ManchesterWide.com » Concerts

Christmas Lights Switch On, Lowry Outlet Mall, Salford Quays, 12pm, Sunday 15 November 2009

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:00:22 +0000

Christmas is coming to the Lowry Outlet Mall, Salford Quays, on Sunday 15 November 2009, from 12pm as Russell Watson and 2008 X Factor finalist Laura White celebrate the switch on at the Lowry Outlet Mall.

The fun starts at 12pm with an afternoon of entertainment. Children can meet one of their favourite childrens characters – Dora The Explorer – and there will be free festive face painting all afternoon and balloons to take home. You can visit Santa in his grotto, (price £3 p/child and includes a free gift) and St Josephs School choir will also be there adding to the festive atmosphere, singing well loved Christmas Carols.

The day culminates with the big light switch on and an array of surprise guests from 3pm onwards. Acts include opera singer Russell Watson who will be fronting the show (on behalf of Francis House Children’s Hospice), Helen Flanagan (Coronation Street’s Rosie Webster) , Phoenix and New Era.

However, for many the highlight of the day will be the performance from 2008 X Factor finalist Laura White who will be performing her brand new single You Should Have Known. Laura will also be joined by surprise guests from this years X Factor. Finally, Mike Toolan and Chelsea Norris from Mike and Chelsea in the Morning on Key 103 will be there to host the event.

Events like this can be very popular so you may want to get there early to ensure you are able to join the fun. There is car parking on site and the area is served by public transport. The nearest Metrolink station is Harbour City on the Eccles line.

The Lowry Outlet Mall is located at The Quays, Salford Quays, Salford, M50 3AH

For more information about what’s on this Christmas please visit
www.lowryoutletmall.co.uk .

In The City Music Convention and Live Music Festival, Manchester, 18th to 20th October, 2009

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:24:05 +0000

Manchester’s very own world famous music industry convention and live music festival, In The City, is back at The Midland Hotel and venues across the City from the 18th to 20th October 2009.

In the 17 years since it was established in the early 1990s In The City, has grown to become one of the UKs premier music industry conventions as well as a premier new music event.

In The City (ITC) was founded by music mogul Brian Wilson and Yvette Livesey, in 1992. This year it will take place in Manchester, from the 18th to 20th October 2009. It describes itself as ‘The World’s Premier New Music Event‘ and it has gained itself a world wide reputation in the 17 years of its existence.

There are two distinct parts to In The City.

Firstly, there is the ITC conference and convention. Its a conference aimed at music industry professionals and is made up of keynote speeches, showcases and panels.

Secondly, there is the live music – lots of it. The In The City music festival offers a fantastic array of new and up and coming musical talent playing live at dozens of venues across the city. (Last year bands played at 44 venues across the City). Bands that play at In The City regularly go on to become household names – Oasis, The Chemical Brothers, The Arctic Monkeys and Coldplay have all played the ITC.

More and more information is emerging about the event all the time – the first panels were announced on July 20th, for example. For entry costs, panel and discussion details as well as details of the live events planned for the ITC live music festival, and more information about In The City, Manchester, visit the event website In The City.

Royal Northern College of Music Highlights Autumn 2009

admin — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:52:03 +0000

I have just received details of some of the highlights of the Royal Northern College of Music’s Autumn concert schedule which I want to tell you about. To be kept up to date you can join their mailing list, by visiting their email list sign-up page .

There are some great performances planned for October, November and December 2009, including:-

Tuesday 27 October 7.30pm
Music Theatre Wales – Letters of a Love Betrayed

Music Theatre Wales are visiting Manchester in October with their latest production, a new romantic opera set in South America.

MusicTheatreWales.org.uk

Tuesday 3 November 7.30pm
Portico Quartet + Sweet Billy Pilgrim

Exciting, innovative and inspiring ‘post-jazz’ music from this South London based group. Listen to some of their material on their MySpace page.

Saturday 7 November 7.30pm
Smith String Quartet – The Complete Philip Glass String Quartets

The Smith String Quartet who celebrated their 20th anniversary last year, have an international reputation for their dynamic and original style. They will be performing the complete string quartets of prolific art music composer Philip Glass. SmithQuartet.com

Monday 9 November 7.30pm
Mantra – Musical Conversations across the Indian Ocean

Inspired by the cross-cultural musical encounters resulting from the arrival of Portuguese missionaries in Goa, India, 500 years ago, this concert showcases music from the The Orlando Consort and a trio of British Asian musicians. OrlandoConsort.com

Saturday 14 November 7.30pm
Staff Benda Bilili

African group Staff Benda Bilili’s core members are disabled street-musicians who live around the area near Kinshasa Zoo in Kinshasa the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their website describes their music as ‘mesmerising rumba-rooted grooves, overlaid with vibrant vocals’. Find out more about the group and enjoy videos of their music on their MySpace page.

Monday 7 December 7.30pm
Soul Noël – with Sibongile Khumalo and Ola Onabule

This is a Christmas treat from the RNCM. Soul Noel is brought to you by South Africa’s Sibongile Khumalo, British soul star Ola Onabule and a great soul band led by musical director Kevin Robinson, supported by a spectacular choir.

