Accompanied by a band and string quartet, Damon Albarn will perform tracks from across his extensive songbook, including the current project The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows, originally inspired by the landscapes of Iceland and expanded and completed during lockdown to further explore themes of fragility, emergence and rebirth. The title is taken from a John Clare poem Love and Memory. With a history of collaboration with the Festival since its inception, these two special performances by Albarn are not to be missed.

The Nearer The Fountain

The Cormorant

Royal Morning Blue

Lonely Press Play

Good Song

Ghost Ship

Go Back

1917

Saturday Come Slow

The Great Fire

The Tower of Montevideo

The Poison Tree

El Manana

Hong Kong

3 Changes

Darkness to Light

On Melancholy Hill

Out of Time

Nature Springs

Polaris

This is a Low

FOR MORE INFORMATION, IMAGES, QUOTES AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS PLEASE CONTACT:

Manchester International Festival:

Emma Robertson, Head of Press and PR, +44 (0)7813 521104, emma.robertson@mif.co.uk

Jamie-leigh Hargreaves, Senior Press Officer, +44 (0)7534 492118, jamieleigh.hargreaves@mif.co.uk

Oscar Lister, Press Officer, +44 (0)7494 688523, oscar.lister@mif.co.uk