Large Manchester by Large Publishing Ltd

Manchester

FREE Issue 14 June 2010

The Perfect Guide to the Perfect City

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Issue 14 June 2010

Hello lovely readers, Well, what a month it’s been with festival music, art and dance across the city and a fair bit of sunshine beaming down on us (albeit, with a bit of a brisk wind getting in the way). This means that things are only going to get better when it comes to what’s going on outdoors in the coming months, from picnics and festivals in the park to beer gardens and burgers on the BBQ. This month there’s only really one thing we’re talking about and that’s footie fever, as the World Cup takes over the city screens and the thoughts of the people who live here. Large has profiled the best places to watch the football to hopefully make life a little easier for you. And on a final note, Manchester never fails to surprise as we’ve been blessed with our very own Banksy it seems...whatever next? I can’t wait to see what the summer brings! Until next time...

Sending Large Love.

64/66 High Street, Northern Quarter, Mcr M4 1EA 0161 832 4824 www.englishlounge.co.uk email: englishlounge@btconnect.com

Editor: Kelly Byrne Contributors: Sophie Day, Natalie Shaw, Steve Dawson, Francesca Raphael, Alex Frost, Ben Keegan. Snail mail: Large Manchester, 60 Port Street, Manchester M1 2EQ Website: www.largemanchester.com Email: editor@largemanchester.com, advertising@largemanchester.com Main Office: 0161 235 7270 Advertising: Contact Claire or Francesca on 0161 235 7270 Editor: Contact Kelly on 0161 235 7278 Disclaimer: ©2010. Large Manchester is published by Large Publishing Ltd. Large Manchester retains copyright. All rights recognised. We cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited text, photographs or illustrations. Views expressed by individual contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

Fashion Frenzy at Spinningfields With the unfortunate demise of King Street, Manchester’s previously well-treaded luxury hot-spot, Spinningfields is hot on the chase of creating a spectacular high-end fashion arena with ‘The Avenue’ opening this autumn.

City Sounds

Anchor tenants will be a flagship store by Armani and a uniquelydesigned Flannels store. Other brands that will become fixtures on The Avenue are Prada, Gucci, Matthew Williamson, Sonia Rykel, Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss. In addition to the apparel, the food offering will also be bolstered with at least two new bars and two new restaurants. L

Theatre Delight at The Library The Importance of Being Earnest, the Oscar Wilde masterpiece, is presented by the Library Theatre Company from 5th June to 3rd July.

The perfect summer production makes an appropriate finale for the company’s 58-year tenure as this play was the company’s first-ever production way back in 1952.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a hilarious study of the social scrabbles of the Victorian leisure classes and is widely regarded as one of the funniest plays ever written. Celebrate the Library Theatres poignant departure from Central Library in fitting style. Tickets are available from £8. www.librarytheatre.com L

We Will Rock Manchester You Returns! Puts on a The smash hit Queen and Great Do... Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You is returning to the Palace Theatre following its award-winning 2009 run.

City Sounds

The show will be running from 3rd December to 15th January 2011, a perfect Christmas treat (dare we say the big ‘C’ so early in the year?) Last year its 11-week run at the Palace Theatre completely sold out so you need to act quick to get a ticket. The show is a futuristic comedy set around 24 of Queen’s monster hits. It’s a sure-fire sing-along show that has taken the world by storm and really one not to be missed during its limited Manchester run. Tickets from £17.50 and available from www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk L

We’ve hosted our fair share of sporting events in Manchester and finally we have been recognised, as our city has been ranked seventh in the World’s Top Ten cities for hosting sporting events out of 150 cities world-wide. The results were released this week at the SportAccord Convention in Dubai. Manchester also won the Best Legacy Category for its achievements since the hosting of the Commonwealth Games back in 2002. Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive at Manchester City Council said: “This is an extraordinary achievement for Manchester to be recognised on the international stage with these prestigious awards. I am particularly proud of the fact that of all the cities in the world, it has been recognised that Manchester leads the way on this. This is great news for the city and something we can build on for the future.” Here, here! L

Daniel Moncur-Sime

Daniel studied Creative Arts at Manchester Metropolitan University then headed for the bright lights of London to be a fashion photographer. With credits including Cosmopolitan and Vogue Bride to name but a few, Daniel’s shots are jawdropping, spiked with colour that stimulate desire and grab attention.

In Daniel’s own words, “Manchester is a city that should be enjoyed for what it is – a vibrant, creative place populated by some of the loveliest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.” That we definitely agree with!

Manchester is vibrant, creative place populated by some of the loveliest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.

For more information visit www.danielmoncursime.com L

New to Manchester

Given that we love photography here at Large, here’s another fantastic artist who has caused a stir in the office - Daniel Moncur-Sime.

Daniel is moving back to this fair city in the summer with a photographic exhibition entitled ‘Move On’. The photos capture images of models and dancers, playing with movement and light.

Rain Bar If you’re desperate to find that sunny spot this summer then don’t forget about Rain Bar in Castlefield.

They’ve recently refurbished their 1st floor and the juxtaposition of the luxurious and modern sits comfortably with the original exposed brick and wrought iron chandeliers giving Rain Bar such an eclectic feel.The pictures of iconic Mancunians dotted around the room remind you exactly what

this bar is about. With a fully stocked bar and a penchant for cocktails, it makes an ideal space for a private gathering with the stunning backdrop of the private terrace. The outside area is also not to be missed with weekly BBQ's where you can sit back and drink award-winning wines and ales sitting in the sun on the terrace overlooking the canal. L

Glitter Kittens These ladies definitely know how to set pulses racing! Glitter Kittens are Manchester’s newest Burleseque entertainers.

