Laura Kennedy

Name, where are you from?
Laura Kennedy, Manchester.

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the words ‘Manchester’ and ‘Music’?
That's the story of my life!

What part has Manchester played in your own musical journey?
I’m from Manchester so obviously, it’s played a huge part. When I was at school, we'd get the bus into Piccadilly on a Saturday and go and buy records and tickets from Piccadilly Records. We’d hang out in Affleck's and pick up flyers for gigs at the Boardwalk, the Wilde Club (at the Man Alive Club), the Hop & Grape (now Academy 3) and The Haçienda. Then, when I started a job at the Town Hall I used to spend my lunch breaks in Piccadilly Records until eventually, they offered me a job!

Why do you think Manchester has produced and inspired so many amazing musicians?
Manchester has always been a pretty innovative and creative place and I think once you start producing great musicians, it becomes a self-perpetuating thing. Manchester is a really diverse city too, being historically an industrial city we've always had people from different backgrounds coming here for work and added to that having a massive student population has created the perfect melting pot for new ideas.

Tell us about your favourite ever gig in Manchester?
There have been so many it’s almost impossible to say, but if I had to pick one it’s probably The Smiths at The Haçienda in 1983 (yes, I was underage - I'm not quite that old!)

How important do you think the Northern Quarter is in terms of Manchester’s musical scene?
The Northern Quarter is vital to the music scene, it's a real hub of creativity, not just musicians but all sorts of creative people base themselves here and they all feed off each other.

Where’s the best place to discover new music in the NQ?
You’re spoilt for choice really. There are the smaller venues like The Peer Hat, The Castle and Gullivers to catch new and up and coming bands. Then you have Night & Day, Soup Kitchen and Band On The Wall which are a bit bigger but still small enough that you’re likely to discover something new and exciting and there’s Matt And Phred’s too if jazz is your thing. Hopefully, all of these have survived the last 12 months of chaos. And of course, there are plenty of record shops too!

Which are the first places you’ll be hanging out in the NQ once the lockdown is fully over?
We’ve got a few album launch shows lined up at Night & Day at the end of June and early July so I’ll be there for sure. Also really looking forward to a post-work pint in Common with my mates.

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