M U R M U R Issue 29 • March 2020
Welcome to MURMUR, hello@murmurmcr.com Manchester’s monthly guide to radical, independent & inclusive goings-on. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a digital copy of MURMUR, extended articles, reviews on gigs, zines, places to eat and some literary surprises. www.murmurmcr.com
LISTEN MON 02 03
Nylex/PC World At
Peer Hat
• New Wave post-punkers Nylex from down under and Southerners PC World offering a synth-off into spring wetland. £4, 8 - 11.30pm
• Interior Presents surfy indie dolce vita wrapped in fresh white linen sheets and tiramisu served in bellybuttons. £8.80, 7.30 - 10.30pm
SAT 14 03
Cries & Whispers At
White Hotel
• Manchester Collective's string quartett take hostage light. One hundred minutes layered with existential doubt, last words whispered on the cross, terror of political oppression - and re-emergence into the mists. £8, 7.45 - 10pm
MON 16 03
Waterless Hills At
Gullivers
• HEY! Manchester presents Alternative Folk scoring of an imagined film by talent bundle dbh, C Joynes, Andrew Cheetham, Gavin Clarke. £8, 7.30pm
THU 19 03
FRI 06 03
Ear Katie Pham And The Moon- Curious At Peer Hat bathers + Pomona XV At
Wilderness Records
• Luscious jazzy surf sound transport us to places far from here. Support comes from indie dream pop band Pomona XV and ‘misery rocker’ Jay Plent.
• Improvised Trombone, drums, flute, guitar, percussion. If you like Jazz - this is nothing like it!, but top notch stream of conciousness musicking. £6, 8pm
£3, 6 - 10pm
SUN 08 03
Sweaty Palms/Yossarians At
Peer Hat
• Slap-Heavy Sleaze garage Punk from Glasgow amalgamizes with Manc End of days avant-punk. £5, 7 - 11pm
TUE 10 03
FRI 20 03
The Vernal Equinox At
Kings Arms
• Enlighten in purgatory prep by Louise Woodcock and enter the centre of the sun with uncanny downtempo from Rose and the Diamond Hand, low-fi folk from Pig Legs, The Capoeira Band and Nummo Twin. £6, 7.30 - 11pm
Special Interest/Humint/ Ether Mech
FAIR PLAY FESTIVAL
• Lightning bolts and pounding drum machine fire from New Orleans slating neo-liberal wonderlands and the patriarchy. Manc punk-up for steam control.
• Electro pop heaven opens its gates with choral angels PINS, LA PRIEST, International Teachers of Pop, Las Kellies, The rebel, YANG & POSA.
At
YES
£8.50, 7.30 - 10.30pm
WED 11 03
Julia Bardo At
YES
SAT 28 03
At
St. Philips Church
£16.50, 2 - 11pm
TUE 31 03
Katie Gately At
White Hotel
• Majestic, icicle cool sample layerings from American sound artist and producer Gately will waltz into your subconcious and eat you whole. £8.80/11, 7.30 - 11pm
DA N C E FRI 06 03
Peach/Shanti Celeste/ Club Fitness At
White Hotel
• Bouncy motor town swings rave by and hand you a bowl of energy passion fruit salad. Syncopated Bliss! SOLD OUT keep an Eye on ReSale tixxx, 11.59pm - 7am
SAT 07 03
Kiss Me Again: CCL At
Soup Kitchen
• Seattle's cowgirl breaks down - chopchop, zipp-zipp, swooooosh - barriers in heads, glass ceilings. Pure electro-collaborateur magnitude. CCL-iberation! £5/6, 11pm - 4am
SAT 14 03
Turkish & Kurdish Folk At
Dulcimer
• Paula Darwish and Serpil Kılıç curate an introduction to traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranian song book chests. Güle güle kullanin! £8, 7.30 - 10.30pm
SAT 14 03
Making Faces At
White Hotel
• Italo delights arrive in synth chariots with Giovanna, I-F (3 hour set!), and Red laser mongul Il Bosco. Techno bumps sneak in with Conor Thomas (from the other room). Light spectacle provision is served up by the Flasher. £15, 11.59pm - 7am
THU 19 03 & 26 03
Voodoo Hairdo At
Peer Hat
• Your secret mid-week dive that nourishes tired souls, cures blue collar blues and poor artist lethargy with exotica, rhythm and blues, surf and dance-floor obscurities on 45rpm. FREE, 10pm - 3am
F E AT U R E Wilderness Records Withington M20 4PN
O
SAT 07 03
No Borders Day Festival At
The Klondyke
• A day of workshops, talks, art, poetry, film, food and music to celebrate Manchester’s diverse communities, learn more about the UK immigration system, and get refugee voices heard. All proceeds go to Manchester Refugee Rights Collective. PAY AS YOU FEEL, 12pm - 1am
SAT 07 03
Still Life Story At
FREE, Midday - 7pm
TUE 10 03
Treat Yourself Tuesdays The Chorlton Tap
• Support local makers and restock your stationery supplies, rediscover fountain pen writing and get organised with hand-made notebooks and diaries. FREE, 4.30 - 9.30pm
THU 12 03
Getting Better At
The Portico Library
