Stories From The She Punks @ HOME
Saturday 1st June
As part of Doc’n Roll MCR – a city-wide selection of music documentary screenings, this Saturday sees ‘Stories From The She Punks’ head to HOME which also includes a Q&A session afterwards with the documentaries two ‘subjects’ Gina Birch and Helen Reddington. The documentary itself explores their lives (as women) in punk bands in the 70’s – an insightful and often funny account of just what was going on behind all of those safety pins and recently cooked mohawks. There’s a few more screenings over the weekend too – check out the Doc’n Roll site for all the info.
The Spice Girls
Saturday 1st June
To be fair to the ladies, they’ve already been in the city since Wednesday – singing all of their hits, dancing all of the old moves and squeezing into all of their old outfits. I know a few people who have been and they bloody loved it – so if you’re still yet to go – you’re in for a treat. I must admit to having a certain soft spot for Mel B (in case you were wondering) so if you’re reading this Mel – BBM me or better yet get on MSN and we can chat like it’s 1998 all over again. Seeing as they’re in town, many of the city’s establishments are putting on special Spice Girls events this Saturday including a brilliant Spice Girls Bottomless Brunch at Brasserie Abode (with LIVE Spice Girls tribute), and if you go to the Pen & Pencil with your ticket you can get £3 drinks and 25% off food! I will not cheapen the end of this paragraph with some Spice Girls lyrics – I’ll stop right now.
There’s a Spice Girls Bottomless Brunch coming to Manchester!
Champions League Final
Saturday 1st June
Even though I know less about football than a 10-year-old kid that’s been raised as a wolf in the jungles of India, I DO know that it’s the Champions League Final this Saturday and that Liverpool will be taking on Tottenham for the crown of Kings of Europe. That’s it – that’s all I know. As soon as Ian Rush hung up his boots, shaved his moustache and got a darby I’ve not really followed footy – but it’s clear from my Facebook feed every week that a lot of you do. As you’d expect, most of the city’s venues with any form of telly will be showing the game, including Dive NQ who serve up a brilliant Sports Platter that if I’m being perfectly honest is the only reason I’ve ever been there to watch sport.
King Street Festival
Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd June
This weekend sees a whole host of events, offers and performances in and around one of the city’s most iconic streets – King Street. Now in its 9th year or something (I’ve just made that number up) the King Street Festival gets better year-on-year with 2019 looking like a right cracker. Jewel in the crown of the line-up is The Manchester Flower Show where the whole street will be turned into a botanical paradise by the city’s biggest and best flower people. Florists – that’s what they’re called. Also on the docket is plenty of food and drink offers, a pop-up gin bar, live music, historical talks and plenty more. Kuoni are also offering the chance to WIN a 5* luxury holiday to Mexico – you might as well enter it eh?!
Comic Con Manchester
Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June
Not to be mistaken with the MCM version that’s coming at the end of July, this Comic-Con is run by another company and is held at Bowlers near the Trafford Centre. Whoever works for this one certainly knows a lot of people because the line-up of special guests is absolutely massive and contains some proper good people. Well, they’ll only be good if you’re a 33-year-old movie loser like me but let me regale you with some of the stars who will be in Manchester this weekend: Steve Guttenberg! Judge Reinhold! Billy out of Gremlins (with Gizmo)! That bloke from Police Academy who does the noises! Admiral Ackbar! Oh, that’s it. That list seemed a lot more impressive when I looked at it pissed up the other night. Should still be good though.
Tyron Webster @ The Castle Hotel
Tuesday 4th June
Often referred to as the UK’s answer to the Weeknd, Tyron Webster is a hot Manchester talent whose sound is rooted in soul, pop and R&B, infused with ambient and experimental vibes. His beautifully diverse upbringing from his Jamaican father and his mother being Indian and white British mix caused Tyron to be exposed to the likes of reggae, R&B, 80’s power ballads and the Bollywood scene from a very early age. If you want to listen to his latest single – just click here. He’ll be at the Castle Hotel this week for only £4!
5 Course Tour de France Wine Dinner @ Brasserie Abode
Wednesday 5th June
This week sees another wine dinner come around at Brasserie Abode and as usual I can’t really say enough good things about ’em. I’ve been to a few of them now and every time I have a brilliant time – mostly because of the 5 course dinner and copious amounts of wine that gets sloshed about. This month’s iteration sees them explore ‘Tour de France’ which you’ll be happy to know has nothing to do with lyrca and performance enhancing drugs but instead is a leisurely stroll through the vineyards of possibly the most famous wine producer in the world. You’ll tuck into wines from all over, from Bordeaux to the South, all while enjoying a 5 course meal that’s been paired with each wine.
