Manchester Collective: Lights and Places
Immerse yourself in a kaleidoscope of sounds and cross-genre experimentation at this radiant celebration of voices from the UK’s contemporary music scene.
The days are shorter, the nights longer. Lights and places flicker endlessly…
Encounter a kaleidoscope of sounds and cross-genre experimentation in a radiant celebration of voices bursting from Britain’s contemporary music scene. These are artists capturing the here and now: technological dystopia, the dark electricity of raves, the melancholic night bus journey back home.
Scottish artist Anna Meredith’s playful blend of electronic beats and acoustic instruments defies genre, earning her a Mercury Prize nomination and Pitchfork’s Best New Music seal of approval. And you can feel the heat haze of jazz in the work of Belize-born, Orkney-based Errollyn Wallen. Her work has represented Britain on an international stage – and even in outer space.
Some of these musicians lead double lives. Composer Mathis Saunier moonlights as the founding member of a French noise-pop band, and the electric guitar shreds through his performance art piece ‘HYPER MEMORIA’. Londoner Jocelyn Campbell grew up playing double bass before diving headfirst into alternative pop and electronica, while curator and composer Alex Groves finds inspiration in contemporary visual art practices.
The spirit of reinvention thrums throughout this high-energy night.
Since their formation in 2016, Manchester Collective has become known for their imaginative programming, daring collaborations and engaging performances.
The shape-shifting ensemble performs a combination of cutting-edge contemporary music, classical masterpieces and staged work nationally and internationally, in spaces ranging from concert halls to warehouses, nightclubs to festivals.
Manchester Collective is a Southbank Centre Resident Artist for Classical Music: Autumn/Winter 2025/26.
Performers
Manchester Collective
Rakhi Singh violin
Jonathan Martindale violin
Carol Ella viola
Peggy Nolan cello
Daniel Shao flute
Mathis Saunier electric guitar
Repertoire
Mathis Saunier: HYPER MEMORIA for violin, cello, electric guitar & electronics
Alex Groves: Alula for violin & electronics
Interval
Errollyn Wallen: All the blues I see for flute & string quartet
Jocelyn Campbell: 3AM: Lights and places flicker endlessly ... for string trio
Anna Meredith: Tuggemo for string quartet & electronics
Need to know
Strobe and flashing lights are used in this performance.
Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer, 5pm. DJ, composer and visual artist Anja Ngozi explores space within harmony and disharmony, feeling out the sonic connections to emotions. Anja is a Manchester Collective EXPERIMENTA 2025 artist. Free
For your visit
This event is held at the Purcell Room Southbank Centre
The Purcell Room is located in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Purcell Room is an auditorium located within our Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.