Rooftop gigs, big name performances and an artist discovery programme - first details of New Order backed Manchester music conference revealed

A new global music conference backed by New Order has revealed its programme details and released its first wave of tickets for its inaugural edition being held in Manchester later this year.

Timed to coincide with a launch show held at SXSW festival in Texas last night, which saw New Order kick off proceedings, Beyond The Music, also arranged for a series of specially commissioned visual artworks by students at Manchester’s School of Digital Arts (SODA) to light up Austin in Texas to mark the occasion and herald a new era for the music industry.

Support for the launch event came from Manchester Avant-pop rockers The Orielles and post-punk quartet Loose Articles. Both supporting acts were supported to attend SXSW by GMCA (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) and were selected by the Greater Manchester Music Commission and Manchester Music Cities Network.

Read more: New Manchester music conference backed by New Order to be held in the city

Beyond the Music is the brainchild of Oli Wilson, son of Tony Wilson, owner of the legendary label Factory Records, and is programmed around the key issues facing the music industry today, but will also celebrate the opportunities in the "new cultural economy". The inaugural event will take place in Manchester from 11-14 October.

Earlier in the day, Beyond The Music hosted a panel at the UK House, featuring founder Oli Wilson, co founder Sarah Pearson, and Chair Rose Marley, alongside the Mayor of Greater Manchester, UK, Andy Burnham. The four discussed why now is the time for Manchester to launch an international music festival and conference and how the hybrid will be different from other events.

At the heart of Beyond The Music will be four days of live music from new and