Ani DiFranco at Manchester Cathedral

American singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco is heading to Manchester Cathedral this September as part of a major tour. DiFranco’s music is a mixture of folk and alternative rock, featuring percussive acoustic guitar, and socially conscious lyrics. She has been a fiercely independent voice in the music world for almost a quarter of a century. Even before the democratising force of the internet, DiFranco was succeeding without the help of big record companies, releasing music through her own Righteous Babe label. Although not a household name, even in her native America, DiFranco is a critical darling and a popular live draw. She can fill venues as grand as Carnegie Hall, and releases ‘official bootleg’ recordings of many of her concerts. Her new album, Allergic to Water, will be released this September.

Sat 20 Sep, Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Street, M3 1SX, 7pm, £22.50, www.seetickets.com