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All the winners from the first Northern Music Awards – including Leeds’ own Brudenell Social Club and English Teacher

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 24th April 2024

An evening for every Northerner and music lover to revel in and a reminder of just how wonderful it is up here.

Last night finally saw the inaugural Northern Music Awards take place at the iconic Albert Hall in Manchester, a night celebrating everything we know and love about the North: we love our music and we’re bloody good at it, and we also know how to have a knees up better than anyone.

The landmark awards ceremony, put on by music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins and backed by dozens of local, national and global brands (including our lovely selves here at The Manc Group) has been 18 months in the making and faced plenty of obstacles, but nothing us Northerners couldn’t overcome.

More importantly, it was well worth the wait. Hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music presenter and passionate Nordoff and Robbins ambassador, Chris Hawkins, the night was packed not only with handing out shiny gongs but moving speeches, live performances from some big acts and a great ol’ boogie at the end.

From digs about Co-op Live not quite being ready and jabs at the government, HS2 and investment in Northern infrastructure when an award-winner couldn’t make it on time, to Gary Neville telling City fans to “f*ck off” and Andy Burham giving a rousing speech about why the North is top banana, it had it all.

So who picked up what at the first-ever NMAs for 2024?

The winners of the very first Northern Music Awards

Although a few acts recognised on the night had to phone in, the overall turnout was incredible, with speeches and a stunning stripped-down performance by Liam Fray, household names like Simon Rimmer helping hand out the gorgeously floral and abstract trophies, it was a truly special night at Albert Hall Manchester.

It was also wonderful to see how many people were getting involved with Nordoff and Robbins’ charity raffle and silent auction, with all the proceeds going straight back into helping the non-profit carry out its heartwarming work across the country.

But let’s get into who took home the bit of bronze, shall we?

  • Music and Culture for Wellbeing: Dance Syndrome – Lancashire
  • Inspirational Venue of the Year (under 500 cap): Brudenell Social Club – Leeds
  • Inspirational Venue of the Year (under 2000 cap): Band on the Wall – Manchester
  • Festival of the Year: Beat-Herder – Lancashire
Well, look who it is!
  • Industry Icon Award: Michael Adex – Manchester
  • Newcomer of the Year: English Teacher – Leeds
  • DJ of the Year: DJ Paulette – Manchester
  • Breakthrough Act of the Year: The K’s – Earlestown
  • Artist of the Year: Louis Tomlinson – Doncaster
  • Band of the Year: The Courteeners – Manchester
  • Music Moment of the Year: Aitch, Glastonbury – Manchester
  • Disruptor in Music: The Reytons – Rotherham
  • Northern Icon Award: Lisa Stansfield – Manchester
  • Special Recognition Award: Melanie C – Merseyside
  • LiveNation’s Northern Music Award: Tim Burgess – Salford

Congratulations to all of the winners – so well deserved and all spoke so well about why a dedicated Northern Music Awards matters, embodying exactly why we love it so much up here.

The live performances were unreal

Host Hawkins said it perfectly on the night, these posh dos could take place at who knows where in the future just so long as the only rule is: “insert Northern town or city here“. It was an honour to kick off the Northern Music Awards here in Manchester but we’ll happily big up our Northern cousins any day.

As he reminded us by expertly reeling off a lengthy list of the iconic names to have come out of not just 0161 but the North in general – he even managed to make it rhyme, for the most part – it’d be greedy try and keep it all to ourselves when there are so many other top-tier venues that deserve spotlighting.

Who knows, maybe it’ll head Yorkshire way and our friends over at The Hoot will help take on that difficult second album in 2025.

Regardless, we’ll remember the legend that is Lisa Stansfield still not even breaking a sweat as she got the Albert Hall up on its feet forever and we cannot wait for next year, wherever it may be.The queen signing things off in style.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

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Loyle Carner at Kirkstall Abbey – the perfect match of artist and venue

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

One of Britain's best performed to a pack-out crowd at Leeds' historic Kirkstall Abbey.