New to Manchester

Bar De Reve

Situated on Tariff Street, Bar De Reve in the latest exciting addition to the Northern Quarter.You will have known it as Bar 57 but with a change in ownership comes a full refurbishment. There’s a new food menu including speedy lunches for local workers where if your lunch doesn’t come in 15 minutes it’s free and also the £3 lunch deal – sandwich or a toastie and tea or coffee for just £3. They stock a fantastic range of over 20 different bottled beers, ales and fruit beers. There’s also a great music program with DJs on Friday and Saturday playing the very best in indie, soul, hip hop, funk, motown with reggae on Monday nights.

Friday nights are one for the ladies with a whopping 50% off cocktails until the end of June and the venue is pulling out all of the stops for the World Cup. You can reserve your own private booth and watch the match in pure viewing heaven on one of their four 46 inch TV’s or huge projector screen. If you’re hungry there will be sharing platters on the go and drinks promos throughout the games. Just call to get your area reserved. If you’re in town and hungry on a Sunday then head along for a hearty Sunday lunch and for the whole of June it’s 50% off Sunday roasts – tuck in! 18 Tariff Street (just off Hilton Street), Northern Quarter, Manchester, M1 2EJ 0161 228 7813 L

Created by Zelda Saint-Wilde, the Glitter Kittens are causing riots around the UK by blending their unique style of cabaret and rock in the most decadent of manners. Zelda has performed on Sunset Strip and at Johnny Depp’s club, The Viper Room and is now taking The Glitter Kittens on a tour around the UK including a headline spot at Kendal Calling, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and even Glastonbury. Do you dare enter the lair of The Glitter Kittens?? www.glitterkittens.co.uk L

Illusions Magic Bar

New to Manchester

Something rather magical has been going on at The Printworks recently. Regular visitors may have spotted Illusions Magic Bar has opened, bringing a very different dynamic to the centre, one very much like you would find a stone’s throw away in the Northern Quarter.

www.illusionsmagicbar.co.uk L

Illusions nicely blends all the fun of a bar with on-the-spot magic (which is free by the way) so if you want to be wowed over a beer then this is worth checking out. If you’re thinking of an alternative date venue, this is a great place to start as the handy magicians break the ice for you with their magical tricks.

Urban Pizza Urban Pizza is the latest edition to the Northern Quarter offering a delivery only service anywhere within the City Centre.

They offer 2-4-1 cocktails all day through the week and there’s live music on at the weekend so loads going on.

With a plethora of original thin crust Italian Pizza’s (think more Pizza Express, less Dominos) healthy salads and succulent starters, a phone call to Urban Pizza is a must. Aiming to offer something different there are

The true meaning of Bacchanalia is a gathering of people eating, drinking and partying. pizzas available that literally boggle the senses. From the Cajun chicken delight of The Cosmopolitan to the hot and fiery Jamaican Spice there’s something for everyone. Weekly special offers are on twitter; follow ‘Urban_Pizza’ for more details. Any lucky students also qualify for a BOGOF offer. Urban Pizza: 0161 236-3453 www.urbanpizza.co.uk L

Sunday Lunch Offer

2-4-1

2 courses

Bloody Mary Cocktails

£11.95

Please quote Large to receive this exclusive offer. 0161 819 1997

www.bacconline

5-17 Chapel Walks (Off King Street)

info@bacconline Manchester

M2 1HN

Large’s First Birthday Party

Drinks-a-plenty were provided by Corona and delicious cupcakes from Cupcake Palace. Guests were treated to Manchesterinspired music from XFM’s Clint Boon and live performances from new band The Ambersons (check out the interview with the band in this issue) as well as Kirsty Almeida and her band, who left us all speechless. A massive thank you needs to go to all who joined us to celebrate our first birthday and to everyone who has helped us getting this far! L

We will be running a series of summer socials in the coming weeks so join our Facebook group to get regular updates on what exciting events we’re doing over the summer. The next social is our legendary pub quiz on Wednesday 16th. Don’t worry, there won’t be any conflict with World Cup matches (well, not with England ones!) so come and join us at The English Lounge on High Street for the best pub quiz in town! Kick-off is at 6.30pm with a glass of wine on arrival and pie and peas in the break. It’s eyes down at 7.30pm for the quiz where our teams battle it out for the chance of winning some amazing prizes.

Large Socials

Large celebrated its first birthday last month with an amazing party at vintage clothing store Rags to Bitches (it’s more than just a clothes shop, you know!).

Future Socials

Come with a team or even on your own or as a pair and we can couple you up with another team. We’re always packed out so you need to reserve your table, email socials@largemanchester.com L

Join our community...

Sign up to our online community to gain access to exclusive events and offers or join us on Facebook search ‘Large Manchester’ www.LargeManchester.com

Finding The Right Property Granite Lettings are located in the heart of the Northern Quarter, just a short walk from Piccadilly Gardens. Granite are Manchester’s most dynamic and independent estate agent with over 20 years sales and lettings experience. Although based in the city centre, they also cover Greater Manchester including Salford Quays, Media City, Hulme, South and North Manchester and even as far as Liverpool and Leeds.

A tale of two property dilemas

Northern Quarter ©Dan Bowers

Landlord

Tenant

I am looking at renting my apartment out but my main concern is what happens if the tenants don’t pay the rent?

I’m looking to rent a property in the city centre but I’m struggling to find an agent who will offer me a viewing after I finish work at 6pm..I find this very bizarre!?

Granite: Even the best tenants fall on hard times but thankfully it is a very low percentage of tenants that default on their rent. Rather than refusal to pay, late or non payment is usually down to a tenant’s inability to pay when circumstances change, such as redundancy. This is why we include FREE rental guarantee insurance for our landlords as standard which ensures that if the worst did happen, landlords aren’t out of pocket. They get their rent for the remainder of the tenancy and we deal with the technicalities. My current letting agent is slow sending my rent over every month. It sometimes takes 2-3 weeks before it hits my account. Is this standard procedure?

Granite: This may be normal procedure for some, everybody works differently but we do not see this as an acceptable level of service. Our aim is to make our landlords lives as easy as possible so we make payments to them on a daily basis. We also guarantee our landlords receive their monthly rent no later than three working days after it’s due.

