Tips For 2018 - Part One

Every year we make some predictions of bands that we think are going to make an impact in the following year and beyond (we use that caveat as we're often a year ahead of some of these types of polls as we cover bands at the very grass roots level, particularly in Manchester). Last year our nominations included the likes of Cabbage, Carnival Club, Matter Of Mind, Dantevilles, Berries, Urban Theory and Peaness, all of whom had successful years.

Over the next five days, cumulating with our top four tips on Saturday, we'll run through 20 acts we think could make their mark in 2018.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Ailbhe Reddy - The Tube

Ailbhe Reddy's latest single The Tube precedes the Dublin-based singer's headline Irish and UK tour starting this week. It's the follow up to Relent which was released earlier this year and along with some well-received festival performances over the summer, her ability to combine both folk and rock influences into her songs suggests that she's got a big future ahead of her.

Head For The Hills Festival Day 3 - Berries / Ailbhe Reddy / HAWK / Bury Community Choir / Tankus The Henge / Will Varley / Stained Glass Ceiling

Day 3 and the final instalment of this year's Head For The Hills festival saw us strike lucky with the rain holding off for most of the day and the most diverse line up of the three days that allowed us to wander round the site and catch a little bit of almost everything during the course of the afternoon and the evening. We caught up with Berries, Ailbhe Reddy, Hawk, Tankus The Henge, Will Varley, Martin Harley and Stained Glass Ceiling.