Hit
Our new strategy of focusing on classic, structured songs continues to deliver strong results at Claremont.
Multiple groups are working on We Will Rock You.
One group is finishing up Shotgun by George Ezra.
Another is now taking on songs by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.
In the nurture group, we’ve maintained a vibrant and exploratory session structure through instruments and group activities, all while collecting feedback and crafting a case study to demonstrate the impact.
🎵 Webster Primary School
Funded by Rising Tide AI
After wrapping up a fantastic digital Beatles-themed showcase in Summer 1, we’re now shifting focus to the highlight of the school calendar — Webstock!
Expect full performances in the playground with bouncy castle, face painting and more.
Meanwhile, Year 6 are prepping for their leavers’ assembly, each group working on a full-band live performance to send them off in style.
🎶 St Mary’s Primary School
Funded by Rising Tide AI
Both Year 5 groups are now confidently performing their songs in full. We’re entering the tweaking and refining phase — ahead of starting their second songs for the end-of-term show.
With one group away for three weeks due to a singing workshop, we’ll adapt by working with Year 6 and choosing a simple yet engaging piece for the absent group to ensure they still have two songs ready by July.
🥁 Saturday Band Sessions (Stretford)
Supported by public donors, John Thomson, and the Sale & Altrincham Good Afternooners Women’s Institute
Our Saturday sessions are thriving, with a mix of originals, rock classics, and new experiments:
Group 1: Another Song (original), Believer, Lucky Man, and The Hardest Button to Button
Group 2: Come Together, Seven Nation Army, plus confident jamming and improv
Group 3: I Fought the Law plus continued progress on earlier material
Group 4: No Surprises, Molly’s Chambers, and now Weak by Skunk Anansie — sounding fantastic!
Group 5: Despite some staggered attendance, spirits are high. They're smashing Happy and recently began Riptide by Vance Joy, with standout vocals and keys from Abril (see below!)
🎉 Once again, a huge thank you to our funders and supporters:
🎸 Manchester City Council’s Neighbourhood Investment Fund
🎸 Heist or Hit
🎸 Rising Tide AI
🎸Our incredible monthly public donors, John Thomson, and the Sale & Altrincham Good Afternooners Women’s Institute
🎸 And special thanks to BRSK — our headline sponsor for the Music Evermore Summer Festival Mainstage!
🎫 Don’t forget to grab your tickets!
👉 Music Evermore Summer Festival - Get Tickets
Let’s keep rocking into June! 🤘