City Living

Large caught up with Granite Lettings and found out the burning questions for tenants and landlords at the moment.

Granite: Most of our tenants are very busy people, which is why we offer viewings seven days a week from 8am until 10pm. We go out of our way to ensure all of our landlords properties are rented faster than our competition and we do this by working to our tenant’s requirements, not our office opening hours. I have just applied to renew my contract for another six months and my current agent is demanding a renewal fee, is this how all agents operate? Granite: No, we don’t charge a renewal fee. If a tenant pays on time and the property is well looked after we don’t see any point providing obstacles for re-signing. Unfortunately renewal fees are common amongst letting agents and can be very expensive. They are normally written into your tenancy agreements so read through yours in detail before you sign or ask the question before you put down a deposit.

Here Large shares some of the best ways to spend your weekend, in and out of the city. You might also want to note a few good ways to make Father’s Day this year a little more exciting!

Wistful Wondering at The Weekend

TH13TEEN at Alton Towers Those into thrills and spills maybe aware that after months of secrecy and speculation, Alton Towers has unveiled the world’s first free fall drop coaster – TH13TEEN. Riders are taken on a gruelling journey through The Dark Forest, where they will battle the overwhelming force of the woods through a series of twists and turns, before plummeting into the unknown. Alton Towers is a fantastic playground, for adults as well as kids, and is a great way to spend a weekend just a few hours drive from Manchester. Along with rides including Nemesis, Oblivion and Ripsaw, this new ride pushes riders’ emotions to the limit as fear of the unknown oozes from all angles – a word of warning – don’t go on it alone! www.altontowers.com L

Manchester Day Parade – 20th June The very first Manchester Day Parade bursts onto the city’s streets on Sunday 20th June with a dazzling display of colour, sound and dance creating Manchester’s very own carnival. Starting at 2pm in Castlefield, the parade will weave its way through the centre of town. Expect a display of vibrant costumes and street dance all made by the local community to celebrate Manchester’s out of this world creativity.

and celebrate the unique diversity in Manchester by watching the parade, cheering on participants and enjoying the party atmosphere for one day only. Coupled with the fact it’s Father’s Day, it should be a great event for all.

Both visitors and residents of the city centre are invited to come together

For more information visit www.themanchesterdayparade.co.uk

Wistful Wondering at The Weekend 22

moon walk down to jacksons bar Formerly known as Moon Bar, situated at the waterside within Piccadilly Basin.

Belly Laughs for the Weekend – 4th June Do you consider yourself a risktaker or a dare-devil? Is there any room for such a person in today’s society? Perhaps not but they will make room for you at The Cabaret Formerly Known as Bucket, where alternative entertainment regularly forgets to put on its seatbelt.

dare-devils onto the stage, creating a raucous and interesting mix.

The evening’s host, Bill Bucket, will be bringing a cast of burlesque beauties, robot slaves, kitchen-sink puppeteers, banjo-strumming troubadours and a real-life

Greenroom 54-56 Whitworth Street West, M1 5WW

Wednesday/Thursday/Sunday till 11pm Friday & Saturday till 12pm 0161 228 2677 Enquiries: jacksons.bar@hotmail.com

It’s a great way to start the weekend with a bang and its cheap too – just £3 on the door. Head along, shed your shackles and straight-jackets and go a bit mad with Bill and friends it couldn’t hurt, could it? L

Jacksons Bar

20 Tariff Street

Jacksons Warehouse

M1 2FJ

Greece on the wall but Papa G’s couldn’t be further from this.

Papa G’s

Large rating 9/10

The Printworks, 27 Withy Grove, Manchester, M4 2BS

You might overlook restaurants in The Printworks as being purely of the chain variety but last August Papa G’s opened and added a nice balance to the neon lights. Unlike many of its neighbours, it’s a restaurant with a story behind it. The owner’s grandfather came to Manchester in the 1930’s from Cyprus armed with only a suitcase full of Cypriot lace which he sold to wealthy families in the UK. This allowed him and another fellow Cypriot he worked with to start small restaurants in Bolton and

Wilmslow, and now his grandson has integrated family recipes into his own restaurant. The restaurant prides itself on embracing traditional Greek and Cypriot methods, cooking on real charcoal to make the flavours really powerful. The menu is packed full of family favourites, really made from traditional family recipes. My experience with this cuisine has always been a negative one. Prior to my visit I was reminiscing on sloppy take-away Greek kebabs and outdated restaurants with a map of

We also tried Mushroom risotto balls coated in crispy parmesan (£4.95) which were quite peppery in taste but complimented by the subtle cheese coating. Moving onto main meals, my guest opted for Wild Mushroom and Aubergine Moussaka (£8.95) topped with halloumi cheese. It was oozing with flavour and spices and didn’t lack in taste due to the absence of meat. Served with a Greek side salad it was divine. The aromas from the kitchen left us salivating and Papa G’s BBQ dishes are really what set the tone for the whole restaurant. I ordered Chicken Souvlaki (£12.95) which is

skewered chicken, bursting with delicious seasoning served with fat chips (always good in my book), flat bread and tzatsiki. The serving was very generous and the meat well cooked. The chef’s secret sauce is on every table. My server informed me that the ingredients really are a secret and it’s been designed to enhance the flavours of the food. It certainly made a change from the usual ketchup to dip your chips in! It’s not often you leave a restaurant thinking about the next time you can get along for a repeat visit, bursting to tell all your friends about it, but this is one of those places. I truly believe that the food is really up there with some of the best establishments in this city; it’s just sometimes negatively perceived because of its location. My advice is don’t be pretentious, follow your nose!

Tummy Rumbles

After eagerly peering at other diners plates we started with sharing warm Greek flatbreads (£4.95 plus three sharing dips). Quite simply – delicious! The dips we chose were feta chilli, roasted red pepper and houmous but there are lots to choose from.

