Manchester Psych Fest 2025: A New Trip Through the Cosmos
- Francesca Melia
- Apr 7
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 8
After an unforgettable 2024 edition that had us sprinting between venues, soaking up Saharan blues, basement shoegaze and punk-fuelled chaos, Manchester Psych Fest is back and bigger than ever for 2025. Returning on Saturday 30th August, the UK’s leading psychedelic music and arts festival is pulling out all the stops for its 12th edition, with a newly announced wave of acts that cements it as one of the most exciting one-day festivals in the UK calendar.
This year’s line-up already boasted GOAT, Nadine Shah, George Clanton and Tropical Fuck Storm, and now it’s had a serious injection of weird, wild and wonderful with 22 new names added. Highlights from this drop include cult favourites Warmduscher, Welsh two-piece The Bug Club, the soulful shimmer of Yellow Days, Dutch psych-funk wizards Yīn Yīn, and Nu-jazz poet Joshua Idehen! Each act bringing their own flavour to a line-up that’s pushing well beyond 50 artists.
As we saw last year, it’s the combination of left-field legends and grassroots gems that makes MPF so special. The new additions this year don’t disappoint. From shoegaze saints LSD and the Search for God to American singer-songwriter Christopher Owens, disco punks Getdown Services, and Bristol noise rock royalty The Telescopes, it’s looking like another genre-hopping, mind-expanding affair.
Let’s not forget the venues – MPF sprawls across some of Manchester’s best-loved spots including Manchester Academy, Albert Hall, O2 Ritz, Gorilla, YES, Deaf Institute, The Bread Shed and the Projekts Skatepark outdoor stage. Expect a full city takeover once again, with live visuals from Innerstrings, art installations, DJs, food vendors, workshops and even yoga to balance the madness. It’s a full-sensory experience that goes way beyond just the music.
MPF 2024 👇Our Photos
A Glimpse Back to 2024: What to Expect in 2025
If last year was anything to go by, 2025 is set to be another unforgettable ride. The 2024 edition had us roaming the city like psych pilgrims, discovering new acts in the most unexpected corners. Watch our feature video from last year below:
We kicked things off last year with Georgian in the O2 Ritz basement – a ghostly, cinematic set that felt like a spaghetti western soaked in moonlight. The kind of performance that stops you in your tracks. Later, Mdou Moctar blew the roof off the main stage with Saharan blues-meets-psych guitar wizardry, while Wax Head detonated a punk-infused explosion at Deaf Institute that had the crowd in raptures.
The smaller venues delivered just as much gold. Black Doldrums turned The Bread Shed into a gothic dreamscape, and Hello Mary brought shoegaze sweetness to YES. The sort of acts you stumble across and end up obsessing over for months afterwards.
Sure, we had to sprint across town at times (the Altin Gün dash from YES to Albert Hall will live rent-free in our minds forever), but every chaotic zigzag was worth it. This year looks no different – the city-wide sprawl is part of the adventure. Just wear comfy shoes.
Some New Names to Bookmark:
Warmduscher – punk, funk, sleaze and swagger. The live show is a full-blown carnival.
The Bug Club – Welsh indie duo with buckets of charm and fuzzy hooks.
Yīn Yīn – the Dutch band that blends psych, funk and Southeast Asian grooves with infectious energy.
Joshua Idehen – part preacher, part poet, all vibe.
LSD and the Search for God – a deep-dive into vintage shoegaze that’ll melt your mind.
Christopher Owens – lo-fi indie royalty returns with a rare UK appearance.
The Telescopes – legends of the noise rock underworld.
Listen to the official playlist below
But honestly, the beauty of MPF lies in not knowing exactly what you’re getting into. Some of our biggest revelations last year came from names we’d never heard of. Just follow the sounds and see where you end up.
Tickets, Tips & Getting There
Fourth release tickets are on sale now via manchesterpsychfest.com, with earlybird, second and third release all long gone. If you’re on the fence, don’t hang about – this one sells out fast every year.
And a pro tip from us: plan your route loosely, but leave room to wander. The best sets are often the ones you stumble into by accident. That, and don’t underestimate the queues – last year, punters were already lined up round the block by 1:30pm.
Whether you're a long-time psych head or diving in for the first time, Manchester Psych Fest 2025 is shaping up to be another riotous, eye-opening celebration of all things psychedelic. From incredible energy to cosmic jams and everywhere in between, this is the festival where genres blur and boundaries melt. We cannot wait!
And of course, as always, we’ll see you at the front.
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🎥 Watch our full 2024 highlight video in this article
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