If there was ever a venue designed to make you feel like you've accidentally wandered into the coolest history lesson of your life, it's Kirkstall Abbey.

Ancient ruins, blazing sunshine, pints in plastic cups and thousands of people flocking for the one and only Loyle Carner? Not a bad way to spend a Saturday we think.

And it wasn't just Loyle who we were treated to either, the entire day as part of Above All Else Festival saw a bill of groove-fuelled acts take to the stage.

Bricknasty, Kofi Stone, Kokoroko and Jordan Rakei delivered fabulous sets and warmed us up very nicely indeed for the man himself.

Fresh from the release of Hopefully!, Carner arrived to deafening cheers, wasting little time before settling into the laid-back confidence that has become his trademark.

And he didn't waste time getting into his catalogue of hits either as he seamlessly transitioned from one banger to the next.

It really felt like a celebration of his work, and he himself welled up at the sea of people singing his songs back to him over and over again.

Of course, highlights included Loose Ends and Ottolenghi but dedicating Hate to Nigel Farage was nothing short of iconic.

This is a rapper that has executed the delivery between syncopation and rhythm perfectly, but it's his lyrics that keep you going back for more.

Of course Kirkstall Abbey itself deserves plenty of credit, as the sun went down the abbey was lit up and created probably the most cinematic backdrop for a gig you can imagine.

What stood out most, though, was the atmosphere. There was a proper sense of community throughout the evening, with strangers dancing together and friends rapping every word arm in arm.

Loyle Carner has long been regarded as one of Britain's most thoughtful voices in hip-hop, but nights like this show why his appeal stretches far beyond the genre.

What's next for Loyle Carner? We're not sure, but we feel very lucky to have shared this moment with him, and you could tell he did too.

Read more: The Maccabees at Kirkstall Abbey – musical reunion of the decade?

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

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The Maccabees at Kirkstall Abbey – musical reunion of the decade?

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

When bands reunite, it's usually pretty easy to guess what the motive is. A looming tax bill, an incoming divorce, a tanking solo career, for example.

But with The Maccabees, those scenarios feel a long way removed.

This is a band that called it a day at the top of their game - and then have returned even stronger, and seemingly because they just missed being on stage together.

Addressing the near-decade apart while on stage at Kirkstall Abbey, The Maccabees frontman Orlando Weeks sums it up simply: "For a long time we were a band, and then we weren't a band for a bit, and now we're a band again."

He's as softly-spoken a frontman as they come, but then The Maccabees never have leaned entirely on their frontman for their live energy - not when he's flanked by the White brothers.

Felix White spends half the gig sporting an ear-splitting grin, and the other half screaming words of encouragement at the audience like a crazed Top of the Pops presenter. The organised-fun patter might grate if he weren't so phenomenal the moment the music starts again.

Then brother Hugo is a brooding, powerful figure, usually standing with his legs so wide apart I'm surprised he doesn't split his trousers. His stage presence is so cool, so confident, it's hard to take your eyes off him.

Orlando's otherworldly voice is really allowed to shine through with songs like Spit It Out, when the stage reduces to a single spotlight and the other band members actually squat down to minimise the distractions.

The tempo shifts of Marks to Prove It, the urgency of X-Ray and the layered beauty of Wall of Arms all underline just how tightly the band play together.

There will be new music on the way, eventually, and they give us a glimpse into that with The Ballad of So Long, a swooping epic that suggests they still have somewhere new to go.

It's hard to complain that they don't have much more to show us yet - not when the alternative is a greatest hits, belt-every-word live show.

By the end of the night, as The Maccabees wrap up their show at Kirkstall Abbey, there's a quiet confidence about them. They know this comeback works, and we'll be lapping it up for as long as they'll stick around.

Judging by the reaction inside Kirkstall Abbey, everyone else does too.

Read more: Loyle Carner at Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more

Featured image: The Hoot Leeds

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