HIP-HOP and R&B phenomenon N.E.R.D. are coming to Manchester Academy on Wednesday, August 20.

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of The Neptunes are arguably the most revolutionary production tandem in modern music since Quincy Jones and Rod Tempterton put down shuffle-beats and doo-wops behind a young singer named Michael Jackson.

With their digital musical palette and vivid imaginations, they've taken their hip-hop foundation and un-tethered the bounds of pop, bestowing unsuspecting hit records in almost machine-gun-like succession – whether in rap (Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, et al), R&B (Usher, Babyface), pop (Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake) or rock (No Doubt).

But N.E.R.D is not the Neptunes. N.E.R.D is the offspring of the Neptunes ID, with the trio Pharrell, Chad and Shay released in a live environment.

N.E.R.D’s latest album Seeing Sounds is the follow up to 2004’s album Fly or Die which featured the hits Maybe and She Wants to Move.

Tickets are £27.50 and are on general sale now from gigsandtours.com, the 24-hour hotline 0871 2200 260 and 0161 832 1111.