Blossoms and Sounds of the City

Sounds of the City is an annual series of high-profile outdoor concerts held at Castlefield Bowl in Manchester. The series has been running for over 15 years, organized by Manchester-based promoters SJM Concerts. Castlefield Bowl is part of an urban heritage site—the world's first industrial heritage park. To accommodate larger crowds, designers once famously built a 22-meter "floating" stage over a spur of the Bridgewater Canal to maximize space and sightlines.

Blossoms, a Stockport quintet, combines Brit-pop and indie rock with catchy synth-forward tunes. Known for "Charlemagne" and "Foolish Loving Spaces," they topped U.K. charts and sold out venues. The band collaborated with Rick Astley in 2023.