Free things to do in Manchester this week ft. KOALAS + more

KOALAS & Cocoa Futures at YES
Production studios Low Four – based out of the Old Granada Studios – present this free showcase at hip, new music venue YES on Charles Street. They’re presenting two up-and-coming bands: First up is electronic two-hander KOALAS (pictured), fresh off the release of their new single Sandcastles, and secondly we have dreampop band Cocoa Futures. The night will be rounded off with a DJ set from pulse-pounding electro wunderkind Makemake.
Tue 13 Nov, YES, 38 Charles Street, Manchester, M1 7BD, 7.30pm – 11pm, www.facebook.com

War & The Politics of Outrage at 70 Oxford Street
Leicester University’s Dr. Jamie Johnson comes to 70 Oxford Street this Wednesday afternoon for a lecture that will cover the length and breadth of our current political situation. Drawing from the work of French philosopher and cultural theorist Jean Baudrillard, Johnson aims to explain how the constant cycle of scandals blighting politics actually fails to hold the powerful to account, instead providing cover for the same behaviour it aim to expose, and creating a situation where actions that might’ve been career-ending in a previous generation are now considered business-as-usual. Booking ahead for this is essential.
Wed 14 Nov, 70 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5NH, 1.30pm – 3pm, www.eventbrite.com

The Ground Beneath Your Feet Preview at Castlefield Gallery
A new exhibition opens this week at Castlefield Gallery, as part of the With One Voice International Arts and Homelessness Summit & Festival, and you can catch a preview on Thursday night. The Ground Beneath Your Feet is a touring exhibition featuring contributions from multiple artists, inspired by the oil-rich fields of Southern Iran. For more information on this exhibition, check out our full preview.
Thu 15 Nov, Castlefield Gallery, 2 Hewitt Street, Manchester, M15 4GB, 6pm – 8pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk

International Arts Showcase at Manchester Museum
Also part of the With One Voice festival, writer and journalism lecturer Kate Feld hosts this free international arts showcase at Manchester Museum. Part of the museum’s After Hours series, where the museum stays open late one night a week for special events, this showcase features song, spoken word and all other kinds of live performance. Confirmed amongst the acts are dance groups from Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, bringing authentic dancing styles from their native countries.
Thu 15 Nov, Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, 6pm – 9pm, www.facebook.com