Now Wave have been putting on shows in Manchester since 2008. They now run over 250 a year, and they are behind Manchester Psych Fest as well as a long list of artists who played the city early on and came back much bigger.
dBs students in Manchester will now have the opportunity to shadow live sound at Now Wave shows, including at their new venue The Abbey. The programme runs across four months, with students working alongside the sound engineer through the full day of a show, from load in to pack down. There will also be support slots available across the season.
We asked Gareth, who joined Now Wave in 2020, what students can expect, what the Manchester scene looks like at the moment, and what he notices in people starting out.
Can you tell us a bit about Now Wave?
Now Wave has grown to be a cultural asset of Manchester, boasting over 250 shows a year. We try and be as selective as possible, not saying yes to every show, and I believe we've specialised in introducing new and emerging acts to the city whilst maintaining relationships with artists Now Wave have worked with across the two decades, such as Mac DeMarco, Big Thief, The xx, and alt-J.
What can students expect from the partnership between dBs and Now Wave?
Hands on experience in a professional environment, in what will become one of Manchester's favourite new venues. A chance to see all the ins and outs of a small show, and the chance to build contacts with tech, venue, promoters and artists' teams such as TMs.
What does the Manchester live music scene look like at the moment? What's healthy about it and what's harder than it used to be?
It feels like there are more shows than ever. There's something on almost every night.
Perhaps that also makes things hard. You're not only trying to persuade people to come out to live events, you're asking them to come out and then to choose yours even though there's healthy competition across the city for things to do.
Talk us through the shadowing programme. What will a student actually be doing on a show day, and who will they be working alongside?
They’ll primarily be working alongside the sound engineer. They’ll be preparing the venue for the arrival of artists, assisting them loading in, setting up and sound checking, then the same for the support. They'll also come into close contact with the venue manager and the promoter rep who looks after the show, assist with any issues that come up during the show and see how everything runs from load in to pack down and load out.
What do you hope students take away from it?
A thirst to pursue their ambition to work in the live industry, some handy contacts, and real life experience outside of the classroom which is really important.
When you're looking at someone new coming into the industry, what makes them stand out?
For me, it's determination. Some people will be more savvy than others, but one thing you can be good at is working hard and willing to learn. That will get you far.
How did you get into this yourself, and what would you tell someone starting out now?
I got a journalism degree and started a music magazine, which I put some live events on for, and fell in love with promoting shows. That was spring 2010, so there's a lot of miles in the tank. I've repped shows, done the door, done all kinds of admin for shows. The more different aspects you can get a bit of experience in, the better. It's good to have a broad knowledge of the whole live scene.
Do you have advice for students who want to get involved locally but don't know where to start?
It depends which aspect, but certainly looking for link ups such as this one with dBs. If you really want to get into the industry then you're going to have to be dedicated and get yourself out there. Perhaps start an event yourself, but get some sensible advice before doing so.
What's coming up for Now Wave that students should have on their radar?
Some cracking shows. Fat Dog, Lambrini Girls, Cowboy Hunters at The Abbey, Chanel Beads, This is Lorelei, Getdown Services, Pigeon, and Manchester Psych Fest 2027 next September. We also run brand new music nights such as Mood Swings and Hot Take.
Everything is listed at nowwave.co.uk.
