Sellout showcase returns to The Vale

Tameside and Oldham’s most up-and-coming bands will be playing at In Our Backyard, with a brand new 'Schoolyard' pre-show event highlighting the best of local under-16s talent.

In Our Backyard - the ultimate annual showcase for the local music scene - returns on Saturday 21 June 2025. Six homegrown and handpicked bands will take to the stage at The Vale as joint headliners.

From indie folk through Queer punk to ska fusion, the super-six come together to present a lively and eclectic celebration of the musical talent to be found right on the venue's doorstep.

And after the sell out success of last year's launch event at the Mossley arts centre, a brand new early evening pre-show - called In Our Schoolyard- features three mini-sets from the best local under-16s acts.

Johnny Clifford, programming manager at The Vale, said:  "In Our Backyard is back and it's an absolute pleasure to once again host the very best of Oldham and Tameside's homegrown musical talent. Should be mega!"

Here’s the lineup for In Our Backyard 2025:
 
Madame Claude 

Saddleworth and Tameside-based five-piece Madame Claude will be returning to In Our Backyard, bringing their own unique sound, which mixes ska, rocksteady, reggae and disco. The group have earned praise from vocalist Pauline Black, who called them “the best ska band I’ve heard in ages” after they opened for two-tone legends Selector. Catch them in Mossley before they play their biggest-ever headline show at Gorilla in Manchester this September.
 
The Dirt

Mossley-based psych-punk duo The Dirt will be bringing big bags of heavy guitar loops and punchy percussion with fast firing lyrics from vocalist Jack Horner, AKA Leon the Pig Farmer. The two piece, which also feature's Horner's wife Sachiko Wakizaka on guitar, recently recorded their second studio album, which is due for release the second half of this year.
 
Sugar Crease

Also gracing the stage at The Vale for the second year in a row are Sugar Crease, who describe themselves as 'psych-wonk' and 'joyous and surreal indie'. Earning comparisons to legends from Talking Heads to the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Sugar Crease features two high spirited frontmen and recent singles Rum Soaked Buns and Brian With a Y confirm they're heading on a trajectory to the stars.
 
The Dirty Looks

Formed in the summer of 2023, The Dirty Looks are an unsigned, DIY femme-led Queer band, creating music that defies genre boundaries. This quirky group blends elements of classic punk, psychedelic rock, goth, and pop into a tight and unique sound that’s distinctly their own.

Also on the bill are Mossley indie folk purveyors Madoc and the Black Lungs and the Sly, who describe themselves as a ‘musicians’ set of musicians’.

New for 2025 is the pre-show special event In Our Schoolyard. Running from 5.30-7pm, it features three short, sharp sets from the youngest shoots of the grassroots.

The Mixtape is a band of year 10/11 students from Crossley Heath School, known for their covers which include Guns N' Roses' Sweet Child O' Mine and Paramore's Hard Times. These music enthusiasts already have a battle of the bands win behind them and are sure to go on to great things.

Primal is a metal band, formed by four Year 10 students in 2022. Influenced by giants of the genre including Metallica, Iron Maiden and Pantera, an album of original material is set for release in late 2025.

Though Saddleworth School's Room 3 have only been together since the start of this year, they've already been crowned runners up in a schools' battle of the bands competition. The Year 8/9 students perform crowd-pleasing cover versions including Oasis, Blur and The Cranberries. Drummer Sonny's performance pedigree is strong: his parents are local blues legend Kyla Brox and partner guitarist Danny Blomeley. 

Mossley DJ Jason Rushton has been tasked with providing the sounds before, between and after the bands and will keep the party going until midnight.

On Saturday 21 June 2025, In Our Schoolyard (https://the-vale.co.uk/event/in-our-schoolyard/) starts at 5.30pm and tickets are £5. In Our Backyard is from 7pm and tickets are £12.50. A combined ticket is £15. A limited number of pay what you feel tickets are available for both events, which are at The Vale, Unit 2 Vale Mill, Micklehurst Road, Mossley OL59 JL.