We Are 11 with Greg Wilson @ Deaf Institute
Wednesday 5th June
It seems like only yesterday that the Deaf Institute were celebrating their 10th birthday and here we are again – a full 1 year older, two stone heavier and 5x more cantankerous. Just like last year, the gang at ‘the deaf’ are going hell-for-leather on the festivities, with an evening of top tunes, 2-4-1 food and loads of cheap booze. Starting at 4pm they’ll have a clothing stall in the main bar from Kala MCR, as well as cheap food and cocktail specials. From 11pm the Music Hall will open and there will be a big mucky disco curated by the legendary Greg Wilson alongside Bombard Groove & the gang from Me Gusta.
Hit & Run: End Of Exams Bonanza @ Hidden
Wednesday 5th June
Yaaaayy!! It’s the end of the exam period! It’s the end of the academic year! You can head off back home now, live with your parents, see all your old loser friends again and work in the village cafe for a couple of months with brief holidays to Mykonos and Cambodia. OR you can sit around Fallowfield, drinking in empty pubs, savouring a deserted Sainsbury’s and sleeping in a 3-piece suit because you can’t afford to pay the gas bill when you’re the only one in the house. Whatever you do you’re going to have to make this week a biggie, and with a soggy Parklife on the horizon you can’t beat a bit of Hit & Run who will be heading to Hidden on Wednesday for a massive knee’s up. There’s a packed line-up including a 3 hour set from Mala, Mungo’s HiFi (with Eva Lazarus) and LOADS more. Tickets below…
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas @ YES
Thursday 6th June
One of the world’s greatest singers, performers and all round music legend – Martha Reeves is coming to Manchester this week and she’s bringing her lovely Vandellas with her for the ride. I’ve got a great story about Martha Reeves which I will share with you now; She was playing at the Rochdale Feel Good Festival a fair few years ago and as someone who has extensive contacts within the media industry (my girlfriend at the time had a nice camera) I was in the press pit and even managed to get backstage with her in the lovely Rochdale Town Hall. While back there she said ‘hello’ to me. Good story that innit. One of my best in fact. Anyway, there’s still tickets left for this gig at YES and to get you in the mood – here’s one of their best albums…
The Book of Mormon
From Thursday 6th June
Let’s all be serious now. Deadly serious. Not only do I write this column every single bloody week but I also write approximately 55% of all of the words that go through the Manchester’s Finest site. Of these words in the last few months I have spoken about the Book of Mormon on at least 3 occasions – probably accounting for the sale of up to 16 tickets for its run at the Palace Theatre that starts this week. Therefore, I think I’m entitled to two free tickets to watch it. Please? I did have the opportunity to watch it a few years ago in London with my friend Shaun Diplock but I got too drunk the night before and missed my Mega Bus down. So come on – it’s about time I saw it. If anyone from Mormon’s is reading this – get in touch and I’ll even give you a little kiss and a cuddle as a thank you.
Peep Show Party @ Deaf Institute
Friday 7th June
I know very, very little about Peep Show – primarily because I’ve never been bothered to watch it. Is it any good? Shall I add it to the list? I see my housemate Ben watching it all the time and I’ve heard that it’s very good but it’s just one of those things that I’ve never gotten around to doing – like washing my bedding or losing a stone. For all you Peep Show fans out there though, the Deaf Institute will be hosting one of their brilliant themed parties this coming Friday with a night of Peep Show tunes, raffles, dance-offs, sing-a-longs, prizes and then this gets to the bit that I don’t understand – yards of ale, a washing machine, rented snakes, four different types of lasagne and multiple puke points. If this means anything to you – you’re going to have a great time.
Summer of Levenshulme Festival 2019
Friday 7th June
It’s been billed as Levenshulme’s answer to Glastonbury but to be honest it’s probably much better – mostly because the whole BBC entertainment team won’t be turning up, chatting to their celebrity mates and getting smashed on the wages that my Licence Fee pays for. As usual with the Summer of Levvy event it’s held at the brilliant Klondyke Club and there’ll be a whole host of live bands playing, DJ’s, a circus, booze, gin, kids running about (and skidding on their knees) and loads more – all raising money for some local causes which is always nice. It’s all spread over the full weekend, starting on Friday night and ending Sunday night. Better than Glasto all the way.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds @ Heaton Park
Friday 7th June
Probably the best example of efficiency this year, Noel Gallagher (and his High Flying Birds) will be performing on the main Parklife stage this Friday alongside Doves, White Denim and Inhaler. Who is the best – Noel or Liam? Well, I think it all depends on what kind of person you are. Liam is a bit of a bell end, a geezer who doesn’t really give a shit what anyone thinks or says and will just happily go through life telling kids to “‘eff off” and kicking ducks up the arse in the park. Noel on the other hand likes to think of himself as a bit of a musical genius, the man behind the success of Oasis and someone who can let the music do the talking. You know what – I’m a Liam guy. Always will be – sorry Noel.