0161 834 8668 www.papags.co.uk L 25

Barbirolli

Large rating 8.5/10

dishes, but it still delivered perfectly balanced flavours. My guest sampled the Fillet steak from the grill (£19.95) which was succulent, perfectly cooked and came accompanied with a peppercorn and brandy sauce.

Barbirolli Square 31-33 Lower Moseley Street, M2 3BD.

The pool tables of its predecessor are long gone and in their place sits a venue so welcoming you will end up staying all night.

The brainchild of dynamic duo Pete Petrondas and Barry Hogan aims to provide Manchester with a venue that combines live music with good food in surroundings that can only be described as resplendent. Intimate dining is available, as well as more relaxed social seating areas and booths cloaked in soft, luxurious fabrics lit with glittering chandeliers. The large outside area will be utilised in the summer for the masses. Think the soft, melodic

sounds of Café del Mar with fresh food straight off the barbeque. Ex-Heathcotes chef Scott Miller has devised a menu which he describes as modern British with a Mediterranean twist which will change seasonally. I started with the Chicken & Duck Liver Parfait (£5.25) served with red onion marmalade on toast. The marmalade complemented the smooth texture of the pate and brought out the gamey flavour. My guest had the Lancashire black pudding and goat’s cheese parcel (£5.50) which was beautifully creamy and encased in light flaky pastry. The only complaint was that there wasn’t enough of the sour apple and raspberry purée which accompanied the dish. My main course was Pan fried skate wing (£11.95) with Morecambe Bay shrimp which came with hand cut chips, pea purée and shrimp butter. Not as beautifully presented as the other

For dessert I opted for the age-old favourite - Manchester Tart (£4.50). Not to be disappointed, this modern twist on a classic Manchester dish incorporated bananas sitting in a pastry case with the most fantastic sharp raspberry, which cut through the banana and was a delight to the senses. My guest went for the Vanilla pannacotta (£5.95) with peppered strawberry which was again delicious with a subtle hint of aniseed. The venue proudly boasts a genius cocktail menu lovingly created by Luka. His shots are about to set Manchester alight with stunning flavours for every palate. I can highly recommend the strawberry cheesecake.

Tummy Rumbles

What was the Pitcher & Piano, neatly tucked between the Bridgewater Hall and Manchester Central, is now the delightful Barbirolli. Aptly named after the composer Sir John Barbirolli, the restaurant and bar sits on the waterfront location of Barbirolli Square.

Barbirolli offers 2-4-1 on selected cocktails, sprits, beers and wine and a budget-friendly pre-theatre menu with two for £12.95 so there are no excuses for not trying out this majestic new venue with fantastic food and a great atmosphere. 0161 236 3060 www.barbirolli.com L

Friday 11th and Saturday 12th June are set to be special days in Manchester as Platt Fields Park celebrates its 100th birthday kicking off with a unique homecoming show by Ian Brown on Friday night and Parklife on the Saturday night. Presented by The Warehouse Project, Ian Brown will be joined by a diverse range of leading artists including dance supremos UNKLE, Bad Lieutenant, Manchester rockers The Whip, uber cool turntablists Scratch Perverts, celebrated Haçienda DJ Mike Pickering and ex-New Order bass player Peter Hook amongst many others.

The Whip

As we went to print there were still a few day tickets left for the gig so be quick and snap them up. Tickets are £28.50 and it’s sure to be one of the musical highlights of Manchester’s summer, which we must say, seems to be getting more and more impressive each year! In the words of Mr Brown himself, “I'm mad excited to be playing at Platt Fields. As a kid my dad used to take me to Manchester Carnival there. Bring your dancing shoes!” Tickets are available from www.ticketline.co.uk L

I'm mad excited to be playing at Platt Fields. As a kid my dad used to take me to Manchester Carnival there. Bring your dancing shoes!

Goings on in the City

Platt Fields Park – Looking good at 100 – 11th/12th June

The rise of the Everybody modern man – Needs Good 8th/9th June Neighbours – 6th June Smirnoff Black is lending a

Goings on in the City

helping hand to the guys of Manchester by running Modern Gentleman Masterclasses at Cloud 23 on 8th and 9th June from 7-10pm. All guys in attendance will get the opportunity to brush up on mixology, style and grooming. There will be a pop-up grooming area where Paul dos Reis from Sharps London will be giving guys the perfect shave, style advice will be on hand from Ted Baker and Smirnoff’s mixologists will be taking guys through the steps of creating perfect cocktails. All attendees will get two complimentary Smirnoff Black cocktails and the chance to win £200 in Ted Baker. The event is free to enter, however, you have to apply for tickets by visiting www.moderngentlemanmaster classes.co.uk L

Our friends at the Northern Quarter residents’ association are inviting all residents and local business people to their special Neighbours Day on 6th June at Band on The Wall. They are keen to let more people in the city centre know who they are, what they are all about and what projects they have undertaken. Current projects include developing more Northern Quarter markets and green spaces so if you are interested in these areas or think you have something to contribute then head along. It’s also a great opportunity to meet the people you’re living amongst there’s nothing like community spirit and you never know when you might need to lend a tea bag! Head along on 6th June between 2pm-4pm. For more information contact the group on nquarter@hotmail.com L

Spring Market Where: King Street, St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street When: 20 May - 6 June Heralding the end of winter and a new season, the Spring Market takes root in King Street, a brand new location for this year, and winds its way through St Ann's Square and on to New Cathedral Street. King Street will recreate an English Country Garden with bunting and hydraegeas galore.

Stalls at the market will be selling everything from arts, crafts and jewellery to clothing, as well as a great variety of food and drink. The market is the perfect place to meet friends over Pimm's or a cocktail, enjoy some spring sunshine.