• Complementing the Portico’s current exhibition ‘Talking Sense: The Changing Vocabulary of Mind and Brain’, this public discussion focuses on how we communicate about mental health and how the language of wellbeing and recovery has been changing over time. Guest speakers include senior clinical research nurse Miriam Avery, artist Darren Adcock and MURMUR's own Lisa Lorenz, founder and editor of mind culture journal NOUS magazine. FREE/£4, 6.30 - 8pm
Methodist Central Hall
• Manchester’s independent media platform facilitate a workshop for all aspiring journos out there. Before speaking truth to power you need to learn the ins-and-outs, the do’s-anddont’s of the profession. Dave Toomer, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, is here to help. £5, 6.45 - 8.45pm
SAT 14 03
Anti-Rape Anthem At
Central Library
• El Violador En Tu Camino (The Rapist In Your Path), the Chilean dance protest against sexual violence and violence against women and girls, has spread across countries and continents since December 2019. This International Women’s Week Manchester social justice organisations Women Asylum Seekers Together and Safety 4 Sisters will amplify the chant to break the silence and invite all sisters who self-identify as women to join them. FREE, 12.30 - 1.30pm practice rehearsal: collier room, the Methodist hall, Fri 13 03, 6pm
The Norah Store
• With free bevvies and tunes by feminist DJ collective All Hands On Deck sustainable homewares brand Still Life Story celebrate their moving in to Norah & invite us to discover slow living.
At
The Meteor: Media Ethics & Law Workshop At
• Wilderness has been around for a while now, but has recently had a revamp. Toasties, cakes, beers and wines can all be had whilst you dig or just listen to tunes waving from their top notch sound system. Every Wednesday they hold a big midweek quiz. Win a £50 bar tab AND any vinyl of your choice. Check them out!
D
THU 12 03
SAT 14 03
Tshirt & tote bag Screen Printing Workshop At
Partisan
• Learn a new skill with your friendly tutor Holly. No previous knowledge required, all materials provided. bring your own design or create something new during the session. FREE - £35, 1 - 5pm
SAT 14 03
Worth the Weight Vintage Kilo Sale At
Manchester Cathedral
• Inspect 9 tonnes of handpicked vintage fashion at the UK’s biggest kilo sale! 1 kilo of clothes = 15 British pounds. Roam the place in quietude by getting yourself a £3 early bird ticket (entry at 10am), or arrive with the other plebs at 11am (£1.50 admission). £1.50/3, 10 - 4pm
SUN 15 03
Rare Mags Pop-Up
@ Green Earth, Macclesfield
• Fancy venturing out of Manchester for a day? Do you love locally produced goods made by passionate designers and meeting the makers? This will be right up your street! FREE, 12 - 4pm
SAT 21 03
Bicycle Repair Drop-In At
Partisan
• Learn how to get your bike ready for the road - all by yourself! The event will take place in Partisan’s basement. If you need help lifting your bike down a couple of steps just pop your head in first and the organisers can give you a hand. DONATION, 2 - 4pm
WED 25 03 Black Girls Get Together At Chuck Gallery
• An evening dedicated to black girl magic! Make new friends, dance and learn about the effects of art on wellbeing, organised by Cultureworld. Artist, writer and performer Chanje Kunda will be making a special appearance. Kunda is currently touring her show Plant Fetish, which is inspired by the peculiar (yet wholesome?) phenomenon of women marrying trees. FREE, 6.30 - 9.30pm
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WED 04 03
Artist Talk: Juno Calypso At
Manchester Art Gallery
• During her studies at the London College of Communication, Juno Calypso created herself an alter-ego named Joyce. She has since photographed Joyce in many strange surroundings, from pink honeymoon suites to nuclear bunkers - questioning feminine ideals, youth and beauty. £4/6/8, 6 - 7.15pm
THU 05 03
Print Auction At
YES
• Art School Needs You! MMU's final year Graphic Design students need funds to print their degree show catalogue: so, head down and save yourself a print donated by a crème-de-la-crème designer and enjoy the bidding frenzy. FREE, 6 - 11pm
THU 05 03
AFE International At
Air Gallery
• Tuning us in for International Women's day, Action for Equality present the work of 8 female artist highlighting issues on femininity, forced displacement and orientalism. FREE, 6 - 9pm SAT 14 03
Absence + Absinthe At
Studio Bee
• How can we visualise air pollution? A potent symbol of the climate crisis, yet challengingly abstract to illustrate. See how art can shape our understanding of the atmosphere, at this panel discussion hosted by the Institute of Urban Dreaming.
