The legendary In The City (ITC) music festival will be taking Manchester by storm this week offering five nights of live music and clubbing, packing the city to the rafters with Europe's finest new talent.

Ten years ago, the festival launched in Manchester. An annual convention for the UK's music industry, it remains the only event of its kind in the country.

Unsigned

ITC is notorious for putting Manchester on the UK music-map having discovering bands like Oasis, Coldplay, Muse and Stereophonics. Last year's non-winners, Haven, are already making significant waves.

No less than 80 unsigned bands from across Europe will compete for the attention of the industry's a&r fraternity, giving a grand total of 500 bands, artists and DJs performing within a square mile.

Dance

For the second year ITC plays host to the UKs only dedicated dance summit, headed by Coldcut's Jon Moore and Ninja Tune head Peter Quicke.

Other talks will be headed by Punk idol John Lydon, formerly Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, Andrew Loog Oldham, former manager of the Rolling Stones, Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan, director and star of the ''Madchester'' music movie 24 Hour Party People.

This five day extravaganza that will culminate in one enormous FREE party on Tuesday October 2 at Deansgate Locks supported by F-Communications, Blue Note, Grand Central. That's one party with 11 live bands, 5 venues and 4000 people.

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