Art and Book Markets Where: St Ann's Square When: 25 & 26 June Get far away from the usual hustle and bustle of traditional markets with these two hidden independent gems that will sit alongside each other. The Art Market features only original pieces of art, and includes paintings, prints, photography and glass art all for sale by the artists themselves. Alongside the art, at the Book Market you will have the opportunity to buy literature directly from the UK's leading independent

publishers, as well as sample the latest emerging talent in spoken word from the Northwest. This is a unique opportunity for readers to discover new writers and to support publishing and writers working at the grass roots. www.manchestermarkets.com

20 May â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 June King Street // St Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Square // Exchange Street // New Cathedral Street

Stalls will be blooming with a fabulous selection of food and drink, arts, crafts, jewellery and clothing. Visit www.manchestermarkets.com to find out more.

Goings on in the City 34

It’s back – Summer Screen Sizzlers Screenfields, Manchester city centre’s free open air cinema, will return this summer with an action-packed film and sporting programme. Last year, over 62,000 people enjoyed a mix of classics, comedies and dramas on the big screen down at Spinningfields. Taking place every Thursday until September, the film fest kicked off last month with the critically acclaimed biography of Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis, Control. The summer programme includes 80s classic films such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Dirty Dancing and coming-of-age drama Stand By Me.

The screen will also be used to showcase the summer’s biggest sporting events including Wimbledon and selected World Cup matches. Popcorn will be available for all film-goers and the screenings can be enjoyed with a drink from Giraffe’s outdoor bar and food from Carluccio’s gourmet barbecue. Guests can also hire summer deckchairs and picnic blankets for a small rental fee. For the full list of films visit www.spinningfieldsonline.com. L

• New John Willie's pie and ale house menu

• The best outdoor area in Manchester*

• See our new first floor Champagne bar

• Quiz every Wednesday at 7.30pm

*Well we think so anyway!

Cut off the voucher below to receive 20% off total bill. Must fill in name and email address.

20% OFF

Name: Address:

Postcode:

YOUR FOOD & DRINK BILL

Offer available on completion of this leaflet only.

Email:

Terms & Conditions: 1) 20% discount applies to total bill, and must include food as well as drink. 2) This voucher can be used for parties of up to 6 people. It may be advisable to book in advance to avoid disappointment. 3) This voucher can only be used at the Rain Bar, 80 Great Bridgewater St, Manchester M1 5JG Tel: 0161 235 6500.

If you’re meandering through Manchester on a lazy Sunday and want to fill your boots with a cracking Sunday lunch then try....

Bacchanalia

Best of... Sunday Lunches

Don’t be fooled by the name and Greek-style logo lettering. Bacchanalia has a varied menu and an amazing Sunday lunch to try in relaxed surroundings. Tuck into Roast Beef or Roast Lamb served with all the trimmings for £9.95 whilst mulling over the Sunday papers in the restaurants. If you make it through to the evening, Bacchanalia show old school movies such as E.T, Pretty Woman and The Goonies at 7pm.

Every Sunday this month Large readers get 2-4-1 on Bloody Mary’s and two courses from the Sunday lunch menu for £11.95...now that’s what I’m talking about! 15-17 Chapel Walks (off King Street) Manchester M2 1HN

Telephone 0161 236 3453

Website www.urbanpizza.co.uk Twitter Urban_Pizza

www.bacconline.com 0161 819 1997 L

Binary Bar Binary Bar in Castlefield is another great spot for Sunday lunch. Served between 12 and 8pm every Sunday, choose from a variety of meats including chicken, beef or lamb. It’s only £5 (!!) for any roast dinner but there are loads of starters to choose from if you’re feeling really hungry and want to pile up! You also get a half price bottle of wine if you quote ‘Large’.

They have a great outdoor seating area too if the weather is nice and you want to spend your Sunday watching the Manchester shoppers go by.

Look Flabélos

All guests to the venue need to get their hands on the Binary Card which gives you 10% back on EVERYTHING you buy and free coffee until 2pm. Arundel Street, Castlefield, Manchester www.binarybar.co.uk 0161 839 6343 L

Celebrating 25 years of travel expertise ! Delivering unrivalled personal service with friendly knowledgeable staﬀ to meet all your travel needs.

Keeping fit just got easier 4 sessions (a week) for only £10 & 14 sessions (a month) for £30

10 minutes = 1 hour workout

Visit our newly refurbished oﬃce on Oldham Road, Manchester Telephone: 0161 2287363

www.misselliestravel.co.uk 72-86 Oldham Road, Manchester M4 5EB

10-14 Hilton Street, Stevenson Square, Manchester. 0161 2361401 www.finesselovesyourbody.co.uk

ABTA 83465

Bluetones – More than a Slight Return... Two years on from a nostalgic UK tour of their 1996 Platinum selling debut album ‘Expecting to Fly’, The Bluetones are back on the road with their eagerly awaited sixth studio album ‘A New Athens’.

So what can fans expect from ‘A New Athens’ It’s quite a raucous sounding collection of songs really. A raucous mix of English psychedelia… Not psychedelic in the sense of tie-dye, more of layered English rock music.

The band popped their Manchester cherry back in ‘94 at The Roadhouse supporting Strangelove, and as the Mecca of Indie music welcomes them back with open arms nearly 16 years later, Large chatted with lead singer Mark Morris and found that although the duffle coats have disappeared the sound is unmistakable.

Its four years since the last album, how did this one come together? We’ve been writing throughout the four years, but three of us became dads for the first time in between as well, so for a little while it was hard for us to get together. The writing process for us has always been to write stuff separately anyway though, basic demo’s which we then bring into the room to work on and finish together.

Six albums in, how have motivations and ambitions of the band changed? Our ambitions are probably a bit more modest now than when we were younger, but our motivations are still the same – we just want to make music we would like to hear. We still get a kick out of the fact we’ve still got it. Our muse hasn’t left us yet, and you only get one life don’t you, so you’ve got to make the most of what you’ve got while you’ve got it. We’ve still got good music in us, and still love touring. On touring, you’re playing Manchester tonight, any stand-out memories? We’ve been here countless times over the years and it’s a city that has always been very good to us. It’s always been an exciting place for us to come obviously because of its massive musical heritage, especially when we were younger playing venues we’d only heard about or read about. But as you

Having released four albums in the naughties, is it frustrating that you carry the Britpop tag around with you still? Yeah sometimes you can get a bit pigeon-holed, people think they know what we sound like... They say “oh The Bluetones… they’re a bit Shed 7, a bit Oasis, a bit Blur”… And we don’t think we’re any of those things. Apart from the obvious that there’s guitars, bass and drums. But the songs are of a different ilk and the whole voice of the band is different. We’ve got a defined sound, for us that’s something like the colour of our eyes, the colour of our hair, we can’t change it. That’s just the chemistry we’ve got.