FREE, 7 - 11pm
FREE, 6 -8pm
SAT 14 03 - SUN 05 04
Thu 26 03
Everything I Know, I Felt
Fantastic Fungi
• For this exhibition Girl Gang Manchester commissioned new work by local aritsts responding to the diverse emotional experiences of womxn. There will be talks, workshops and a teen takeover celebrating the complexities, ups and downs of, and societal expactations on our emotions.
• Haven't you heard? Mushrooms are superheroes! Follow award-winning filmmaker and pioneer of time-lapse photography, Louie Schwartzberg through time and underwood - and get into the fungi zone with Wet Play guru tunes & visual shrooms by the Flasher.
At
The Lowry
FREE, Everyday 11am - 5pm
THU 19 03
Preview: Soft Bodies At
Castlefield Gallery
• Soft Bodies takes its title from Softbody dynamics – computer-generated graphics that simulate soft materials like muscle, vegetation and fabric. Explore the body concept and its relationship to technology, politics, gender, race and sexuality. FREE, 6 - 8pm
THU 26 03
Art in Mancunia 2020 At
The White Hotel
• When the government is too busy stripping away our EU rights and cutting arts funding, you’ve got to take matters into your own hands! Students are putting on their own end-of-term exhibition that showcases works by Manchester’s young art community. Expect anything from visual to interactive arts, live performances and DJs. £4.50, 7 - 3am
SAT 28 03
ROOM // INNATE At
Rare Mags
• Join the exhibition and zine launch by Stockportian visual artist, prolific printmaker and illustrator Luca Shaw. FREE, 6 - 9pm
WATCH THU 12 03
Art, Airscapes and Anthropocene At
CFCCA
At
Niamos
£12, 5pm - 1am
THU 26 03
Nation, Identity, Diaspora At
CFCCA
• A multi-screening of films exploring diasporic experiences in the UK, also offers the perfect chance to catch Rae-Yen Song's installation May-May Songuu, telling a mythical story of food and sister relationships. £5, 6 - 8pm
THU 05 03 - SAT 07 03
Augmented At
Royal Exchange Theatre
• How does the ability to hear affect your sense of self or your relationships? Self-described cyborg Sophie Woolley explores this question in her intimate, funny and energetic one-person show about having her hearing “switched on” again after years of total deafness. £7-13, 7.30 - 8.45pm
THU 05 03 - SAT 14 03
Little Wimmin At
HOME
• Figs in Wigs’ latest show puts a feminist slant on a literary classic. Expect puns, satire, sarcasm, bright colours and a frozen phallus covered in vodka. £5-12.50, 7.45pm start
SAT 14 03
Rendezvous in Bratislava At
The Lowry
• Upon discovering that her granddad (who has been dead for 39 years) was a theatre maker, Miriam Sherwood has decided to make a cabaret with him! Featuring original music and her pap's old material, this is a strange and personal exploration of Sherwood’s roots. £10-12, 8 - 10pm
THU 19 03 - SAT 21 03
IDOL At
Royal Exchange Theatre
• Featuring music, storytelling and African diasporic ritual, join Jamal Gerald in his “daring and unapologetic examination of religion, pop culture and black representation”. £6-13, 7.30pm start
WED 25 03 - SAT 28 03
Madame Ovary At
Royal Exchange Theatre
• Just as she resolves to start bettering herself, Rosa Hesmondhalgh is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Rosa opens up about her experience in a brave one-person show that’s heartbreaking, uplifting and cathartic. £7-13, 7.30pm start
w O R D THU 05 03
Tribune Reading Group At
Old Bank NOMA
• An evening of interesting conversation and friendly chats. Readings are taken from the latest issue of Tribune. Online links can be found via their Facebook event page. FREE, 7 - 8.30pm
THU 05 03
That's What She* Said At
Tribeca
• This spoken word night for women and non-binary performers makes a comeback with Young Identity director Shirley May, witchy writer Kate Garrett and stage poet Esther Koch. £5/7, 7 - 10pm
SUN 08 03
Erica Lagalisse At
Partisan Occult Features of Anarchism DONATIONS, 3 - 5pm
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Things Palace 3 At
Isca Wines
• This month Isca serve up Lorcan Kan’s third iteration of Things Palace. Murmur LOVED it last time - go on down and support locally grown, community-minded cuisine. £32 for 6 courses, 6-10pm
Editors Max Abendstern, Olivia Havercroft, Lisa Lorenz, George Odysseos, Nicole Peeters & Huw Spencer Illustration Florence Burns DEsign Alina Jungclaus & Hendrik Schneider Layout Lisa Lorenz Print Team Trident Press
• Absence & Absinthe is a new photography exhibition by Acid Maia, exploring the gruesome parts of human and non-human life in urban and natural spaces. A post-apocalyptic plant wilderness trapping the skeletons of the digital age.