SWAP Manchester Festival

• 15th May 2005

The weekend of Friday 1st July – Sunday 3rd July sees Manchester play host to the very first International SWAP Festival, featuring some of the all-time great songwriters performing alongside unsigned artists and emerging talent from across the UK and Europe. With exclusive live performances, SWAP Festival promises three jam-packed days of outstanding musical talent from a fantastic diversity of artists, including the world renowned Steve Earle and Shane McGowan, headlining shows in Academy 1. The acclaimed Be Good Tanyas, Thea Gilmore, Kathryn Williams, Brendan Benson, Allison Moorer, Damien Dempsey, Martin Joseph, Amos Lee, Roger Young and Patrick Wolf are amongst other featured SWAP Festival international artists.

The SWAP programme also includes daytime song writing workshops and master classes, taken by some of the artists due to perform and other name facilitators. The Workshops are organised in association with GMMAZ, City College Manchester and song writing and publishing associations. Recruiting participants from emerging songwriters in the region

For information on taking part in SWAP workshops, email workshops: mail. For workshop press info and updates call 0161 244 5795

The SWAP team will also be creating 4 free outdoor stages in Manchester City centre, on the afternoon of Sunday 3rd July at The Triangle, The Printworks, Albert Square and St Ann’s Square.

SWAP tickets are available as a WEEKEND PASS at the bargain price of £50 or £35 for students. Individual concert tickets are also available.

For full line ups and details, check out ythe official site: link