Live Lyrics

They say “oh The Bluetones… they’re a bit Shed 7, a bit Oasis, a bit Blur”… We don’t think we’re any of those things

get older it changes. It’s still an exciting city but now we look forward to hanging out at nice places, seeing the sights… and it’s got great shops (laughing) I sound like a tourist…. I am a tourist!

Are you into any of the newer bands around? Well my main window to new music is Radio 6 music. I quite liked Passion Pit last year, they had a good album, and there was a band that toured with us recently called Married to the Sea, they were really good - we are all bang into them! (Laughing) I went to see Lady GaGa a few weeks ago, she was excellent! The Bluetones new album ‘A New Athens’ is set for release in June. L

The Ambersons

Photographs taken at Large’s First Birthday Party ©Paul Wolfgang Webster

Live Lyrics

Unsigned band The Ambersons have a stack of gigs lined up and some impressive and innovative music available on the internet. They have also featured on BBC Introducing. To find out more about the group, I went to meet up with Andy and Ben. Andy and Ben met about ten years ago when they were each in separate bands. “We had a bit of a fight in a corridor during a gig” they said, “after that we formed a band”. That project ended, then 18 months ago The Ambersons rose from the ashes. The group of six also includes Steve, Rich, Chris and Richard. The band spend most of their time rehersing in Warrington. “We find being outside Manchester is beneficial” says Andy, “It helps us to be different and stand out from lots of the other new music

We’ve got loads of gigs coming up and we spend lots of time rehearsing together as a band now and the energy is building up.Live gigs are a great release of energy.” “We’re playing the Hungry Pigeon Festival in the Northern Quarter on 30th May and we’re looking forward to it” says Andy.

that’s happening in Manchester at the moment”. Ben describes their influences as The Beatles and Super Furry Animals, “I also enjoy Electric Light Orchestra, but we also find we take bits from everything that is around us including dance, country and pop music”. “Our music has a lively feel with upbeat lyrics” says Ben, who writes all of the songs. “We do perform some covers though, we love to make them our own and play them together as a band.

When asked about the future of the band they say “We feel that this is going to be a big year for us, we have finally got some good contacts and people are becoming interested in us. We went through a period of asking venues to have us play. In the past 8-9 months we have stepped it up and it’s now paying off. We are trying to push the band hard now, we want things to go well and we don’t want to let anyone down. When we hear an album of ours on a late night radio show, we’ll know we’ve made it”. For more information on the band check out their pages on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter. L Alex Frost

Football’s Coming Home? It’s been a long time coming after England’s shock failure to qualify for Euro 2008 but after 4 years of waiting, we’re back in the running with fairly good odds for the World Cup 2010. The first match is on 11th June and the competition runs until the final on 11th July. Here’s the low down on England’s first three matches:

Saturday 12th June England vs USA at 7.30pm

Wednesday 23rd June England vs Slovenia at 3pm (if you can manage to wangle an early work finish!) The city will be alight with red and white flags and a whole raft of venues will be showing the matches but here are our picks of the best places to cheer on the boys...

World Cup Live

Saturday 18th June England vs Algeria at 7.30pm

Binary Bar

As there are 180 screens to watch in one place here, you can’t really go wrong! However it’s not just what’s happening inside the individual venues, it’s what’s happening in the centre of The Printworks that’s important too!

Binary Bar in Castlefield is going World Cup crazy with two huge screens in the main bar area plus a special 42-inch HD screen in a private room which can be reserved for upto 15 people at no charge!

During all England matches there will be a fun carnival atmosphere with face painting, a human football table, interactive computer games linked up to the huge screen in the pump yard and all guests will be given a card with one side red and one side yellow (see where they’re going on this one....), with the yellow side outlining all the offers pre-match and the red, all the offers postmatch – clever eh? In terms of venues to watch it in, Henry J Beans and Tiger Tiger are all offering great packages with food and drinks.

If England break through the next stages, the Odeon will be showing some of the matches in digital so if you want popcorn and chocolate whilst watching the games you know where to head. For the full World Cup schedule head to www.theprintworks.com. L

The bar will be showing every single game and during all England matches you can grab a pint, large glass of wine, two bottles of lager or a pint of soft drink and a burger and chips meal for just £6. If burger and chips doesn’t take your fancy, there is also an extensive

This month only with their offer in Large you get a half price bottle of house wine when you bring the voucher in (usual price £9). All day every day they offer two bottles of lager and two cocktails for £6 so it’s quid’s in all round as you cheer on the boys! Binary Bar, 5 Arundel Street, Manchester, M15 4JZ www.binarybar.co.uk 0161 839 6343 L

Jacksons What was the old Moon Bar in Piccadilly Basin by the waterside is now Jacksons; a perfect spot to watch the all-important World Cup matches. The venue will have great drinks deals throughout the matches and their food menu will reflect the games so when England play the USA expect plenty of burgers and chicken wings and when it’s time to play Algeria expect lots of

menu and take out pizzas if you want something for the way home. Pizza’s start at £4.50 for a 10 inch.

Northern African inspired cuisine such as tagine and cous cous.

World Cup Live

The Printworks

To get more information call 0161 228 2677, enquiries jacksons.bar@hotmail.com. Open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday until 11pm and Friday and Saturday until Midnight. Jacksons Bar, 20 Tariff Street, Jacksons Warehouse, M1 2FJ. L

World Cup Live

Revolution With a plethora of Revolution venues to choose from in Manchester, the bars are going world-cup crazy with offers galore.

moving onto a beer and a burger from £6 per person or if you want to go all out and have a burger and three drinks that will set you back around £12 per head.

