WOMEX 24 Festival unveils massive lineup ahead of its Manchester debut

The Worldwide Music Expo (WOMEX) has unveiled its full music and film lineup ahead of this year’s edition in Manchester.

Running from Thu 24 Oct – Sat 26 Oct, WOMEX 24 Festival features more than 50 live acts from across the world, representing a mix of musical genres and styles, including folk, afrobeat, roots, jazz, reggae and electronica. 

The festival, which comes to the city for this year only, will spread across some of Manchester’s most iconic venues, with Albert Hall, Manchester Central, O2 Ritz Manchester, HOME and Aviva Studios all getting involved.

Plus, The Bridgewater Hall will welcome a special opening night concert on Wed 23 Oct. Hosted by Manchester legend, DJ Paulette, with artistic direction by Jenna G, the night will see performances from four artists that represent the breadth of Greater Manchester’s music scene – Agbeko, Dirty Freud, Heather Ferrier and Vulva Voce. 

Artists performing across the three nights include Orchestra Baobab, known for their smooth blend of Cuban rhythms and traditional West African sounds; Japanese neo-folk fusion band Mitsune; Parisian group Sarāb, who mix Arabic music, jazz and psychedelic rock; Jamaican artist Kabaka Pyramid who fuses traditional reggae with modern hip-hop; and Les Mamans du Congo x Rrobin who will present an electrifying fusion of Congolese rhythms and modern electronic beats. 

Albert Hall’s Horizons Stage will be dedicated to showcasing acts from across the UK and Ireland, here you’ll find everything from Welsh Folk and West African Mandé to Irish rap. 

Balimaya Project, Gwenifer Raymond (England), Strange Boy (Ireland), Córas Trio (Northern Ireland), Amy Laurenson, Gnoss (Scotland/Alba), Cerys Hafana, and N’famady Kouyaté (Cymru/Wales) will all perform. The Horizons Stage line-up also includes one act from the host city (Rioghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet), in partnership with Manchester Music City. 

As well as all the live music, the Club Summit at O2 Ritz Manchester will be the place for late-night parties on Friday and Saturday, featuring DJs and electronic artists from Latin America, South Africa and more. Elsewhere, HOME will screen a specially-curated selection of documentaries capturing landmark movements and musical moments from around the world.

Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We love live music in Manchester and can’t wait to welcome WOMEX to the city and the chance it brings for our audiences to enjoy some of the most incredible international musicians from around the globe, performing on local stages at some of our most iconic venues.  It promises to be a fantastic few days filled with music that moves you and makes you dance – don’t miss it, catch some if you can!”

Guests can pick between 3-Night Festival Passes, 1-Night Festival Passes or 1-Night Venue Passes. 3-Night Passes will also include access to the opening night concert at The Bridgewater Hall. For more information, or to book your tickets, click the button below.