Visit the RNCM’s whats on page of their website to find out about these performances, and more, as well as to book tickets for these events.

Not Part Of, Manchester, various venues, 2nd to 18th July 2009

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:20:41 +0000

Running alongside the Manchester International Festival is the Not Part Of festival which runs in venues around Manchester from 2nd – 18th July.

This is Manchester’s edgier, more down to earth, alternative to the ‘other Festival’ that is on at the same time, and is a celebration of Manchester’s creativity in a whole variety of different fields.

The organisers describe Not Part Of as

………fresh, eclectic, forward-thinking, Mancunian, open; a festival that elicits excellence and provokes thought…..

Looking at the events list you will see that this is certainly true. There are lots of different events on offer. The events programme has loads of opportunities to enjoy arts & crafts, theatrical performances, comedy and theatre – and lots more. Some events are free while others have a relatively modest entry fee.

Venues are mostly in the centre of Manchester and range from such as The Lass O’Gowrie to larger theater venues such as the Great Northern Amphitheater.

Full details of Not Part Of can be found on the festival website NotPartOf.org. You can also find a full listing of all Festival events here, where you will also find a link to download the Festival brochure.

Are you going. Have you been. Why not tell others about it below?

Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival 2009, Colne, 28th to 31st August, 2009

admin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:01:47 +0000

The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival 2009 takes place in Colne, Lancashire from 28th to 31st August, 2009.

This year is the 20th Anniversary of the Great British R&B Festival which now has a national and international reputation as one of the best R&B festivals in the UK.

The four day festival takes place over August bank Holiday and offers the very best of R & B in the UK. The Muni, a 800 capacity Edwardian theatre has been home to the festival since 1990.

The Festival, which starts off on Friday 28th in the evening, will see a wide range of musicians appearing including:-

Stann Webb’s Chicken Shack
King Pleasure and The Biscuit Boys
Paul Lamb & the Kingsnakes

There will be three separate performance stages – International Stage, British Stage and Acoustic Stage, each with their own full performance programme over the four days of the Festival.

Street busking, street entertainers and market stalls all add to the Festival atmosphere.

The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival is very popular with music lovers in Lancashire, Yorkshire and in Greater Manchester. It couldn’t be easier to get to Colne from Manchester. Exit the M60 at junction 18. Join the M66, then the A56, as far as Accrington. Continue your journey to Colne on the M65 and then continue on the A6068 (Whitewalls Drive) followed by the A56 (Burnley Road) to The Muni theatre. Full details on how to get there are available from the Clone Blues festival website.

The ticket telephone line is 01282 661234.

More details about the Festival can be found on the festival website, bluesfestival.co.uk .

Manchester Jazz Festival 2009, Manchester, July 24th – August 1st 2009

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:58:27 +0000

Manchester’s own jazz festival is back from July 24th to August 1st 2009.

The 14th Manchester Jazz Festival (MJF) brings together the best very best regional, national and international performers of British and European contemporary jazz.

The Festival includes both free and paid for events at a variety of locations across Manchester city centre.

Venues include:-

City Inn Manchester
Royal Northern College of Music
St. Ann’s Church
green room
St. Ann’s Square
The Bridgewater Hall
Matt & Phred’s Jazz Club

Details of the performers taking part this year are currently unavailable and further details will be added shortly.

For up to date festival details visit manchesterjazz.com.

BP Summer Big Screens Programme 2009, Exchange Square, Manchester

admin — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:29:41 +0000

Opera lovers are in for a great treat over the summer, as three free live relays of Royal Opera House performances are dispayed on the big screen, in Exchange Square, Manchester.

The showings are part of a nation-wide programme of live relays at venues across the country. These are sponsored by the BP Summer Big Screens Programme.

There are three open air performances in Manchester over the summer:-

On Wednesday 3 June, 2009, at 7:30 experience the Royal Opera House’s performance of Ondine.

La traviata will be relayed on Tuesady 30th June at 7:00pm.

At

7:30pm on Wednesday 15 July, 2009 join the crowds to see The Barber of Seville.

These are free showings of the Royal Opera House performances in Exchange Square, Manchester and organisers are imposing only a limited number of restrictions. These include:-

the right to limit audience numbers should the square capacity be reached.

alcohol is not permitted.

prohibited items include, but are not restricted to, large parasols, gazebos, awnings and portable barbecues

These concerts are a great way to spend a relaxing summer evening in central Manchester. For more details about the showings in Manchester and around the UK visit BP Summer Big Screens

Manchester Festivals 2009 – a list of Manchester festivals taking place during May to August 2009!

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:07:10 +0000

Manchester is a great place for Summer festivals and there is a lot going on during May, June, July and August 2009.

With so much going on I thought it would be a good idea if I listed all the main festivals in Manchester, in one place. I have tried to collect details of as many as possible and I will add any others that I find out about, as soon as I can.