Of course you can just head to the bar to watch the match but there are some great offers to take advantage of starting from £1.75 per person for a drinks reception,

You’re guaranteed an emotionallycharged atmosphere and a great time – let’s hope there are no tears!

Old Orleans If you want to escape the football then flock to Old Orleans in The Printworks. They will be having a football-free zone and offering 2-4-1 on all main courses (Sunday to Thursday) throughout the World Cup period when you quote Large Magazine. World Cup widows unite and beat the football blues - grab the girls and treat yourself to a delicious meal in a relaxed environment without the screams and footy chants! Old Orleans, The Printworks, Manchester.

0161 839 4430 L

www.revolution-bars.co.uk L

Fashion Forward

I would go out tonight, but I haven’t got a stitch to wear Bleak and ashen-skied she may be, there is (and always has been) that certain something about Manchester and its style. It carries off a beard or a scarf like no other and knows that fine line between where a woman’s skirt is just about family- friendly or short enough to be interesting. Manchester is home to real fashion. Not your flighty Prada or Balenciaga whimsical nonsense,

but proper clothes that people feel at home in. It’s also worth noting that Manchester is the little known home of the second largest collection of clothing and costume in the country, including a scorching pink Givenchy dress owned by the lovely Audrey Hepburn. The Gallery of Costume at Platt Hall has only last month reopened following an extensive spring clean. Call it the original vintage, if you will.

It’s also an enlightening place to start when defining true Manchester style. Housing not just couture, Platt Hall is also home to an unprecedented collection of civilian dress, and shows how the clothes city dwellers wore some hundred years past were utterly drab and boring - save for the scarves, shoes and hair styles they could toy with to give them a sense of individuality. To picture the Manchester look, start with a woven wool jacket in navy or black – belted or mac styles suit the brisk winds we have to contend with. A hulk of vintage fake fur or a military cape is also a favourite with girls. Add layers of slim jeans (turned up at the ankle for chaps), jersey dresses that cling to curves or a womanly shift dress worn with immaculate make up and fat jewellery, gritty boots or saucy shoes. Mostly, it’s the character and heart of Manchester that speaks through its daily dress. Yes, there is a certain novelty to having to battle with rain that seems to creep into every last melancholic, Northern song. Yes, it trashes hair and carefully applied make up but it’s always heartening to see that whilst your complete ‘look’ may be ruined in mere minutes, Mancunians keep on smiling through. L

Sophie Day

Fashion Forward 50

Manchester Street Style Office apparel has evolved in recent years, taking its place today at the cutting edge of fashions’ current trends. This summer we are seeing a look that once was limited to the workplace capture Manchester style; from staple trench coats to classic leather satchels, it’s clear that the ‘Office Chic’ trend means business. The predominantly masculine style generally typified by formal suits and pencil skirts has been softened by flowing blouses and cotton peg trousers, forming a suitably feminine look that is just as prevalent in menswear collections this Spring/Summer. Shirts have been liberated, with the conventional tie making way for quirky bow ties and patterned scarves. Yet fitted blazers and tuxedo style jackets are still welcome additions to an outfit, offering a conservative look ideal for the workplace. L Natalie Shaw

“We have the drive, some time on our hands, one little room and the biggest of plans…” Elbow

A gaggle of girls collected pre-loved handbags for their Handbags at Dusk party and invested the resulting £520 in women in Greater Manchester.

A loveliness of ladies from Women In Property gathered for dinner and pledged over £1500 to make change locally.

A swarm of Young Solicitors had a party at The Modern with cocktails and prizes promised their £200 to support inspiring local projects.

A band of Bankers braved five rounds in a quiz night adding £600 for Manchester people.

A gang of golfers teed off in Tameside reaching the 19th hole with a whopping £4300 to support local heroes.

A colony of customers gathered at Cord for a BBQ putting hands cooking up cash for the local cause.

Forever Manchester

Forever Manchester is gathering pace. We are drawing a following, and great things are happening…

Forever Manchester raises money locally and invests it in grants to support these local people who are making change, improving our communities forever. If you have a passion for Manchester join us and be part of a new generation helping to secure the future of our communities. Give us your money, or your time, or your voice. 52

Put your money where your heart is. www.forevermanchester.com

Kettlebells Sweat It Up, Work It Out

Funny name, what’s it all about? Imagine a bowling ball with a suitcase handle on it and you have an idea of what a kettlebell looks like. When training with a kettlebell the weight pulls away from you; your whole-body has to stabilise and recruit just about every muscle group to absorb the momentum. With a series of dynamic, whole body exercises, it provides the ultimate fat-blasting workout in less time. I’ve heard it all before, is it just another fitness craze? No! Kettlebells have been about for over 100 years but has only recently taken the fitness world by storm. Thousands of people in the UK alone are benefiting from the killer workouts they provide. As a training tool kettlebells are unrivalled, due to their ability to

develop strength, flexibility, stability, endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Due to this kettlebell training has a legion of celebrity fans; they’re not just for your average gym goer! What will it do for me? The benefits are endless but here are my top ten reasons to train with Kettlebells, especially with the summer holidays approaching! 1. Supercharges your fitness levels 2. Melts unwanted body fat 3. Fun, varied, short workouts 4. Provides a combination of cardio and strength training 5. Improves core strength and posture 6. Strengthens every muscle from head to toe

7. Perfect for people with busy lifestyles 8. They don’t take up huge amounts of space 9. Anyone can use them; any size, any shape, anywhere! 10. You’ll gain results quicker...fact! So, if you are looking for that perfect beach body or to add strength and bulk, the kettlebell will deliver the results you’re looking for and fast! Next month’s article on kettlebell training explains how to improve your cardio fitness. Visit www.kettlebelltraining.org.uk where you’ll find more information, sample exercises and workouts. L Steve Dawson

Gym do’s & don’ts

Sweat It Up, Work It Out

Is cardio the way to go? Should you take a good book to keep you company while you work out? We get down to the nitty gritty of what you should and shouldn’t be doing at the gym... 1. Avoid machine weights - they allow no freedom for your muscles, literally boring them senseless with the same movement pattern. Choose free weights, cables or Swiss Balls instead. 2. Don't overdo the cardio. Too much cardio isn’t effective and can actually result in your body producing hormones that encourage fat storage. 3. Train "movements" not "muscles". Include exercises that involve pushing, pulling, squatting, lunging, bending and twisting.

