Manchester punk band Loose Articles threw open the doors of The Vale arts centre in Mossley on Saturday, February 22, inviting female and non-binary youth aged 14-25 to shadow their all-female touring team during soundcheck and setup for the evening’s gig.

The “Kick Like a Girl Extra Time!” session, part of a grassroots tour funded by Arts Council England, gave participants exclusive behind-the-scenes access to every role—from booking agent to promoter to crew—before the quartet took the stage. One attendee also secured a support slot for the night’s show, while everyone who joined the soundcheck earned free entry to the performance.

Band members Nat, Erin, Abbi and Anna said: “This is the second Kick Like a Girl tour and from the reaction we had during and following the last one, we feel more than ever the importance as a band to be doing tours like this. We feel passionately about making changes in the music industry to address inequality. We want to create a shift away in the industry we operate in from being white male dominated.”

The initiative continues beyond the Mossley date, offering graduates early invites to future tours, a gig-buddy scheme and sign-posting to local music opportunities. The Vale programming manager Johnny Clifford called the event “a very exciting opportunity for a behind the scenes look at the mechanics of a successful gigging band,” adding that grassroots venues like his are “the lifeblood of the music business.”

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