ManchesterWide.com’s events listing can be found here.

If you know of any other festivals please feel free to list them in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Lets start with May festivals.

The Queer Up North International Festival is on from 12th to the 25th May at various venues in Manchester and is Europe’s leading LGBT arts festival. Futuresonic is a Manchester based Urban Festival of Art, Music & Ideas and is on from 13th to the 16th May 2009.

The Chorlton Arts Festival, from 15th to 23rd May, has a varied programme of performance, visual arts and education related events.

For music fans there are two music festivals in May. The Hungry Pigeon 2009 music festival (Northern Quarter) from 22nd to 25th May and Eurocultured (New Wakefield Street, near Oxford Road train station) on 24th, 25th May 2009.

Mad Ferret Festival 2009 in Platt Fields, in Manchester is on 4th June 2009 and FEAST! Picnic by the Lake 2009, Platt Fields on Friday, June 5th – 7th.

Moving on to July, there is the Manchester International Festival from the 2nd to 19th July and the alternative Not Part of the Manchester International Festival from the 2nd to 18th July. Both at various venues around Manchester.

Summer in the Park is a food, drink and music festival and is on the 12th and 13th July.

Manchester’s 24:7 Theatre Festival 2009 runs from 20th to 26th July and the Manchester Jazz Festival 2009 is on from 24th July to 1st August.

Finally, the Manchester Mega Mela, a celebration of South Asian music and culture, in
Platt Fields, Manchester, will take place on the 25th, 26th July 2009.

In August, on the 9th and 10th, there is the Rock, Rhyme and Reason Festival, a Christian music festival.

Later on in August, there is Manchester Pride 2009, Manchester’s own celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans life, which runs from the 21st to 31st August 2009.

All of these festivals are listed on Manchester Wide’s whats on guide.

Are there any festivals you want to add? List them in the comments section below.

Manchester Pride, Manchester, 21st to 31st August 2009

admin — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:51:05 +0000

Manchester Pride is back in Manchester from 21st to 31st August 2009. Manchester Pride is this city’s world famous annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life.

There are four elements to this years Pride. A schedule of exciting festival events, the Parade, the Big Weekend and the festival concludes with the HIV Candlelit Vigil.

Pride Festival Events – A great schedule of varied events are planned for the 10 day event covering comedy, music and theatre performances, sporting and health related events, cultural and film events as well as youth, family and women’s events.

Manchester Pride Parade – The Parade is perhaps the best known element of Manchester Pride. This central Manchester wide celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life starts at 1pm on Saturday 29th August. The parade starts at the corner of Liverpool Street and Deansgate. The parade will travel along Deansgate, and then turns right into St.Anne Street, then right again into Cross Street. It then turns into Princess Street and then travels down Whitworth Street, to the Gay Village, where the parade ends. The parade is watched by tens of thousands of spectators who line the parade route as decorated floats and teams of walkers wind their way through central Manchester.

Big Weekend – Another element of Manchester Pride is The Big Weekend which lasts from Monday 28th to Friday 31st August 2009 and includes music, partying, a lifestyle expo and village market and much more. Entertainment will come from a range of bands including The Freemasons, Peter Andre, Bananarama and Little Boots.

Please note that entry is strictly limited to ticket holders only and an early bird discount is only available on tickets bought up until until July 1st 2009.

HIV Candlelit Vigil – The HIV Candlelit Vigil on Monday 31 August, 9pm in Sackville Gardens, concludes Manchester Pride 2009. This moving ceremony includes a one minute’s silence to remember the people who have lost their lives world wide, to the virus.

You can find out more about Manchester Pride, including how to buy Big Weekend tickets, from the Manchester Pride Website.

Britain’s Got Talent Live Tour, Manchester MEN Arena, Manchester, Sunday 14th June 2009

admin — Fri, 01 May 2009 21:01:47 +0000

The live tour of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent will be appearing in venues across the country during June 2009 and the Tour reaches Manchester on Sunday 14th June, 2009.

Britains Got Talent is the amazing TV talent show that has already uncovered the raw singing talent of Susan Boyle and child singing sensations Hollie Steel and Shaheen Jafargholi. Viewers have been thrilled and surprised by the wide range of talent competing for the shows prizes, including the opportunity to perform for members of Britain’s Royal Family at the Royal Variety Performance.

Manchester fans of Britains Got Talent are in for a treat when the live tour reaches Manchester on Sunday 14th June 2009. Two shows are scheduled, one at 1:30pm and the other at 7:30pm. At this early stage very little is known about who will be participating but I will try to update when more is known.

Britain’s Got Talent is possibly the best family entertainment around with plenty for a variety of tastes. To find out more about the Britains Got Talent Live Tour at the Manchester Evening News Arena, and to book tickets, visit the Manchester Evening News Arena website.

Please note that the tour starts in Birmingham on 12th June and there will be performances in Sheffield, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Liverpool, Cardiff and Nottingham. The Tour finishes in London’s Wembley Arena on Sunday 21st June 2009.