4. Posture is key! Avoid injuries and poor posture by stretching and using a foam roller if your gym has one for at least 5 minutes before you work out! 5. 100 sit-ups a day will not flatten that tummy and will only lead to poor posture. Choose exercises that engage lots of muscles. A squat, for example, involves over 14 major muscles. 6. Don’t wander around the gym half-heartedly doing this or that exercise. Have a goal and a defined plan to reach it. Decide what you’re going to do before you get to the gym and write it down. Having no plan will decrease your chances of success. 7. Focus on your workout - leave the books and other distracters at home!

Book a FREE 30 minute consultation now! 56

For one-to-one health, nutrition and fitness coaching, including guaranteed weight loss, please email Matt Brereton-Patel at matt@3dpts.com, call 07971 192357 or visit www.3dpersonaltraining.co.uk

Shake your way to a better body!

Available at Finesse Tanning and Beauty, the plates move up and down at different speeds exploiting the muscles your body uses to balance itself to shake off the flab! With a total workout time of only 10 minutes, it’s perfect for that lunchtime fix when the gym’s just too much. 3-4 sessions a week are recommended. Finesse are offering 4 sessions (over a week) for only £10 and 14 sessions (over a month) for £30. There are also a myriad of treatments available including St Tropez tanning, teeth whitening, waxing, Murad skin care body wraps, nail bar, facial skin and body treatments and massages as well as a hand and foot clinic. Finesse Health & Beauty: 10-14 Hilton Street, Stevenson Square, Manchester. 0161 2361401

www.finesselovesyourbody.co.uk L

Go Crazy for Cricket! If the thought of sitting through a lengthy cricket match doesn’t fill you with delight then how about the Friends Provident t20. It’s the most exciting, shortest form of the game and Lancashire Lightning will be playing eight group games at Old Trafford this June/July in a bid to reach the elusive finals day. The Lightning side is well regarded as one of the strongest teams in the country after their amazing performance back in 2009. After a premature exit in the quarter-finals from last year’s competition, the team will be back with a bang in 2010 and determined to make their mark. Some mouth-watering fixtures lie ahead this season with lots of weekend games and after work fixtures. The exciting War of the

Roses tie with old rivals Yorkshire Carnegie is on Friday 9th July and spectators can expect a sell-out crowd soaking up the atmosphere of one of cricket’s highest profile battles. Tickets for t20 games at Old Trafford are better value than ever before. If you are a LCCC Member you can watch all eight games at Old Trafford for as little as £32.00. Don’t worry if you are not a member, there are still huge savings to be had with adult season tickets for £60 – it works out that you get to see eight matches for the price of five! Tickets are also available at brilliant advance purchase prices for individual matches if you can’t commit for a season. Purchase your tickets by calling 0161 282 4040 or by visiting www.lccc.co.uk

Sweat It Up, Work It Out

The Flabelos is the new ultimate workout machine that shakes you to become slimmer, fitter and healthier.

Amor de España

Love from Mimi

I’m the epitome of “You can take the girl out of Manchester...” My life is full of laughing, Vimto, cups of tea and football. When I dance I love to shake my hips like a bag of chips and, if you’re buying, it’s lager and black for me please!

My GOSH May has been a busy month! So first off I’m writing you this from Barcelona. Love my city I do, but sometimes it’s nice to experience another culture. Especially a culture that thinks it’s very okay to lie in bed till 11am everyday and then take another nap in the afternoon. These lot call them siesta’s but I’m sticking with disco nap! I’ve been drinking lots of Estrella and sunbathing. I probably should have learnt more words than just ‘Hola’

Having to be dragged away whilst shouting ‘Brett sign my boob’ was not one of my prouder moments 60

though, my conversations with people usually don’t make it much past about six seconds. Just before I left, I went to watch what I think is quite possibly the funniest twosome in the whole wide world - Flight of the Conchords at The Apollo. I have always loved the Apollo, the inside is so pretty. I always think when I’m there I wish I had enough friends (and a fiancé) so I could get married on that stage. Next door there’s also a little old skool pub (Apsley Cottage) that’s full of character and perfect for before and after gig drinks. Just don’t get yourself too carried away in there like I did, having to be dragged away whilst shouting ‘Brett sign my boob’ was not one of my prouder moments… Right dears I’m off to watch the Barca match. Toodles, Loves Wonton x

Throughout June, legendary photographer Paul Wolfgang Webster is displaying his captivating images of Manc legends including Bez and Shaun Ryder, Anthony Wilson and Badly Drawn Boy. Brit Art Gallery is proud to be part of Hungry Pigeon Festival and as part of the festival, the gallery is inviting you to a special afternoon with Paul for a Q and A session about life behind the lens. Join us on May 29th, 3-5pm. Refreshments provided. Limited numbers, to guarantee your place email Andrew Hill at Brit Art: britartgallery@ymail.com

Manchesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest iconic, three-storey art gallery situated in the Northern Quarter. Showcasing graffiti art, custom-made furniture and photography from northern artists including Paul Wolfgang Webster, The Stig and Karen McBride.

Sale now on with upto 50% off original pieces.

Free to the public

Brit Art 58 Port Street Manchester M1 2EQ. www.britart-gallery.co.uk 0161 237 3155

Find us on the Hungry Pigeon map!